20 Famous People With Autism

You might not be aware that Greta Thunberg, Anthony Hopkins and Susan Boyle have autism. They are famous for speaking at the United Nations or acting in front of thousands.

It is not surprising that celebrities and other famous people have been diagnosed with autism.

Sia, a singer who has recently been featured in the news for her candidness about living with a neurotypical diagnosis and the struggles she faces, made headlines. She said, “I have felt for 45 years […] that I need to put on my human suit.” “I have only become myself in the past two years.”

Take a look at famous people who have autism, and historical figures that are believed to be on the spectrum.

Famous historical figures with Autism

Donald Triplett was the first person to be diagnosed with autism. He died in 2013 at the age of 89. Due to the lack of official diagnosis, we may not know which historical figures are on the spectrum. However, there is evidence that some of them were.

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein may have been on the spectrum of autism, but it’s hard to say for sure. However, there are many theories. His personality exhibited some autism-related traits, including:

• Obsessive Interests
• Social relationships can be difficult.
• communicating

Einstein was called a “loner”, and repeated phrases and sentences until he turned seven. researchers say that there is “no doubt” that Einstein had autism.

Sir Isaac Newton

In the same way, Sir Isaac Newton – often called “the father of modern science” – is believed to have had autism.

• He hardly spoke
• He was immersed in his job, and
• His temperament was deemed to be either lukewarm or bad-tempered

Scientists found that while these traits alone do not necessarily indicate autism, they also found other traits that suggest Newton may have been autistic.

Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen is a Danish writer. He also wrote travelogues and novels. Most famous for his fairytales.

Through his stories, such as The Ugly Duckling, he may have discussed his difficulties, which were speculated to be symptoms of autism. This idea was later investigated.

Hans called Ugly Duckling “a reflection” of his own life. He was not diagnosed but showed symptoms like:

• Those with narrow interests
• Repeated routines
• It can be difficult to interact with others.
• Speech and Language Disorders

It is documented the author’s childhood was “dark and bitter.” He was a child with many challenges, but he was encouraged by his teachers to write when acting didn’t work. He became one of the most famous writers in history as a result of this journey.

Benjamin Franklin

has said, that Benjamin Franklin was on the spectrum of autism. Franklin, who has a milder form of autism but is still a famous learner, explained that he learned by saying: “Tell, and I forget.” Teach me and I will remember. “I learn when I am involved.

Many autistic individuals are visual learners rather than verbal.

Franklin has never been officially diagnosed with Autism.

Thomas Wiggins

Thomas Wiggins was a blind child pianist who was also enslaved. He had the amazing gift of being able to hear a small selection of complex music, and then echo it. He became a pianist at the age of four and began touring America by eight.

He was the highest-paid black pianist in the 19th century. In 1960, when he was ten, he was the first to perform at The White House.

experts believe that many people today would have diagnosed him with autism if he were alive. He was fascinated by sound and could mimic everything from train sounds to bird calls. He was also reported to have rocked, twitched, and been nonverbal.

We now know that Blind Tom was a sensory seeker. He was hypersensitive to sounds, and his stim was likely rocking and twitching. Music became his escape, to satisfy his sensory needs.

Leonardo da Vinci

Two scientists analyzed historical accounts to determine that the Mona Lisa was likely autistic.

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), like autism, share similar traits.

Scientists found that his notebooks showed mirror writing and spelling mistakes, which have been considered to be suggestive of dyslexia.

Children with ADHD are more likely to have dyslexia, dysgraphia, or left-handedness.

Athletes with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Some experts link autism with being good at sports or physical activity. Some athletes with autism have defied the trend and excelled at sports that do not require teamwork. Here are some sports stars with autism.

Clay Marzo

Clay Marzo, a top surfer from California, was diagnosed with Autism in 2007. He said that he had “always known something was different” about him. Clay Marzo is highly focused on his sport. He says that he was able to focus only “if I enjoyed something.”

At competitions, you will often see him rubbing his fingers together quickly, which is also known as stimming. Stimming can be a common autism symptom.

Jim Eisenreich

Jim Eisenreich, who represented the Minnesota Twins in 1982, became a major figure in Major League Baseball. He displayed his extraordinary talent. His journey was not free of challenges. Eisenreich, who was diagnosed with Aspergers and Tourette Syndrome after being plagued by uncontrollable tics caused by Tourette Syndrome, faced a difficult battle. Unfortunately, these conditions forced him to leave MLB in 1984.

