Famous People with Dyslexia: Notable Achievers Across All Fields

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2017/11/10 - Updated: 2025/05/22
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Famous Disabled People - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This information provides an extensive, well-researched list of notable individuals from diverse fields who are either living with dyslexia or were diagnosed with it during their lifetimes, demonstrating that dyslexia can affect people of all intelligence levels and backgrounds. The article is particularly authoritative and useful because it highlights dyslexia as a neurological difference rather than an intellectual disability, dispelling common misconceptions and offering insight into the varied experiences of those with the condition. The resource is helpful for people with disabilities, their families, educators, and advocates, as it illustrates that dyslexia does not preclude achievement in any domain. Examples include actors like Keira Knightley and Jennifer Aniston, entrepreneurs such as Ingvar Kamprad (founder of IKEA), athletes like Muhammad Ali, and creative figures including Roald Dahl and Cher. By showcasing such a wide array of successful individuals, the article serves as a valuable reference and source of encouragement, reinforcing the idea that with appropriate support, people with dyslexia can excel in any field they choose - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Dyslexia is most commonly characterized by difficulties with learning how to decode at the word level, to spell, and to read accurately and fluently. Some see dyslexia as distinct from reading difficulties resulting from other causes, such as a non-neurological deficiency with vision or hearing, or poor or inadequate reading instruction. There are three proposed cognitive subtypes of dyslexia (auditory, visual and attentional), although individual cases of dyslexia are better explained by specific underlying neuropsychological deficits and co-occurring learning disabilities (e.g. attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, math disability, etc.).

Main Content

In the United States, researchers estimate the prevalence of dyslexia to range from five to nine percent of school-aged children, though some have put the figure as high as 17 percent. There is no cure for dyslexia, but dyslexic individuals can learn to read and write with appropriate education or treatment. There is wide research evidence indicating that specialized phonics instruction can help remediate the reading deficits.

