30 famous autistic people you should know: Actors, musicians, singers and inventors with autism
Per the CDC, Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Individuals with the condition may communicate, learn, and interact differently. But in spite of the condition's challenges, a significant number have gone on to be great achievers. Discover some famous autistic people from various fields in the world.
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Whoever quoted that disability is not inability might have been thinking of these famous autistic people. These individuals have broken the stereotype that ASD is a limitation. Instead, they have demonstrated that having such conditions is a unique strength that enables them to view the world differently. According to Healis Autism Centre and similar websites, below are some most famous autistic people.
30 famous autistic people globally
Famous autistic people are among the individuals who have helped shape the world in various fields. From the arts and politics to science to technology, these individuals have proven that ASD is not a limitation but a strength.
Famous autistic people in history
Famous people with ASD in history include personalities like scientists, inventors, and explorers. However, most of these individuals never received their diagnosis when alive, but historians and experts have diagnosed them posthumously.
1. Charles Darwin (1809–1882)
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Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist. According to Professor Michael Fitzgerald of Trinty College in Ireland, Darwin presumably had Asperger's syndrome. The professor attributed Darwin's records from childhood that stated he was reserved and isolated and was a very visual thinker.
2. Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875)
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Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author best known for his literary fairy tales. Experts attribute Hans's narrow interests, strict routines and speech and social difficulties as traits that place him in the autism spectrum.
3. Benjamin Banneker (1731–1806)
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Benjamin Banneker was an African-American naturalist, mathematician, astronomer, and Almanac author. He was born to free African-American parents during a time when slavery was legal in the USA. Banneker's fixation with minute details and his intricate experiments have led experts to diagnose him with ASD.
4. James Joyce (1882–1941)
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James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. Many experts believe that the novelist was autistic based on some of his works. He also reportedly had trouble keeping friends and was extremely intelligent.
5. Sir Isaac Newton (1643–1727)
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Sir Isaac Newton was an English polymath active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, author, and theologian. According to the National Institutes of Health, Newton appears to be the earliest known example of a person with any form of autism, notably Asperger's syndrome.
Singers with autism
Singers with autism comprise talented and remarkable musicians whose works have helped change perceptions about autism. They include:
1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a prolific and influential composer from the Classical period. According to Golden Steps, most experts agree that Mozart was somewhere on the autism spectrum. One reason is Mozart had a condition where loud sounds would make him ill. He also had a perfect musical memory.
2. Travis Meeks (1979–present)
Travis Shane Meeks is an American musician and the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the acoustic rock band Days of the New. The singer's traumatic upbringing made him a poor student, but he wasn't diagnosed with ASD until he was an adult.
3. Susan Boyle (1961–present)
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Susan Magdalene Boyle is a Scottish singer. She rose to fame in 2009 after appearing as a contestant on the third series of Britain's Got Talent. In 2023, Susan disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, which is part of the autistic spectrum disorder.
4. James William Durbin (1989–present)
James William Durbin is an American singer and guitarist from Santa Cruz, California. He is best known for participating in American Idol in 2011, where he finished fourth. According to CNN Health, Durbin revealed that he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and Asperger's syndrome when he was ten.
5. Gary Numan (1958–present)
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Gary Anthony James Webb, also known as Gray Numan, is an English musician. He entered the music industry as the frontman of the new wave band Tubeway Army. According to the Belfast Telegraph, doctors put Gary on prescriptions after a psychiatrist suggested that he may have Asperger's syndrome. However, Gary has never received an official diagnosis.
Actors with autism
These actors include famous personalities who have made significant contributions to the film and television industry. Their performances have been lauded for their depth and authenticity, often drawing from their personal experiences with autism.
1. Anthony Hopkins (1937–present)
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Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins is a Welsh actor, director, and producer best known for his performances on the screen and stage. According to Express, the actor got his autism diagnosis in his late 70s.
2. Dan Aykroyd (1952–present)
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Daniel Edward Aykroyd is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, and musician. The actor was diagnosed with Asperger's in the 1980s. Additionally, he was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome, a condition of the nervous system.
3. Wentworth Miller (1972–present)
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Wentworth Earl Miller III is an American-British actor and screenwriter. He rose to prominence following his starring role as Michael Scofield in the Fox series Prison Break. According to CNN, the actor revealed his autism diagnosis in 2021, disclosing he received his diagnosis a year prior.
4. Hannah Gadsby (1978–present)
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Hannah Gadsby is an Australian comedian, writer, and actor. They began their career in Australia after winning the national final of the Raw Comedy competition for new comedians in 2006. The comedian became aware of her condition in their late 20s.
5. Alex Plank (1986–present)
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Alexander Plank is an American autism advocate, filmmaker and actor. He is known for his role on FX's television series The Bridge and acting on The Good Doctor. Physicians diagnosed Alex when he was nine, and he, in turn, founded the online community Wrong Planet to find others online.
