Famous People With Autism - Was Vincent Van Gogh Autistic?

Famous People with Autism

I did not write this. it appears on the website:

blog.ongig.com/diversity-and-inclusion/famous-people-with...

 

Written May 28, 2020 by Heather Barbour in Diversity and Inclusion.

 

There are many famous people with autism. They include athletes, actors, inventors, business leaders, authors, and artists.

 

There are about 180 famous autistic people I found as part of our research on Ongig’s series on neurodiversity. I felt inspired to list all these amazing people in one place!

 

Disclaimers: This list includes famous people with Autism who have been diagnosed and those who have been reported or rumored to fall somewhere on the Autism spectrum. I do my best to list resources for any questionable ones and welcome feedback, additions, and edits! I am not an expert on autism.

 

Celebrities with Autism

If you had to list the very top celebrities with autism, it’d likely be this list:

Woody Allen (rumored)

David Byrne (diagnosed)

Dan Aykroyd (diagnosed)

Charles Darwin (rumored)

Thomas Edison (rumored)

Albert Einstein (rumored)

Darryl Hannah (diagnosed)

Alfred Hitchcock (rumored)

Courtney Love (diagnosed)

Lionel Messi (rumored)

Sir Isaac Newton (rumored)

Steve Jobs (rumored)

Jerry Seinfeld (self-diagnosed)

But let’s break it down in more detail.

There are so many reported famous people with autism that I categorize them by their professional field (Actors, Athletes, Musicians, Leaders, etc.). I also added a section for celebrities with autistic children.

I do my best to provide sourcing wherever I could.

I hope you’re as inspired by these great humans as I am!

Famous Actors with Autism (Other Entertainment Pros Too)

There are a number of celebrities with autism. Let’s start with actors:

Is Sir Anthony Hopkins Autistic? According to Mercury News, he received a late-in-life diagnosis of Asperger’s.

Anthony Hopkins Autistic

(image source: Creative Commons, Wikipedia)

Diagnosed with Autism

Dan Aykroyd – Comedic Actor

Rachel Barcellona – Actress starring in a new short film called Mandy’s Voice, about a non-speaking autistic teenager.

 

 

Roseanne Barr – Actress

Jennifer Cook – Actress

Chuggaaconroy – YouTube Personality

Stephanie Davis – Actress

Rick Glassman – Actor

Paula Hamilton – Model

Darryl Hannah – Actress & Environmental Activist

Dan Harmon – Producer & Writer

Sir Anthony Hopkins – Actor (source: Mercury News)

ANTHONY HOPKINS AUTISM FACTS

In 2017, Anthony Hopkins was interviewed by the Daily Mail about his troubles with addiction and Asperger’s. Anthony Hopkins’ autistic diagnosis, more specifically Asperger’s, was diagnosed late in life. He told the Daily Mail he was a loner and said:

“I don’t go to parties, I don’t have many friends…But I do like people. I do like to get inside their heads.”

When asked if his Asperger’s helped him as an actor, he said:

“I definitely look at people differently. I like to deconstruct, to pull a character apart, to work out what makes them tick and my view will not be the same as everyone else. I get offered a lot of controlling parts, maybe because that’s how people see me. And maybe I am very controlled because I’ve had to be. I don’t question it, I just take the parts because I’m an actor and that’s what I do.”

Heather Kuzmich – America’s Next Top Model Contestant

Paige Layle – TikTok Personality

PAIGE LAYLE TALKS AUTISM ON TIKTOK

Paige Layle is an eyelash technician from Ontario who recently went viral on TikiTok after posting a 4-part series about being an autistic woman. Her TikTok account is filled with facts about autism and she talks about how it took a long time to get her diagnosis because she is a woman that doesn’t necessarily “fit the mold” of being autistic. People Magazine reported that:

“Layle also said that girls with autism tend to live with mental disorders, disclosing that she currently has seven, including OCD…All of these mental illnesses stem from having autism, but OCD, anxiety, and depression are very, very common, especially in girls”

@paigelaylelearn more about autism! i get many questions every day to make more vids about it, i will continue to show you guys! ##feature ##fup ##fyp ##featureme♬ original sound – paigelayle

Matthew Labyorteaux – Actor

Wentworth Miller – Actor

The Prison Break star told CBSNew York:

“Autism is central to who I am. I wouldn’t change it.”

source: Actor Wentworth Miller Reveals Autism Diagnosis, Reigniting Conversation About Adults On The Spectrum, by Jessica Moore

Desi Napoles – Model

Freddie Odom Jr. – Actor

Kim Peek – Inspiration for Rain Man Movie

Sue Ann Pien – Actor

Henry Rodriguez – Reality-TV Star

Known for getting Married at First Sight, there has been a lot of speculation on Reddit as to whether Rodriguez is on the spectrum.