List of Famous People Who Are Dyslexic or Had Dyslexia

• A. R. Morlan - American writer.
• Abhishek Bachchan - Indian Bollywood actor.
• Albert Einstein - German-born theoretical physicist. His dyslexia is disputed.
• Alexander Faludy - English Reverend and the youngest Cambridge undergraduate for years.
• Alice Pagani - Italian actress, model and author (Baby, Loro).
• Alison Goldfrapp - English musician and record producer (Goldfrapp).
• Allan Gray - South African investor, billionaire businessman and philanthropist.
• Alyssa Milano - American actress (Who's the Boss?, Charmed, My Name Is Earl, Insatiable).
• Amy Childs - English model and television personality (The Only Way Is Essex).
• Anderson Cooper - American broadcast journalist and political commentator.
• Andrew Dornenburg - American chef and author of a number of culinary-themed books.
• Angie Le Mar - British comedian, actress and writer.
• Ann Bancroft - American arctic explorer.
• Ari Emanuel - American businessman and CEO of Endeavor.
• Arjan Ederveen - Dutch actor and comedian.
• Asli Enver - Turkish actress.
• BENEE - New Zealand singer-songwriter.
• Bad News Brown - Canadian musician and hip hop MC.
• Barbara Corcoran - American businesswoman, investor, syndicated columnist, and television personality.
• Bella Thorne - American actress, singer and writer (Dirty Sexy Money, My Own Worst Enemy, The DUFF, Her & Him).
• Ben Fogle - English television presenter, writer and adventurer.
• Ben Watkins - English musician and founder of Juno Reactor.
• Ben Way - English serial entrepreneur (The Secret Millionaire, The Startup Kids).
• Benjamin Zephaniah - British writer and dub poet.
• Bethan Laura Wood - English jewellery, furniture and decorative object designer.
• Bill Hewlett - American engineer and the co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard Company (HP).
• Blake Charlton - American science fiction author and cardiologist.
• Bob Weir - American guitarist (Grateful Dead).
• Bodo Ramelow - German politician and Minister-President of Thuringia.
• Brendan O'Carroll - Irish actor and comedian (Mrs. Brown's Boys, All Round to Mrs. Brown's, Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie).
• Brent Sopel - Canadian ice hockey player.
• Brian Grazer - American film and television producer and writer.
• Bryan Singer - American film director (Lion's Den, X-Men, Superman Returns, Jack the Giant Slayer).
• Butch Walker - American singer and record producer.
• Caitlyn Jenner - American media personality, retired Olympic gold medal-winning athlete and transgender activist.
• Callum Skinner - Scottish racing cyclist.
• Carl XVI Gustaf - King of Sweden.
• Carly Simon - American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author.
• Celine Byrne - Irish soprano.
• Charles R. Schwab - American investor and chairman of Charles Schwab Corporation.
• Charley Boorman - British TV presenter, writer and actor.
• Chaz Bono - American advocate, writer, musician and actor.
• Cher - American singer and actress ("Goddess of Pop").
• Chris Cosentino - American celebrity chef and television personality (Top Chef Masters, The Next Iron Chef).
• Chris Robshaw - English rugby union player.
• Chrisann Brennan - American artist and author (The Bite in the Apple).
• Clark Janell Davis - American model and Miss Kentucky .
• Cliff Weitzman - Israeli-American entrepreneur and founder of Speechify Text To Speech software.
• Colin Jones - English photographer and ballet dancer.
• Dame Darcey Bussell - an English retired ballerina.
• Dan Carter, Canadian politician.
• Daniel Powter - Canadian singer-songwriter ("Bad Day").
• Dannel Malloy - American politician and former Governor of Connecticut.
• Danny Boome - chef, athlete and health enthusiast.
• Danny O'Carroll - Irish actor (Mrs. Brown's Boys, All Round to Mrs. Brown's, Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie).
• Dav Pilkey - American author and illustrator (Captain Underpants, Dog Man).
• Dave Chalk - Canadian broadcaster and technology journalist.
• Dave Foley - Canadian comedian and actor.
• David Boies - American lawyer and chairman.
• David Koresh - American cult leader of the Branch Davidians.
• David Neeleman - Brazilian-American businessman and entrepreneur.
• David Rockefeller - American business executive and philanthropist.
• Dax Shepard - American actor, comedian, and filmmaker.
• Daymond John - American businessman, investor and television personality (Shark Tank).
• Diamond Dallas Page - American professional wrestler, actor and author.
• Diane Swonk - American economic advisor and chief economist at KPMG US.
• Dominic Wood - English radio and television presenter, entertainer and magician (Dick and Dom, BBC Radio)
• Don Mullan - Irish author, producer and humanitarian.
• Dorrit Moussaieff - Israeli jewellery designer and First Lady of Iceland.
• Douglas Merrill - American technologist and fintech entrepreneur.
• Eddie Izzard - British stand-up comedian, actor and activist.
• Eileen Simpson - American writer and psychotherapist.
• Emma-Claire Fierce - French writer.
• Eric Adams - American politician and New York City mayor
• Erin Brockovich - American legal clerk, consumer advocate and socio-environmental activist.
• Eugene Landy - American psychologist.
• Fae Ellington - Jamaican media personality and lecturer.
• Fannie Flagg - American actress, comedian and author.
• Frank Gore - American football player.
• Gary Cohn - American business leader.
• Gavin Newsom - American politician and Governor of California.
• Gayle - American singer.
• Geoff Barrow - English musician.
• Georgia Steel - English television personality (Love Island Series).
• Georgina Chapman - English fashion designer and actress.
• Glenn Stearns - American entrepreneur and founder of Stearns Lending.
• Greg Louganis - American Olympic diver, author and LGBT rights activist.
• Guy Ritchie - English film director.
• Gwen Stefani - American singer-songwriter (No Doubt, "Hollaback Girl", "The Sweet Escape", "What You Waiting For?").
