10 Celebrities with Autism

ASD, meaning Autism Spectrum Disorder, refers to a disorder with a widely varying range of severity. All people within this spectrum, however, have varying degrees of difficulty in three main areas: social communication, social interaction and social imagination. While behaviours associated with severe autism are typically superficially evident, those on the lower end of the spectrum do not necessarily have immediately identifiable symptoms. The latter may find life even more difficult, with their symptomatic behaviours misunderstood as bad behaviour or aloofness.

People with high-functioning autism often have an average or above-average IQ. Most of the celebrities on this list fall under that category, with relatively mild symptoms, though not all. High-functioning autism is often associated with high levels of creativity and thinking outside the box; it also endows the individual with high levels of focus, often verging on obsessive behaviour. Although that word generally has negative connotations, obsession within a creative realm can be what makes some people stand out and excel over their peers.

The main difficulties for people on the autism spectrum are social. They have difficulty reading cues, often finding it hard to read people’s reactions. They might stand too close, without realising that an interlocutor is uncomfortable. They may not be comfortable with eye contact, or understand how important it is. People on the autism spectrum may tend to be very literal, and often misunderstand sarcasm. Thus, those with autism are too often misunderstood and even bullied.

The following ten people, though, admirably overcame the challenges their disorder presented and are an inspiration to many. Who are some of the most famous celebrities with autism spectrum disorder? Some may truly surprise you!