Scott Steindorff – Producer

Steindorff produced top films like the Lincoln Lawyer. Now according to The Hollywood Reporter, he is producing a documentary called “Spectrum Neurodiversity. Steindorff is on the spectrum himself and said the documentary:

“will focus on conditions such as dyslexia, ADD, ADHD and autism as examples of diversity in the human condition rather than disorders that must be “cured.””

Ian Terry – Big Brother Star

Big Brother Star, Ian has recently opened up about being autistic. Ian was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a child. What is ASD? According to the CDC, ASD is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges.

Ian said on Twitter:

“I would search my name. In Google, the fourth most likely one was ‘Ian Terry Autism’.”

 

 

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson – TV Personality & Socialite

Albert Rutecki – Actor

Billy West – Voice Actor

Alexis Wineman – Miss America Contestant

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

Woody Allen – Actor & Director (source: ABA Degree Program Guide)

Tim Burton – Movie Director (source: The Art of Autism)

Chirs Fischer – Celebrity Chef

Jim Henson – Creator of the Muppets (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (Aka “Alfred Hitchcock) – Director & Producer (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Stanley Kubrick – Film Director & Chess Mastermind (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Program)

IS KEIR GILCHRIST AUTISTIC?

Keir Gilchrist plays teenager Sam Gardner in Netflix’s Atypical. Sam is autistic in the show, causing many fans to ask “is Keir Gilchrist autistic?”

The answer is no:

Despite playing an autistic character, Gilchrist is not autistic. The actor did a great deal of research to get to the point where he could play an autistic person, including reading works by writer and speaker David Finch.

source: Newsweek, ‘Atypical’ on Netflix: Is Sam Actor Keir Gilchrist Actually Autistic?, July 12, 2021

Famous Athletes with Autism

Among other celebrities with autism are amazing athletes. If you don’t recognize some of these people, don’t fret (I didn’t either)…but when I researched them they are indeed celebrities within their field!

 

 

Is Lionel Messi Autistic? The Autistic Community Network (ACN) out of Australia reports that he is on the spectrum. (image source: Кирилл Венедиктов, Wikipedia

Diagnosed with Autism

Jessica-Jane Applegate – Swimmer

Michael Brannigan – Track & Field Athlete

David Campion – Snowboarder

Breanna Clark – Paralympic Athlete

Ulysse Delsaux – Racecar Driver

Tommy Dis Brisay – Runner, Kayaker & Cross-Country Skiier

Jim Eisenreich – Major League Baseball Player

Todd Hodgetts – Paralympic Athlete

John Howard – Fighter

Anthony Ianni – Basketball Player

Lisa Llorens – Paralympic Athlete

Clay Marzo – Surfer

Frankie MacDonald – Meteorologist

Jason McElwain – Basketball Player

Chris Morgan – Olypmic rower

“If I had a neurotypical brain I wouldn’t have achieved what I have. My way of thinking and my approach to things is fundamentally one of my success factors. Autism made me successful.”

source: Australia Broadcasting Corporation

Max Park – Speed Cuber

Cody Ware – Racecar Driver

Armani Williams – Racecar Driver (the first NASCAR driver openly diagnosed on the autism spectrum)

Samuel Von Einem – Table Tennis Star

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

Alex Buesnel – Gymnast (source: Wikipedia)

Lionel Messi – Soccer Player (source: Autism Community Network)

MESSI AUTISM – RUMORS OR DIAGNOSED?

Lionel Messi is a worldwide soccer superstar, but there are rumors that he struggled with Autism early in life. According to WessexScene.com:

“There are unconfirmed reports that Messi was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (a pervasive developmental disorder on the autistic spectrum) at the age of 9.”

As a child, Messi kept to himself and was known in his village as ‘el pequeño mudito’ (‘the little mute’). His extreme focus on his sport has many autism experts convinced he has Asperger’s or is somewhere on the autism spectrum.

Famous Musicians with Autism

Courtney Love Autistic

Is Courtney Love Autistic? According to All That is Interesting, she was diagnosed as “mildly autistic” when she was a young girl. (image source: Manfred Werner, Wikipedia)

Diagnosed with Autism

Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent Singing Sensation

David Byrne – Musician

Johnny Dean – Musician

Tony DeBlois – Musician

Christopher Dufley – 10 year old singer with autism gets more than 550,000 views on YouTube

 

 

Jody DiPiazza – Musician

Pertti Kurikka – Musician

James Jagow – Musician and composer

“No matter how bad the situation is, you should never let a disability stop you from doing what you want to do…” a quote from Jagow on the Spectrum News.