Jim Eisenreich returned to his beloved sport in 1986 with the help of medication and an understanding of his challenges. In 1989, his perseverance paid off as he was named the Kansas City Royals’ Player of the Year. This award marked the start of a career that would last 15 years.

Anthony Ianni

Anthony Ianni, a basketball player from the University of Michigan, was diagnosed with autism. This form of autism is characterized by a low roof for people to be successful in school and sports. When he was a kid, his parents took him to basketball games and he experienced what he called “freak-out moments.” It was the sensory overload of flashing lights, loud noises, and screaming that caused him to lose his mind.

Anthony’s love for basketball, however, surpassed all of these experiences. From 2009 to 2012, he attended Michigan State University and pursued his passion for basketball. He was the first Division I college basketball athlete on the spectrum to be known.

Armani Williams

Armani Williams, a 20-year-old American stock car racing racer was diagnosed with ASD when he was two years old. He is also the first NASCAR racer to openly discuss his autism diagnosis.

Williams’ first word was spoken at age three. Williams struggled to interact with others and had sensory issues during his childhood. He was also very interested in NASCAR and cars at an early age.

Williams has often written the word “autism”, and painted his track car blue with a blue puzzle piece of autism to raise awareness. Williams is currently pursuing his passion for fast cars while studying chemical engineering.

Celebrities who have autism

In their private lives, celebrities may entertain us through their singing, dancing, acting and other talents, but they have been diagnosed with autism. Sharing their stories could inspire others to achieve greatness and live fulfilling lives.

Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle was a musical star in 2009 when she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent. Some audience members found the eccentric middle-aged women amusing at first. Susan’s performance as she sang her song amazed both the judges and the audience.

Boyle revealed that she had been unfairly labelled throughout her life. She then revealed her Asperger syndrome diagnosis. She calls being diagnosed “a relief.”

Asperger syndrome, which went undiagnosed in the singer’s case for many years, made her feel like an outcast during her childhood because no one understood her.

“Asperger’s doesn’t define me. Boyle said, “It’s something I have to live with and deal with but I feel better about myself.” “People will understand who I am and what I do better.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd, a comedian, singer, actor and screenwriter who is also known as the Blues Brother, was diagnosed with Autism in 1980. When he was diagnosed with mild Asperger syndrome, he was expelled from school.

He has admitted to having “obsessions,” with law enforcement, ghosts, and carrying a badge. Aykroyd says that he feels naked if he doesn’t wear a badge. Aykroyd also revealed that he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at the age of 12. However, his symptoms were controlled by therapy.

Aykroyd didn’t let his diagnosis prevent him from winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writer in a Comedy, Variety, or Music Series. He also received an honorary Doctor of Literature from Carleton University and was inducted onto Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Sir Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins is an actor, director and film producer with several awards, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award, Emmys and three BAFTAs. He said: “I have Asperger but I am high-end. Many people with Aspergers are highly functioning but inconsistent.” They are prone to nervous ticks and nervous habits.

Sir Anthony calls himself “a poor student,” and he says that he was ridiculed as a child, which led him to develop an inferiority complex. He says he grew up believing he was dumb and had an absolute contempt for authorities.

He said, “They sent me to the boarding school as they had no idea what else to do.” “My school record was bad, and that can breed anger and loneliness in any child.”

When asked about his work ethic Sir Anthony stated that he reads the lines of character until he becomes accustomed to them and can recite them without thinking. Once he is done with a role, he will “dispose” of it.

Despite his struggles, Sir Anthony is a major force in the world of acting.

Chris Packham

Chris Packham, an English naturalist and photographer, is also a television presenter and author. In his 40s, he was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.

He describes this time in his life as a “dark place” and says that the happiest part of his life was when he spent six months with a Kestrel (a bird), whom he taught how to fly. He calls this period of his life a “dark time” and states that the happiest time of his lifetime was when he spent six months with a Kestrel bird, whom he taught to fly.

He said forming a relationship with humans was more difficult than establishing a love for animals.

Packham, who is autistic, said that it allowed him to see the world differently. Packham believes that despite his heightened senses and mind that wonders, being able to “see and hear things most people cannot” is a great gift.

Chris Packham was an English naturalist and nature photographer who also worked as a television presenter. He has faced many challenges in his lifetime. He was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome only in his 40s.

Packham was bewildered at the behaviour of his classmates during his school days. He called this period “a dark place,” but found joy and solace in the six months that he spent teaching a Kestrel to fly. This was the time when he had his most happy moments.

