That there are a lot of famous and successful people out there that are dyslexic. Having dyslexia can bring a unique set of strengths and qualities; developed as a result of having to do things differently. By understanding how being dyslexia impacts you, you can realise your strengths and build a meaningful career. We hope this list inspires you to become the best version of yourself and understand how dyslexia can be really valuable in life and within the workplace.
1) Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is an American actor and producer. He is famous for his roles in Mission Impossible and Top Gun. He has been very vocal about his struggles with dyslexia, stating that he was ‘functionally illiterate’ and found it difficult to read scripts.
2) Kiera Knightley
Kiera Knightley is best known for her role in Pirates of the Caribbean and Pride and Prejudice. She was diagnosed with dyslexia when she was six. Despite this, she still went to leave school with fantastic grades and a promising acting career.
3) Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston is best known for her role in the hit US sitcom Friends, but has also starred in several box office hits, including Along Came Polly and Just Go With It. Aniston has always stated that she finds it hard to remember facts, which caused her to feel like she wasn’t intelligent enough.
4) Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver is a famous British chef known for his cooking shows and restaurants. He was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was young. Despite this, he is an extremely successful chef.
5) Richard Branson
Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin, and has said that his dyslexia diagnosis was the reason he left school aged fifteen. However, he credits his dyslexia for his success and has said that ‘being dyslexic means you concentrate on things you are good at and often excel in them’.
6) Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg is best know for being a Hollywood director, directing films such as Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and ET. He was diagnosed with dyslexia aged 60, but has spoken about how he was bullied at school and was scared at reading in front of others as a child. He stated that his diagnosis was “the last puzzle piece to a great mystery that I’ve kept to myself”.
7) Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom is a Hollywood actor, best known for his starring roles in the Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings. He discovered he was dyslexic at school, so his mother encouraged him to take art and drama classes instead of more ‘academic’ subjects.
8) Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby is a UK TV Presenter and is best known for presenting This Morning on ITV. She has been very open about her dyslexia in the past, and revealed she checks the autocue in advance and uses coloured scripts to help her present.
9) Guy Ritchie
Guy Ritchie is a British filmmaker most famous for his decade-long marriage to Madonna. He left school at 16 with only one general certificate in film studies. By the time he discovered that he was dyslexic, he had given up on school. Eventually, Ritchie was able to turn his love of stories and films into a successful career.
10) John Lennon
John Lennon was co-founder of the iconic group The Beatles. He didn’t know he was dyslexic until much later in life. He experienced troubles in school, especially with spelling and memorisation – but excelled at art and music.