Ladyhawke – Musician

Kodi Lee – Musician

Left at London – Musician

Rex Lewis-Clack – Musician

Abz Love – Rapper

Courtney Love – Singer & Actress (source: All That is Interesting)

Thristan Mendoza – Musician

Heidi Mortenson – Musician

Hikari Ōe – Composer

Matt Savage – Musician

Graham Sierota – Musician

SpaceGhostPurp – Musician

Mark Tinley – Musician & Presenter

Donald Triplett – Musician & Savant

Aleksander Vinter – Musician

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

Other reported musical celebrities with autism include:

Beethoven – Classical Music Composer & Pianist (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Glenn Gould – Pianist (source: Wikipedia)

Michael Jackson – Singer (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Composer of Classical Music (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Program)

Tim Page – Music Critic (source: NPR)

Robbie Williams – Singer (source: The Sun UK)

Kenshi Yonezu – VOCALOID star (source: Suzanne Larking & Tumblr)

Famous Comedians with Autism

Diagnosed with Autism

Hannah Gadsby – Comedian

Robert White – Comedian

Bethany Black – Comedian

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

Jerry Seinfield – Comedian (source: Brian Williams/Seinfeld interview NBC News)

JERRY SEINFELD AUTISM CONTROVERSY

As part of our research, we were amazed to find a high volume of people querying Google about whether comedian Jerry Seinfeld is autistic (e.g. 400 people per month Google the phrase “Jerry Seinfeld Autism”.

The Seinfeld autism controversy began in an interview with Brian Williams of NBC News:

 

 

Is Jerry Seinfeld autistic? Seinfeld tells Brian Williams: “I think, on a very drawn-out scale, I think I’m on the spectrum.”

Here’s the full transcript:

Seinfeld:

“I think, on a very drawn out scale, I think I’m on the spectrum.”

Brian Williams:

“Why, what are the markers if I was sitting here analyzing you…”

Seinfeld:

“You’re never paying attention to the right things.

Basic social engagement is really a struggle.

I’m very literal.”

Comments on the Youtube video included a mix of reactions:

“I’m an autism specialist and this does not offend me. I Googled Jerry Seinfeld Asperger’s for a reason–because of how he struck me on the Garry Shandling documentary.” — Keldra Alpine

“It doesn’t really look like autism. I could be mistaken but [Seinfeld] makes successful eye contact and he he can keep a conversation going. I have level 2 autism (by the new criteria, it’s moderate autism.). He doesn’t really seem autistic because 1. you need to have repetitive actions, or things, whatever 2. you need to have communication issues and 3. I can’t remember.” — William Childs

“I am not in a position to say that he’s been misdiagnosed, but I cannot in any envision someone with ASD being a successful stand-up comedian. I could see an autistic person being comical for 10-15 minutes in front of a small group of people, but I cannot see them doing comedy night after night as a career. When I was diagnosed (in 1997, with Asperger’s, which has since merged with other forms of autism to become ASD), my understanding was that the prototype for Asperger’s were people like Isaac Newton and Immanuel Kant (both of whom neither married or had children and (in the case of Newton) quite possibly/likely died a virgin – I guess you could say he had more interest in discovering g-forces than the g-spot). Both of these men were obsessed with discovering knowledge and (what they believed to be) eternal laws about the universe and had little interest in sociparl relations. Try as I may, I do not see any aspect of either Newton or Kant in Jerry.” — Devin Elgert

Seinfeld later walked back his comments on having Autism:

“I don’t have autism,” Seinfeld told “Access Hollywood.” “I’m not on the spectrum.”