“I can hear and see things that most people cannot [and] it is a great gift,” he explained.

Courtney Love

Courtney Love, an American singer-songwriter and actress with autism, is a member of the Autism Spectrum. She is the lead singer of the alternative rock band Hole.

She briefly discussed her autism diagnosis in a Rolling Stone interview. She revealed that she was an introvert who was diagnosed with autism when she could not speak.

“My first trip to the psychiatrist was when I, like, was three.” Observational Therapy. She said, “I’ve been everywhere.”

Autism Advocates and Entrepreneurs

Dr. Temple Grandin

Dr. Temple Grandin, a professor of Animal Science and an expert on animal behaviour and autism at Colorado State University, is a speaker and author who specializes in autism and animal behaviour.

After several sessions of speech therapy, Dr. Grandin started speaking at age three and a half. In her early years, Dr. Grandin was bullied and teased by her peers.

In an, she said: “I didn’t realize how odd my speech and mannerisms were until I watched videotapes.”

She describes her friends as those who share her interests such as electronics, model rockets, or horses. She says that her mother and her teachers were important people in her life, who encouraged her to pursue her interests.

Fun fact about Dr. Grandin: in 2010, HBO produced a movie that won an award about her life. She has been featured in numerous publications, including Time Magazine and the New York Times.

Dr. Grandin urges parents to encourage their children to become flexible, and to not focus on the child’s deficiencies but to build on his/her strength.

Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist for the environment. She is the face of the movement for a school climate strike.

She shared on her Twitter that she has Asperger’s and is sometimes different from the norm. In the right circumstances, it’s a superpower to be different …”

She uses Twitter to share her experiences as an activist in the spectrum and raise climate change awareness.

She said: “I don’t share my diagnosis because I want to ‘hide,’ but rather, because many ignorant people still view it as a ‘disease’ or something negative. “My diagnosis has been a limitation to me in the past.”

Maisie Hill

Maisie Hill is the author of PeriodPower, an expert on menstrual hygiene, and she shared bits of her autism diagnosis in her Instagram podcast and Instagram.

She posted a photo with the caption “I am autistic.” She wrote in her caption: “A few years ago, I was blind to the way autism manifests in women born. As I researched, it became clear that many of these things were true of me. I spent the past year wondering if I’m autistic.” Last week, I was given a formal autism diagnosis. This allowed me to understand my life in a whole new way.

She describes a journey of realizing, being overwhelmed, frustrated, and crying. “My brain has been extremely busy processing getting an official diagnosis. It is ultimately positive for me.”

Stephen Wiltshire

Stephen Wiltshire, a British architect and autistic genius, is an architectural artist. His ability to draw a complete skyline from his photographic memory has made him incredibly popular around the world.

Wiltshire, who was diagnosed with Autism at age three, didn’t speak his first word (paper) until the age of five. His first commission at age eight was to illustrate for the British PM. He struggled with the language even then.

Wiltshire’s first book of illustrations was published at the age of 13. Despite his photographic memories, a report about him on National Geographic stated: “He managed to get lost and walked 45 minutes in the opposite direction before finding Cheyenne’s Diner.”

From Jerusalem to Sydney, he has drawn many cities. Mexico City was brought to life in a 13-foot canvas for one project. He opened his central London gallery in 2006. Prince Charles named him a member of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contribution to the art scene.

He calls drawing “my language.” He said, “It’s a good feeling and makes me happy to see people smiling. When they smile, I also smile.”

I also enjoy going up in a helicopter to see the cityscapes from an aerial view.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk, the businessman who owns Twitter, has been open about his autism and has described his childhood as being “very unhappy”. He was also bullied in school.

In an interview, he revealed that he was nearly beaten to death. “It was a very close call.” I spent some time in the hospital.

Musk explained in a TED video how his brain functions differently. Musk explained that social cues weren’t intuitive and he was therefore very bookish.

“Others intuitively understood what was meant.” I took things very literally as if they were saying exactly what was meant. It turned out that I was wrong. People don’t always say what they mean. Other things are also meant. “It took me some time to figure out what you meant.”

Conclusion

These inspirational people also show that an autism diagnosis does not limit one’s ability to excel. These inspiring people show that having an autism diagnosis doesn’t always mean you can’t excel.

Many of these people faced obstacles at an early age but have overcome them. They have used their autism as a blessing and made their talents known to society by focusing on their passions.

It can be overwhelming to receive an autism diagnosis. This article may encourage you to support your child on the journey towards independence, even though it can be difficult.