In an interview with IGN in September 2025, while promoting a LEGO short film, Spider-Man star Tom Holland spoke openly about having ADHD and dyslexia. Fans got a glimpse of how one of Hollywood’s best-known actors experiences his work. For anyone in HR, leadership or inclusion, it was a useful prompt to think about what neurodivergent people need to do their best work.
Holland didn’t present his neurodivergence as something to overcome. He talked about what he finds hard, and about the practical strategy that helps him: play.
What Tom Holland said
Holland has spoken before about being diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of seven. On the On Purpose podcast in 2023 he said: “My dyslexia, it’s really just my spelling.” He has credited his parents’ support for his confidence at school.
In the IGN interview, he talked about ADHD too, and described how an open brief can feel when you’re starting creative work:
“I have ADHD and I’m dyslexic, and I find sometimes when someone gives me a blank canvas that it can be slightly intimidating.”
His answer is play. Building with LEGO and experimenting with ideas without pressure helps him get started, settle his focus and find his way into a character. Play, he said, “really does help.” ADHD UK has a short write-up of the interview.
Why his openness matters
Public figures talking about neurodivergence isn’t new, but each one chips away at stigma. Holland is young, successful and admired across generations, so his words carry. For children and adults with ADHD or dyslexia, hearing someone they look up to talk about it plainly can change how they see themselves.
For employers, his story is a reminder that neurodivergent people are already in your teams. Some are masking. Some are doing brilliant work without anyone knowing what helps them. Others are running into barriers that nobody has noticed.
How ADHD and dyslexia can show up at work
Every person is different, but a few patterns are common.
ADHD
Many adults with ADHD find that getting started, organising and holding attention on tasks that don’t interest them takes more effort. The same people often bring energy, creativity, quick thinking and a willingness to take risks, and do well in varied, fast-moving work. Our guide to ADHD in the workplace covers the practical side.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia often affects spelling, reading speed and working memory. Many dyslexic people also describe strengths in big-picture thinking, visual reasoning and problem solving. See dyslexia in the workplace for adjustments that make a real difference, and our list of famous dyslexic people for more role models.
What leaders can take from this
Give creative work a starting point
“Just run with it” is not always helpful. A blank page can stall people, as Holland describes. Offer some scaffolding, such as a clear goal, a deadline, an example or a rough first draft, then leave room to explore within it. If a team is brainstorming a new product, bring prompts or a prototype to react to. That mirrors what LEGO does for Holland: structure first, then freedom.
Make disclosure feel normal
When well-known people talk openly, it becomes easier for everyone else. Employers can build on that by sharing role-model stories internally, training managers to respond well when someone discloses, and naming neurodiversity explicitly in inclusion policies. Our disclosure templates can help employees start that conversation. The message to get across is that being neurodivergent is a difference to support, not a problem to fix.
Design work so strengths can show
Offer information in more than one format: written, verbal and visual. Be flexible on deadlines where you can. Provide quiet spaces and remote options to reduce sensory overload. And value creativity and problem solving as much as speed or perfect spelling.
A wider pattern
Holland joins a long list of public figures who have talked about neurodivergence. Daniel Radcliffe has spoken about having dyspraxia, and gymnast Simone Biles said in 2016 that she has ADHD and had nothing to be ashamed of. We’ve covered others, from Sam Thompson talking about his ADHD to many more in our role model posts. Each story makes it a little easier for someone in an ordinary workplace to speak up.
How Enna can help
If you manage people, our Neurodiversity Awareness for Managers workshop turns the kind of insight in Holland’s story into everyday practice, from structuring briefs to handling disclosure well. Not sure where your organisation stands? Try the free neuroinclusion maturity assessment.
If you have ADHD or dyslexia yourself and you’re looking for an employer that gets it, browse roles on our neurodivergent jobs board or sign up for job alerts so new openings come straight to you.