Famous Scientists with Autism, plus Inventors & Mathematicians

Barbara McClintock Autistic

Was Barbara McClintock Autistic? The Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide suggests she was somewhere on the Autism spectrum. (image source: Smithsonian Institution, Wikipedia)

Diagnosed with Autism

Bram Cohen – Inventor of BitTorrent

Michelle Dawson – Researcher

Carl Sagan – Astronomer

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

Henry Cavendish – Scientist & discoverer of Hydrogen (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide)

Charles Darwin – Naturalist, Geologist, and Biologist (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Paul Dirac – Professor & Physicist (source: NPR)

Thomas Edison – Inventor (source: NPR)

Albert Einstein – Mathmetician & Scientist (source: Spectrum News)

Alfred Kinsey – Biologist & Sexologist (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide)

Barbara McClintock – Reproductive Scientist (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide)

Sir Isaac Newton – Mathematician, Astronomer, & Physicist (source: NewScientist)

Nikola Tesla – Inventor (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide)

Alan Turing – Mathematician (source: Wikipedia)

Famous Writers with Autism

Aoife Dooley Autistic

Is Aoife Dooley Autistic? She was diagnosed at the age of 27, according to RTE. (image source: LoopDaLoop, Wikipedia)

Diagnosed with Autism

Mel Baggs – Writer

Kage Baker – Writer

Sean Barron – Journalist

Lydia X. Z. Brown – Writer & Speaker

Matt Bruenig – Blogger & Political Analyst

Dani Bowman – Motivational Speaker, Writer & Artist

Nicole Cliffe – Writer

Laura Kate Dale – Author

Aoife Dooley – Writer (source: RTE)

Corrine Duyvis – Author

Marianne Eloise – Memoir author

“I wrote Obsessive, Intrusive, Magical Thinking partly as a way to understand my own brain and explain neurodiversity to other people, but ultimately just so I could spend months reading and writing about all the things I never stop thinking about anyway.”

source: Icon bags Eloise’s ‘refreshing’ memoir about being autistic and OCD, by Ruth Comerford

Jory Fleming, Rhodes Scholar and Author of “How to Be Human: An Autistic Man’s Guide to Life”

Temple Grandin – Author, Speaker & Animal Science Professor

John R. Hall – Author

Naoki Higashida – Writer

Helen Hoang – Romance novelist

“When Helen Hoang was writing her first book, The Kiss Quotient, she had recently been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. So, as she was trying to make sense of the diagnosis for herself, she pulled from her own life experiences and folded them into the romance novel, which chronicles the love life of Stella, a young woman on the autism spectrum.”

source: Author Helen Hoang Talks Sex, Autism And Freedom, by ALYSSA JEONG PERRY (NPR)

Liane Holliday Willey – Author

Luke Jackson – Author

Rosie King – Writer & Public Speaker

Thomas A. McKean – Author

Jonathan Mitchell – Blogger & Writer

Jack Monroe – Food Writer

Caiseal Mor – Writer

Morénike Giwa-Onaiwu – Author & Editor

Jasmine O’Neill – Author

Brant Page Hanson – Writer & Radio Personality

Dawn Prince-Hughes – Author

Sue Rubin – Author

Stephen Shore – Author & Professor

Andreas Souvaliotis – Author

Sarah Stup – Writer

Susanna Tamaro – Novelist

Chuck Tingle – Author

Donna Williams – Writer & Artist

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

Hans Christian Andersen – Children’s Author (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide)

Jane Austen – Novelist (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Benjamin Banneker – African American Almanac Author (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide)

Lewis Carroll – Author of “Alice in Wonderland” (source: Art of Autism)

James Joyce – Author (source: Art of Autism)

Franz Kafka – Novelist (source: Research Gate)

George Orwell – Novelist & Essayist (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Michael Edward Palin – Writer, Actor & Comedian (source: Sensory Direct)

Mark Twain – Writer (source: Everyday Asperger’s)

H. G. Wells – Writer (source: Spectrum News)

Famous Leaders with Autism

Thomas Jefferson Autistic

Was Thomas Jefferson Autistic? The Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide suggests he had some peculiar behaviors that would place him somewhere on the Autism spectrum. (image source: Rembrandt Peale, Wikipedia)

Political leaders are not always open about their struggles with neurodiversity. But Joshua Collins who is running for a congressional seat in Washington state is open about being autistic. The Mighty reported:

“Collins was originally running in the election as a Democrat but is now the pioneer of the left-leaning coalition Essential Workers’ Party. If he wins the election, Collins would be the first known openly autistic Congressmember in United States’ history.”

Collins also has 2 members on his campaign team who are autistic.

Diagnosed with Autism

Joshua Collins – Congressional candidate

Conner Cummings – Autism Activist

Conner Cummings didn’t speak until he was 7 years old and now he receives standing ovations. Honored with numerous awards including Advocate of the year by Autism Society of America. He changed a law with his mother in 2015 (named “Conner’s Law” after him).

He has been instrumental in assisting numerous bills to pass within the past 7 years and was appointed to the Virginia Disability Commission in 2020. Conner is also an Ambassador to Zoom Autism Magazine where everyone who works on the magazine is autistic (except his mother).

