Famous People With Dyslexia

People with dyslexia are often creative and unconventional, and do not always think in the same way that others do. It is common for people who are dyslexic to succeed in a wide variety of careers where creativity is a necessity. Successful actor Orlando Bloom has stated, “With dyslexia comes a very great gift, which is the way that your mind can think creatively.” The following are some famous people who have dyslexia.

Actors and Actresses

Famous movie stars Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, who co-starred together in the popular movie Pirates of the Caribbean, are both dyslexic.  Orlando Bloom was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of seven. In an interview of his early years and education, he stated “ One of the greatest struggles for me was that I couldn’t write fast enough for the words, so I would have all these ideas and things that I want to put down on the page and I could never get them down, and when eventually I did, it wasn’t quite as it had been in my mind.” This is a trait that is commonly found in dysgraphia, and also a concern that many parents have about their child when they call Symbols inquiring about extra help.

Keira Knightley was diagnosed at the young age of six. She constantly states in interviews that she believes that people with dyslexia are intelligent; they just see things differently. At Symbols, we understand that your child may see things differently, and learn in different ways, which is why each lesson is individualized to your child, and many different activities involving the different senses are used to teach a new idea.

Famous actor Vince Vaughn, who stars in many comedies, also has dyslexia, as well as ADHD. Vince believes that “he has not succeeded despite his disabilities, but that he has succeeded because of them.” This is a sentiment that seems to be shared by many people with dyslexia- that this learning difficulty did not hold them back, but instead pushed them forward into what they love.

Entrepreneurs/Film Producers

Walt Disney, founder of the most popular motion picture company, Walt Disney Productions, was dyslexic, and had a lot of difficulty in school. Since the mind of a dyslexic is often creative, he had a lot of interest in drawing and painting pictures. He took photography and art classes, and worked as a cartoon artist for his high school newspaper. Later on, he opened his own studio, and began to create animated characters, such as the famous Mickey Mouse. He also opened the amusement park Disneyland, which was and is still, a huge success. Had he not been dyslexic, he may not have focused so much on his art, and would not have had the incredibly creative mind that led him to such great successes.

Designers:

Tommy Hilfiger is a designer with a successful brand of clothing that launched in 1985, that still continues to be popular today. Hilfiger believes that it was his dyslexia that allowed him to think differently than other designers and people in the field, and because of this, he was “able to create unique clothes and designs that stood out in the stores.”

Musicians:

Ludwig van Beethoven, who is thought to be the most famous composer of all time, was also believed to have dyslexia. One quote that he said stands out: “Music pertains to me more readily than words.” This shows that people with dyslexia may not find their strongest suit to be reading, but once they find what they love, they can excel in that area.

Artists:

Leonardo Da Vinci was a very famous painter and sculpter, with some of his most famous works being the Mona Lisa and his painting of the Last Supper. He wrote his notes in reverse, mirror image, which is an unusual trait, but can be found in left-handed dyslexics. His spelling was also considered erratic, but his artwork was always very detailed and precise. As is found in many people with dyslexia, he had an extremely creative mind, and was able to create beautiful artwork because of it.

Athletes:

Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow was diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school, a learning difference he shares with both his father and brother. When Tim made it to the NFL, he used flashcards to help him learn the plays. He would also learn plays by going out onto the field and walking through them, as he states that he is a kinesthetic learner, someone who learns best by doing. Tebow believes that football was a great career choice, and that dyslexia and football can go hand in hand. In one interview, he said “So much in football is touching, feeling, walking through, writing it on boards, drawing Xs and Os, and all those are the best for me.”

Business Men:

Steve Jobs, the co-founder and CEO of Apple, is also dyslexic. Again, his dyslexic mind aided him in creating and inventing so much new and successful technology.

In Conclusion

From actors and actresses, to designers, musicians, artists, athletes, and CEO’s, people in many different fields have dyslexia, and have succeeded. All above information comes from the following site: http://thepowerofdyslexia.com/famous-dyslexics/