• Hal Prewitt - American artist, photographer, entrepreneur and race car driver.
• Hans Rosling - Swedish international health professor and statistician.
• Harry Lorayne - American magician, memory-training specialist, and author.
• Helen B. Taussig - American cardiologist.
• Henry Winkler - American actor (Happy Days) and spokesman for The Dyslexia Foundation.
• Holly Willoughby - English television presenter (This Morning, Dancing on Ice, Celebrity Juice).
• Ingvar Kamprad - Swedish industrialist, billionaire business magnate and founder of IKEA.
• Iwan Rheon - Welsh actor and musician (Game of Thrones, Misfits, Vicious).
• J. F. Lawton - American writer, producer and director (Pretty Woman, Under Siege, Chain Reaction).
• Jace Norman - American actor (Henry Danger).
• Jack Horner - American palaeontologist.
• Jacques Dubochet - Swiss biophysicist.
• Jaime Murray - English actress (Hustle, Dexter, Once Upon a Time).
• James Middleton - English entrepreneur and brother of Catherine, Princess of Wales.
• Jamie Oliver - British chef and television presenter.
• Jason Conley - American basketball player.
• Jay Blades - British furniture restorer and television presenter.
• Jay Leno - American television presenter and comedian (The Tonight Show with Jay Leno).
• Jean Paton - British bryologist and botanical illustrator.
• Jennifer Aniston - American actress (Friends, Marley & Me, We're the Millers, The Morning Show).
• Jennifer Brozek - American writer.
• Jeremy Bonderman - American baseball player.
• Jerry Moffatt - British rock climber.
• Jerry Pinkney - American illustrator and writer.
• Jim Carrey - Canadian-American actor and comedian (The Mask, Ace Ventura, Dumb and Dumber, Liar Liar, Bruce Almighty).
• Jo Self - English contemporary artist and poet.
• John Hickenlooper - American politician and former junior U.S. Senator of Colorado.
• John Hoke III - Chief Design Officer, Nike, Inc.
• John Irving - American novelist, short story writer and screenwriter.
• John T. Chambers - American businessman and CEO of Cisco
• John de Lancie - American actor and comedian (Star Trek, Days of Our Lives, Stargate SG-).
• Jony Ive - English industrial and product designer and CDO for Apple.
• Joshua Wong - Hong Kong activist and protester.
• Joss Stone - English singer ("You Had Me").
• Justin Roiland - American animator and voice actor (Rick and Morty, Solar Opposites).
• Justin Wilson - British professional open-wheel racing driver (Formula One).
• Kara Tointon - English actress (EastEnders, Mr Selfridge).
• Karina Galvez - Ecuadorian-American poet and television and radio personality.
• Keanu Reeves - Canadian actor.
• Keira Knightley - English actress (Pirates of the Caribbean, Bend It Like Beckham, Love Actually, Pride & Prejudice).
• Kelle Roos - Dutch professional footballer.
• Kendrick Meek - American politician and former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida.
• Kenny Logan - Scottish rugby union player.
• Kristy Swanson - American actress (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Phantom).
• Krystal Versace - English drag queen and winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK (Series).
• LadBaby - English YouTuber, blogger and philanthropist. His wife, Roxanne Zee Hoyle - also has dyslexia.
• Lara Flynn Boyle - American actress (Twin Peaks, Wayne's World, Red Rock West, Men in Black II).
• Laura Kirkpatrick - American model and fashion designer.
• Lee Kuan Yew - st Prime Minister of Singapore.
• Lee Marvin - American Academy Award-winning actor (M Squad, The Killers, The Dirty Dozen).
• Lil Pump - American rapper ("Gucci Gang", "I Love It").
• Lindsay Wagner - American actress (The Bionic Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man).
• Lorin Morgan-Richards - American author and illustrator (The Goodbye Family).
• Louis B. Rosenberg - American engineer and businessperson.
• Louise Arnold - English children's book author.
• M.I.A. - British rapper and singer ("Paper Planes", "Bad Girls").
• Maggie Aderin-Pocock - British space scientist and science educator.
• Marcus Brigstocke - English comedian, actor and satirist.
• Mark Henry - American professional wrestler and powerlifter.
• Mark Ruffalo - American actor and producer (Shutter Island, The Avengers, The Normal Heart).
• Mark Schlereth - American football player.
• Mark Wilkinson - English furniture designer.
• Matt Hancock - British politician who served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
• Max Brooks - American actor and author.
• Maya Hawke - American actor, model and singer-songwriter.
• Mel B - English singer (Spice Girls)
• Melanie Blake - English talent agent and author.
• Michael Attree - English satirical writer and comedian.
• Michael Bennet - American politician and United States Senator from Colorado.
• Michael Dudikoff - American actor (Bounty Hunters, American Ninja : The Confrontation).
• Michael Young - British industrial designer and creative director.
• Mika - Lebanese-born English singer-songwriter ("Grace Kelly", "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)", "Lollipop").
• Mike Gravel - American politician and former United States Senator from Alaska.
• Mike Norris - English businessman and CEO of Computacenter.
• Mireille Mathieu - French singer.
• Mollie King - English singer and radio presenter (The Saturdays, BBC Radio).
• Muhammad Ali - American professional boxer and heavyweight champion of the world.
• Musa Sukwene - South Africa singer, who won the Idols South Africa in .
• Nadine Dorries - British politician who served as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
• Nancy Brinker - American ambassador and founder of The Promise Fund and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
• Neil Bush - American businessman and son of the st President of the United States George H. W. Bush.
• Neil Smith - American football player.
• Nicholas Parsons - English actor and presenter.