Kevin Healy – Autism Activist

Poom Jensen – Thai Leader

Amy Knight – Politician

Jared O’Mara – Politician

David Nelson – Activist

Shain Neumeier – Activist

Master Sgt. Shale Norwitz – Military officer

According to Airforce Military News:

“Norwitz, 5th Combat Communications Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of Operations Planning, attributed his heroic acts to his military training and neurodiversity. ‘I’m on the [autism] spectrum and that makes me good at being a strategic thinker, and contributes to my innovation, This is the stuff that makes us great, but it is something we need reinforcement on, Norwitz said.’

Norwitz said his neurodiversity allows him to objectively react during situations. He said because of his ability to remove emotion from a situation, he is able to see a clear series of targets, tasks and creative solutions whenever an issue arises. This ability led him to learn to accept his diagnosis.

source: Airman advocates for neurodiversity in military by Tre Davis, 688th Cyberspace Wing

Jim Sinclair – Activist

Judy Singer – Disability Rights Activist

Dr. Vernon Smith – Nobel Prize Winner in Economics

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

Prince Charles of Wales (source: Quora)

Is Prince Charles autistic? One of our blog readers sent me an article and I did some digging. It looks like the answer is no, even though some speculate Prince Charles has some traits of Asperger’s.

Bobby Fischer – Chess World Champion (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs)

Henry Ford – Founder of Ford Motor Company (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Bill Gates – Microsoft Co-Founder (source: Very Well Health)

Thomas Jefferson – 3rd President of the United States (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs)

Steve Jobs – CEO of Apple (source: Mercury News)

Elon Musk – Tesla and SpaceX Founder (source: Entertainment Tonight)

Does Elon Musk have Aspergers? Elon Musk confirmed he has Asperger’s while hosting a May 2021 episode of Saturday Night Live. Here’s what Musk had to say about his Asperger’s when he opened up the SNL show:

“I’m actually making history tonight as the first person with Asperger’s to host SNL, or, at least the first to admit it, so I won’t make a lot of eye contact with the cast tonight. But don’t worry, I’m pretty good at running human in emulation mode.”

 

 

The number of people/celebrities with autism may be greater than you think. Was Steve Jobs Autistic? Autistic spokesperson Temple Grandin, who was diagnosed with Autism at just 2 years old, told Mercury News that “half of Silicon Valley’s got mild autism”:

“Einstein would be labeled autistic today…Steve Jobs was probably on the spectrum…”

source: Temple Grandin: Half of Silicon Valley’s got mild Autism (Mercury News)

Was Steve Jobs Autistic? Autistic Spokesperson Temple Grandin and The Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Guide, among others, speculate that he was on the spectrum.

Friedrich Nietzsche – Philosopher (source: Asperger Autism Network)

Satoshi Tajiri – Creator of Pokemon (source: Art of Autism)

SATOSHI TAJIRI AUTISM AND HIS OBSESSIONS

Is the Creator of Pokémon autistic? Yes, and Satoshi Tajiri credits his autism for his success. Having obsessions like bug collecting and video games during his youth. The Art of Autism reported that:

“The latter captured so much of his time and attention that he actually cut classes and wound up flunking high school. His parents were concerned; they actually didn’t understand his obsession with games and thought he was a delinquent throwing his life away.”

Despite his parents’ concerns, Tajiri channeled these hobbies and created a video game that changed the world! Santoshi Tajiri went on record saying:

“that he wanted the games to give children the same joy as he had during his bug collecting.”

Ludwig Wittgenstein – Philosopher (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs)

Famous Artists with Autism

Vincent Van Gogh Autistic

Was Vincent van Gogh Autistic? All That is Interesting makes a case that he was somewhere on the Autism spectrum. (image source: Self-Portrait, Wikipedia)

Diagnosed with Autism

Miina Äkkijyrkkä – Artist

Danny Beath – Nature Photographer

Deborah Berger – Artist

Larry John Bissonnette – Artist

Patrick Francis – Artist

Govy – Artist

Jorge Gutierrez – Artist

Lina Lang – Artist

Jonathan Lerman – Artist

Julian Martin – Artist

Haley Moss – Pop Art Artist

Morgan Harper Nichols – Artist

famous people with autism

An autism diagnosis helped Morgan Harper Nichols better understand her art — and herself (image source: AZ Central)

A story about Morgan Harper Nichols, one of Arizona’s most famous artists with autism said:

“Harper Nichols always knew she was different and much of her art deals with her feeling that she has struggled with connecting with people. Throughout quarantine, Harper Nichols would watch videos on TikTok. Some told stories about women who were diagnosed with autism. As she watched more and more videos — and began an intensive diagnosis process — Harper Nichols, now 31 years old, connected the dots. On a Saturday in February, she drove to the doctor’s office for the final appointment and got a diagnosis: she had autism.”

source: An autism diagnosis helped Morgan Harper Nichols better understand her art — and herself, by Sofia Krusmark, Arizona Republic.