Autistic athletes
Athletes with ASD include individuals who have achieved remarkable feats in the world of sports. Their success stories serve as an inspiration to many. They include:
1. Clay Marzo (1989–present)
Clay Marzo is an American professional surfer known for his unique "double-jointed" style of turns and spins. He is acclaimed for his creativity and innovation, which has seen him feature in several films. Marzo discovered that he had Asperger syndrome in December 2007.
2. Jessica-Jane Applegate (1996–present)
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Jessica-Jane Applegate MBE is a British Paralympic swimmer. She competes in the S14 classification for swimmers with intellectual disabilities, mainly freestyle and backstroke, preferring shorter distances. Physicians diagnosed Jessica with Asperger's syndrome when she was in secondary school.
3. Tom Stoltman (1994–present)
Tom Stoltman is a British professional strongman competitor from Invergordon, Scotland. He won the World's Strongest Man title two consecutive times in 2021 and 2022. Stoltman learnt of his autism condition when he was five.
4. Linus Söderström (1996–present)
Linus Söderström is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender. He was the 95th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, where the New York Islanders selected him. Doctors diagnosed Söderström with ASD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at the age of 7.
5. Ritomo Miyata (1999–present)
Ritomo Miyata is a Japanese racing driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing. The star disclosed that he didn't have a conventional upbringing. Doctors diagnosed Miyata with autism at a young age, and he would use go-karting as an escape.
Celebrities with autism
Various celebrities are dominating their various fields despite having autism. But instead of shying away from their conditions, these stars have used their statuses to raise awareness of the situation.
1. Chris Packham (1961–present)
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Christopher Gary Packham is an English naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author. He is best known for his television work in the CBBC children's nature series The Really Wild Show from 1986 to 1995. Per The Guardian, in 2017, Chris opened up about his autism in the documentary Asperger's and Me.
2. Elon Musk (1971–present)
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Elon Reeve Musk is a businessman, inventor and investor. He is best known for his role as chairman of Tesla Inc, among other things. In a 2015 interview, Musk revealed that he had a mild form of Asperger's syndrome.
3. Christine McGuinness (1988–present)
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Christine McGuinness is an English model, television personality and former beauty queen. According to the BBC, the model received her autism diagnosis in 2021 at age 33. Christine revealed that she was hypersensitive to sound and smell.
4. Melanie Sykes (1970–present)
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Melanie Ann Sykes is an English television and radio presenter. She is best known for co-hosting Today with Des and Mel with Des O'Connor and Let's Do Lunch with Gino D'Acampo. Melanie received her autism diagnosis in 2021 and Tourette's syndrome in 2023.
5. Coby Bird (2002–present)
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Coby Bird, at 22 years old (as of 2024), is among the famous young celebrities with autism. He is an American actor best known for his roles in the TV shows Speechless, Locke & Key and The Good Doctor, where he plays autistic characters. Coby received his autism diagnosis when he was five.
6. Kayla Cromer (1998–present)
Kayla Cromer is an American actress. She is the first autistic actor to play an autistic main character in a TV series. Kayla plays Matilda in the 2020/2021 series Everything's Gonna Be Okay. Doctors diagnosed Kayla with dyscalculia, dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at the age of 7 and with ASD years later.
7. Lizzy Clark (1994–present)
Lizzy Clark is an English actress with Asperger's Syndrome. She is famous, in particular, for playing the role of Poppy (who has Asperger's Syndrome) in the 2008 television film Dustbin Baby. Lizzy was the first actress with the condition to portray a fictional character with the same condition.
8. Mickey Rowe (1988–present)
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Mickey Rowe is an autistic and legally blind author of the award-winning book Fearlessly Different: An Autistic Actor's Journey to Broadway's Biggest Stage. Per Playbill, Rowe is also the first autistic actor to play a lead role in the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
9. Tal Anderson (1997–present)
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Tal Anderson is best known for her work in the Netflix series Atypical as Sid and as Gia in Amazon Studios' As We See It. Doctors diagnosed her with a developmental disability when she was one and later with autism in preschool.
10. Alexis Wineman (1995–present)
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Alexis Wineman is among the famous autistic women. She is an autism advocate who was named Miss Montana in 2012. Alexis is also the first known autistic contestant to compete in the Miss America pageant.
Above are some famous autistic people. These include scientists, artists, writers and even activists. These well-known individuals have significantly contributed to the betterment of the world in spite of their condition.
Yen.com.gh featured an informative piece about the most influential people who changed the world. Throughout history, there have been many influential individuals whose achievements have impacted the world.
Notable names on the list include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, and Albert Einstein. But what makes them stand out? And what did they do to deserve recognition?
Source: YEN.com.gh