• Nicolas Winding Refn - Danish film director.
• Noel Gallagher - English musician and singer-songwriter (Oasis, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds).
• Octavia E. Butler - American science fiction author.
• Octavia Spencer - American actress.
• Olav V of Norway - King of Norway.
• Olive Gray - English actress (Half Moon Investigations, Save Me).
• Orlando Bloom - English actor (The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Pirates of the Caribbean).
• Ozzy Osbourne - English musician and television personality (Black Sabbath, The Osbournes).
• Paloma Faith - English singer-songwriter and actress ("Upside Down", "Only Love Can Hurt Like This", "Picking Up the Pieces", "Changing", "Lullaby", St Trinian's).
• Patrick Dempsey - American actor (Grey's Anatomy, Outbreak, Enchanted).
• Paul Dewar - Canadian educator and politician.
• Paul Kanjorski - American politician and former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
• Paul Oakenfold - English record producer, remixer and trance DJ.
• Paul Orfalea - American entrepreneur and founder of FedEx Kinko's.
• Pete Conrad - American Apollo astronaut and third man to walk on the Moon.
• Peter Leitch - New Zealand businessman and philanthropist.
• Peter Shumlin - American politician and former Governor of Vermont.
• Philip Schultz - American poet and founder and director of the Writers Studio.
• Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland - Prince of Sweden.
• Prince Louis of Luxembourg - Prince of Luxembourg.
• Princess Beatrice - member of the British Royal Family and ninth in line of succession to the British throne.
• Rebecca Kamen - American artist and sculptor.
• Rex Ryan - American football coach and analyst (Buffalo Bills).
• Richard Ford - American author (Independence Day, The Lay of the Land).
• Richard Rogers - British architect.
• Roald Dahl (-, aged), British author of children's literature (James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, Fantastic Mr Fox).
• Robbie Williams - English singer-songwriter (Take That, "Angels", "Candy", "She's the One").
• Robert Benton - American screenwriter and film director.
• Robert Rauschenberg - American artist.
• Roberto Bolaño - Chilean novelist and poet.
• Robin Williams - American actor and comedian (Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Night at the Museum).
• Ronja Savolainen - Finnish ice hockey player.
• Róisín Murphy - Irish singer-songwriter and record producer.
• Sally Gardner - English children's book author and illustrator.
• Salma Hayek - Mexican actress (Teresa, From Dusk till Dawn, Wild Wild West, House of Gucci).
• Sam Allardyce - English footballer and football manager
• Samuel R. Delany - African-American science fiction author and literary critic.
• Sara Rankin, British scientist.
• Scott Quinnell - Welsh rugby union player.
• Sebastian Bergne - British industrial designer.
• Shlomo Moussaieff - Israeli jewellery businessman and Bible expert.
• Sir Anthony Hopkins - Welsh actor and director (The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, Red Dragon, The Elephant Man).
• Sir David Stirling - Scottish military officer and founder of the Special Air Service.
• Sir Jackie Stewart - Scottish racing driver (Formula One).
• Sir Lewis Hamilton - British racing driver (Formula One).
• Sir Richard Branson - English entrepreneur, billionaire and business magnate (Virgin Group).
• Sir Timothy Clifford - British art historian.
• Stephen J. Cannell - American television producer, writer and novelist (The A-Team, Jump Street).
• Steve Fielding - Australian politician.
• Steve Mariotti - American social entrepreneur, educator and founder of Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship.
• Steve McQueen - American actor (The Getaway, The Great Escape, The Towering Inferno).
• Steve McQueen - British film director (Years a Slave).
• Steven Naismith - Scottish professional footballer.
• Steven Spielberg - American film director and screenwriter (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, War Horse, War of the Worlds).
• Tawny Kitaen - American actress, model and media personality.
• Terry Goodkind - American writer (The Sword of Truth, The Law of Nines).
• Theo Paphitis - Cypriot-born British businessman and retail magnate (Dragons' Den).
• Tim Scott - English guitarist.
• Tim Tebow - American football player.
• Toby Cosgrove - American Vietnam War veteran and former heart surgeon.
• Tom Cruise - American actor (Top Gun, Mission Impossible, War of the Worlds, Knight and Day).
• Tom Holland - English actor (Spider-Man, The Impossible, Captain America: Civil War).
• Tom Lewis - English professional golfer.
• Tommy Hilfiger - American fashion designer and founder of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.
• Toyah Willcox - English singer and actress ("It's a Mystery", "Thunder in the Mountains", "I Want to Be Free").
• Tucker Carlson - American conservative political commentator.
• Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden - heir apparent to the Swedish throne.
• Walt Disney - American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. His dyslexia is disputed.
• Whoopi Goldberg - American actress, comedian and television personality (Ghost, Sister Act, The Lion King, Toy Story, The View).
• Willard Wigan - English sculptor.
• Willem Johan Kolff - Dutch physician.
• William Butler Yeats - Irish poet, dramatist, writer, and politician.

NOTE: If you notice any inaccuracies in this list, please reach out to us so we can correct it. Additionally, if you believe someone should be added to this list, please provide us with their name and any information to verify their disability. We value your help, and you can contact us here.

You can also view our other lists of famous and well-known people with various disabilities and conditions, including actors, politicians, and writers who contributed to society.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.