Tim Sharp – Artist

Gilles Tréhin – Artist

Willem van Genk – Artist

Richard Wawro – Artist

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

Charles Monroe Schulz – Creator of Peanuts comic strip (source: AspergerSyndrome.me.uk)

Vincent Van Gogh – Artist (source: All Things Interesting)

Andy Warhol – Artist (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs)

Stephen Wiltshire – Architectural Artist (source: Wikipedia)

Famous Poets with Autism

Emily Dickinson Autistic

Was Emily Dickinson Autistic? Early Childhood Education Degree discusses her struggles with the possibility of being Autistic. (image source: Wikipedia)

Diagnosed with Autism

David Eastham – Poet

Christopher Knowles – Poet

David Miedzianik – Poet

Henriette Seth F. – Poet, Musician, Artist & Writer

Reported/Rumored to Have Autism

William Butler Yeats – Poet (source: Applied Behavior Analysis Programs)

Emily Dickinson – Poet (source: Early Childhood Education Degree)

Michelangelo – Poet, Painter, Architect & Sculptor (source: WebMD)

Autistic Doctors

There are many doctors who are autistic around the world. I had a hard time finding any autistic doctors who were deemed famous. But Dr. Mary Doherty (@autisticdoctor) should be famous for building a community for autistic doctors in real life.

“Autistic Doctors International (ADI) is an information and peer support group for doctors on the autistic spectrum founded in 2019, with members in Europe, UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.”

Celebrities with Autistic Children

When looking for famous people with autism, we also found a list of famous people with autistic children. (Editor’s note: it’s amazing…my Google tool ahrefs.com shows 500+ people per month search terms like “famous people with autism children”.) The list is broken down into categories just like the lists of famous people with autism above.

Famous Actor Parents of Children with Autism

Ed Asner – Actor

Gary Cole – Actor

Robert DeNiro – Actor

Christopher Gorman – Actor

Jacqueline Laurita – Actress

Joe Mantegna – Actor

Jenny McCarthy – Actress

Paddy McGuiness – Actor & Comedian

Aidan Quinn – Actor

Nikki Reed – Actress

Holly Robinson Pete – Actress & Rodney Pete – NFL Star

Silvester Stallone – Actor

John Travolta – Actor & Kelly Preston – Actress

Famous Artist Parents of Children with Autism

Tommy Hilfiger – Clothing Designer

Famous Athlete Parents of Children with Autism

Doug Flutie – Football Player

Dan Marino – NFL Star & Actor

John Stephenson – NHL player

Deron Williams – NBA Star

Famous Musician Parents of Children with Autism

Waleed Aly – Musician & Writer

Toni Braxton – Singer

Stephen Stills – Musician

Shawn Stockman – Singer

Other Famous Parents of Children with Autism

Dr. Tony Attwood – Autism Expert

Al Roker – American weather presenter and host of The Today Show

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Al Roker (@alroker)

Famous Autistic People in History

Some people wanted to see just the diagnosed famous autistic people in history in one place so I’ve added an additional section here.

Miina Äkkijyrkkä – Artist

Jessica-Jane Applegate – Swimmer

Julian Assange – WikiLeaks Founder (see our article on Famous People with Asperger’s Syndrome for more details)

A quote from the WikiLeaks founder from the UK Independent:

“Later, when I became well known, people would enjoy pointing out that I had Asperger’s or else that I was dangling somewhere on the autistic spectrum. I don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun, so let’s just say I am – all hackers are, and I would argue all men are a little bit autistic. But in my mid- to late teens I could barely focus on anything that didn’t seem to me like a major breakthrough.”

