10 Stars with Dyslexia: Success Stories That Inspire Everyone

When reading and writing become challenging, it may be due to dyslexia, a learning disorder that affects men and women equally. The causes of these reading and spelling disorders are still not fully understood, but scientists agree that several factors, including genetics, are responsible for the appearance of dyslexia.

Without the right support and encouragement, dyslexia can create a sense of failure, even in the most eager and highly intelligent student. Therefore, diagnoses should not be made hastily and children and young people with reading difficulties should first be carefully observed. But even if you have dyslexia – that’s no reason to give up – quite the opposite!

We want to encourage all people with dyslexia and in this article, we will present 10 inspiring stories of celebrities with dyslexia.

1. Steven Spielberg

ET, Indiana Jones, or Jurassic Park. Given Steven Spielberg’s biography and list of blockbuster movies, it’s hard to imagine that he was once an outsider. The gifted filmmaker and director only found out at the age of 60 that he had dyslexia. In his school days, he was teased by his classmates and even dropped out of college. However, these negative experiences encouraged him in his profession as a screenwriter and director. Today Steven Spielberg, who has become a legend throughout Hollywood and has won multiple Oscars, is open about his dyslexia.

2. Cher

The “Goddess of Pop”, also known as Cher, is a famous singer, actress, and TV personality, who has struggled with dyslexia all her life. She describes the feeling by saying “the words feel like another language”. Her teachers felt like she was not living up to her potential due to the condition holding her back. Eventually, Cher taught herself to read through listening.

Cher finally learned what had caused this when she took her son to a testing center because he too was having trouble reading. When the doctor told her the diagnosis, it clicked.

Today Cher embraces her dyslexia saying it makes her unique. 

3. Jamie Oliver

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has made a name for himself over the years with his colorful cookbooks, entertaining TV shows and restaurants around the world. In Great Britain alone, the family man owns 36 restaurants. His fan community appreciates him for his uncomplicated recipes and his friendly demeanor. But the Briton was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, and he didn’t finish his first book until he was 38.

4. Keira Knightley

It is not true that dyslexia almost exclusively affects boys. Model and actress Keira Knightley was only 6 years old when she was diagnosed with dyslexia. Together with her parents, Keira strived for a compromise. Her parents promised to hire an agent to further her acting career, but in return, Keira had to address her fear of reading and studying books, screenplays, and scripts carefully and independently, and recite them aloud.

5. Jennifer Aniston

Rachel Green with reading problems? Who would have thought that “Friends” star, Jennifer Aniston, also had dyslexia? She herself knew nothing about it until adulthood. However, Aniston herself looks back on her school days with mixed feelings. In an interview, she recalled her problems with reading and her difficulty in keeping up with the reading pace of the class. It was only many years later that the diagnosis of dyslexia brought clarity to her.

6. Walt Disney

Who doesn’t know and love Disney movies? The mastermind behind the cartoon empire was the American Walter Elias Disney, Walt Disney for short. He managed to change the film world forever with a simple cartoon mouse. As a co-founder of Disney Productions, he ensured that the company became one of the leading production companies in the world. During its lifetime, Disney was awarded 26 Oscars, an achievement that remains unmatched to this day. Even after his death, the Disney success story continued and the brand developed into a large corporation that is well-known internationally. Disney Corporation is estimated to have annual revenue of $35 billion.

7. Sir Richard Branson

British self-made billionaire businessman Richard Branson also has dyslexia. Branson says that dyslexia gave him “a different way of thinking” and therefore actively contributed to his success. The CEO of the Virgin Group has founded more than 400 companies, including a record label and an airline. He was also knighted by Queen Elizabeth and has borne the title “Sir” ever since.

8. Albert Einstein

The most famous scientist of all time, Albert Einstein proves that even geniuses can suffer from dyslexia. The brilliant physicist and discoverer of relativity theory had problems with language acquisition as a child and only became fluent at a later age. He loved math and science subjects but had trouble with grammar and spelling.

9. Whoopi Goldberg

The multi-talented American actress Whoopi Goldberg was called “stupid” and “retarded” by her classmates. Whoopi only found out about her dyslexia after graduating from school, but the superwoman never let this diagnosis stop her. Goldberg has won a variety of awards in her career including the coveted EGOT  (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award).

10. Tom Holland

Even superheroes like Spiderman can have reading difficulties. Tom’s dyslexia was diagnosed at the age of 7, prompting his parents to enroll him in a private school. His spelling and grammar mistakes are occasionally talked about on social media, and Tom is open about his reading difficulties.

Many fans of Tom’s films may not know that he is English and has learned the distinctive Spiderman New York accent!

Apparently, to prepare for his role in Spiderman, he also enrolled in the Bronx High School of Science!

How OrCam Learn Can Make Life Easier For People with Dyslexia

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a star, a self-made billionaire, a Nobel Prize winner, or just normal people like you and me. People with dyslexia often have to overcome a number of challenges in their private and professional lives. And this is where the OrCam Learn comes into play.