Dan Aykroyd – Comedic Actor

Mel Baggs – Writer

Kage Baker – Writer

Roseanne Barr – Actress

Sean Barron – Journalist

Danny Beath – Nature Photographer

Deborah Berger – Artist

Larry John Bissonnette – Artist

Bethany Black – Comedian

Dani Bowman – Motivational Speaker, Writer & Artist

Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent Singing Sensation

Michael Brannigan – Track & Field Athlete

Lydia X. Z. Brown – Writer & Speaker

Matt Bruenig – Blogger & Political Analyst

David Byrne – Musician

David Campion – Snowboarder

Chuggaaconroy – YouTube Personality

Breanna Clark – Paralympic Athlete

Nicole Cliffe – Writer

Bram Cohen – Inventor of BitTorrent

Laura Kate Dale – Author

Stephanie Davis – Actress

Michelle Dawson – Researcher

Johnny Dean – Musician

Tony DeBlois – Musician

Ulysse Delsaux – Racecar Driver

Jody DiPiazza – Musician

Tommy Dis Brisay – Runner, Kayaker & Cross-Country Skiier

Aoife Dooley – Writer (source: RTE)

Corrine Duyvis – Author

David Eastham – Poet

Jim Eisenreich – Major League Baseball Player

Patrick Francis – Artist

Hannah Gadsby – Comedian

Morénike Giwa-Onaiwu – Author & Editor

Rick Glassman – Actor

Govy – Artist

Temple Grandin – Author, Speaker & Animal Science Professor

Jorge Gutierrez – Artist

John R. Hall – Author

Paula Hamilton – Model

Darryl Hannah – Actress & Environmental Activist

Dan Harmon – Producer & Writer

Kevin Healy – Autism Activist

Naoki Higashida – Writer

Helen Hoang – Author

Todd Hodgetts – Paralympic Athlete

Liane Holliday Willey – Author

Sir Anthony Hopkins – Actor (source: Mercury News)

John Howard – Fighter

Anthony Ianni – Basketball Player

Luke Jackson – Author

Poom Jensen – Thai Leader

Rosie King – Writer & Public Speaker

Amy Knight – Politician

Christopher Knowles – Poet

Pertti Kurikka – Musician

Heather Kuzmich – America’s Next Top Model Contestant

Ladyhawke – Musician

Matthew Labyorteaux – Actor

Lina Lang – Artist

Kodi Lee – Musician

Left at London – Musician

Jonathan Lerman – Artist

Rex Lewis-Clack – Musician

Lisa Llorens – Paralympic Athlete

Abz Love – Rapper

Courtney Love – Singer & Actress (source: All That is Interesting)

Julian Martin – Artist

Clay Marzo – Surfer

Frankie MacDonald – Meteorologist

Jason McElwain – Basketball Player

Thomas A. McKean – Author

Thristan Mendoza – Musician

David Miedzianik – Poet

Timothy Mehnert – Actor and Model

Jonathan Mitchell – Blogger & Writer

Jack Monroe – Food Writer

Caiseal Mor – Writer

Heidi Mortenson – Musician

Haley Moss – Pop Art Artist

Desi Napoles – Model

David Nelson – Activist

Shain Neumeier – Activist

Freddie Odom Jr. – Actor

Hikari Ōe – Composer

Jasmine O’Neill – Author

Jared O’Mara – Politician

Brant Page Hanson – Writer & Radio Personality

Kim Peek – Inspiration for Rain Man Movie

Sue Ann Pien – Actor

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson – TV Personality & Socialite

Dawn Prince-Hughes – Author

Sue Rubin – Author

Albert Rutecki – Actor

Matt Savage – Musician

Henriette Seth F. – Poet, Musician, Artist & Writer

Graham Sierota – Musician

Jim Sinclair – Activist

Judy Singer – Disability Rights Activist

Tim Sharp – Artist

Stephen Shore – Author & Professor

Dr. Vernon Smith – Nobel Prize Winner in Economics

Andreas Souvaliotis – Author

SpaceGhostPurp – Musician

Sarah Stup – Writer

Susanna Tamaro – Novelist

Chuck Tingle – Author

Mark Tinley – Musician & Presenter

Gilles Tréhin – Artist

Donald Triplett – Musician & Savant

Richard Wawro – Artist

Cody Ware – Racecar Driver

Billy West – Voice Actor

Robert White – Comedian

Armani Williams – Racecar Driver

Donna Williams – Writer & Artist

Alexis Wineman – Miss America Contestant

Willem van Genk – Artist

Aleksander Vinter – Musician

Samuel Von Einem – Table Tennis Star

Note: In researching celebrities with autism, I found a few individuals with autism spectrum disorder who have had a negative impact on society including Elliot Rodger, Nikolas Kruz, Tristan Andrew Tyrell, Cary Stayner, Jemma Lilley, John Ausonius “Laser Man”, and James Fairweather. I chose to focus this article on all the amazing POSITIVE people with autism.

Other Celebrities with Autism?

My list is by no means complete. Please let me know if you find other celebrities with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and I will be glad to add them to this growing list!

Just ping me at Heather@Ongig.com.

If you enjoyed this list, you might also want to check out Famous People with Dyslexia [A List of 175+ Actors, Athletes, Musicians & Scientists] and Famous People with Asperger’s Syndrome [150+ Actors, Entrepreneurs, Athletes, Musicians & More!].

And a final thanks goes to…

Thank you, Autism Pros!

These pros on famous people with autism helped me source the article — thank you!

Psycom.net’s article on 7 Famous People With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Applied Behavior Analysis’s article on History’s 30 Most Inspiring People on the Autism Spectrum

Wikipedia’s People on the Autism Spectrum

Asperger/Autism Network’s article on Asperger Profiles: Successful Adults

Men’s Health Article on 11 Famous People With Autism

Applied Behavior Analysis’s article on 5 Top Athletes on the Autism Spectrum

AspergerSydrome.me.uk’s article on Famous People with Asperger Syndrome or Similar Autistic Traits

LifeHack.org’s article on 15 Successful People with Autism Who Have Inspired Millions of People

Austim-Help.org’s article on Famous Cases Of Asperger’s Syndrome

Women of Silicon Valley’s article on Neurodiversity in Silicon Valley

Matt Davenport’s Mercury News piece on Half of Silicon Valley’s got mild Autism

Mary Sauer’s article on 15 celebrity parents who’ve gotten real about raising kids with autism

AngelSense’s blog on 5 Celebrity Parents Who Are Open About Raising a Child with Autism

Kate Millner-Wilson’s article on Celebrities with Children on the Autism Spectrum

Grace Back’s article on 6 Celebrities Who Have Spoken Openly About Autism

Intechopen.com’ article on Recent Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorders – Volume I

Leslie Zukor’s article on Joshua Collins Wants to Be the First Openly Autistic Member of Congress

Autistic Speed Cuber Battles for Championship in New Netflix Doc

Louise Gannon’s article on Sir Antony Hopkins

Colin Eldred-Cohen’s article on How Satoshi Tajiri’s Autism Helped Create Pokemon

Cameron Reidgeway’s article on AUTISM AWARENESS WEEK: LIONEL MESSI – A FOOTBALLER WITH ASPERGERS

Joelle Goldstein’s article on 19-Year-Old Woman with Autism Goes Viral on TikTok: ‘A Lot of People Don’t Understand’ Autism

Michigan native, NASCAR driver Armani Williams never let autism stop his need for speed

Big Brother’s Ian Terry Opens Up About Autism on Wednesday’s Episode

Center for Disease Control’s article on What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

WNY Man Living With Autism Becomes Musical Marvel (by Katherine Chloé Kahoon)

Producer Gets Personal About Being on the Spectrum in New Doc (by Chris Gardner)

Henry has to be on the Spectrum, right?!? (Reddit thread)

‘Married At First Sight’: Here’s Why Fans Speculate Henry Has Autism (by Hannah Rice)

Renowned Autism Expert Dr. Tony Attwood Realizes His Adult Son Has Asperger’s Syndrome (by Susan Moffitt)

This Doctor Can: The autistic doctor (by Royal College of Physicians)

Elon Musk gets off to rocky start in SNL monologue, including false claim about being first host with Asperger’s (by Jolie Lash)

A 10 year-old autistic and blind boy singing. His voice shocked everyone.

Autism made me successful’: Olympic rower Chris Morgan shows strength in neurodiversity (by Chloe Hart)

Defying expectations, people with autism are participating and excelling in sports (by Jon Wertheim and Stephanie Apstein)

Actor Wentworth Miller Reveals Autism Diagnosis, Reigniting Conversation About Adults On The Spectrum (by Jessica Moore)

I found out I was autistic — at age 35: Inside the world of ‘masking’ (by Marissa Dellatto)

‘Mandy’s Voice’ film stars Palm Harbor actress with autism (by TIM WRONKA)

Al Roker Is Excited About His Autistic Son’s Acceptance Into College (by Ashlee Banks)

 

Why I wrote this?

Ongig is on a mission to eliminate boring and biased job descriptions. As part of this, we try to share best practices on all aspects of diversity. For example, Ongig’s Text Analyzer helps you avoid words that are exclusionary to neurodiverse people. Please visit Ongig if you’d like to learn more.

May 28, 2020 by Heather Barbour in Diversity and Inclusion

Done