Famous People with ADHD: ADD Celebrities and Well Known People
Last Update Date: 15 April 2021
ADHD is the acronym for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. As we mentioned in our article before, in which we defined ADHD, its types and symptoms, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children today.
A new learning app is added to the millions already in existence almost every day. This makes it increasingly difficult for families to choose the best learning apps for kids.
ADHD should not be seen as an obstacle to success. ADHD symptoms can be controlled by daily tailor-made scientific exercises. Prepared by academics and educators, MentalUP Attention Exercises are used by schools to assist many students.
Famous People with ADHD
People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may have difficulty focusing and learning. On the other hand, regardless of their area of interest, they can become successful adults with ADHD with an accurate medical advice diagnosis or treatment method. Also, using ADHD apps for kids and/or Dyslexia apps for kids and adults (if Dyslexia accompanies ADHD too) can make this process easier and support their skills like focus, attention, decision making, and organizing.
Here is a countdown with of some of the most famous celebrities with ADHD in different fields:
Top 7 Famous Actors/Actresses Diagnosed with ADHD
7- Zooey Deschanel:
Zooey Deschanel is famous actress who has demonstrated that living with ADHD may not be that difficult. Although she is not using any ADHD treatment, she is proudly overcoming Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with her own methods by doing craft projects on Hello Giggles.
6- Emma Watson:
She is best known for her Hermione Granger role in “Harry Potter.” She was diagnosed with ADHD when she was a kid. Although she has never talked about her condition and that she has struggled with ADHD for a long time, many sources like ADDitude Magazine have confirmed that it’s true.
5- Michelle Rodriguez:
She has been one of the most open famous people with ADHD by willingly sharing the story of her condition in one of the interviews she had with Cosmopolitan Magazine. She didn’t let ADHD move ahead of overtake her career. In fact, she got to play important roles in famous TV series and movies such as Lost and Fast & Furious.
4- Woody Harrelson:
Another award-winning actor that we would like to mention among famous people with ADHD is Woody Harrelson. Obviously ADHD symptoms couldn’t beat his passion for becoming a great actor.
3- Ryan Gosling:
He won not only hearts but also a Golden Globe. Ryan Gosling is another example of someone who struggled in school years because of his ADHD, but had the strength to turn it into an award-winning career in Hollywood.
2- Will Smith:
Not only an award-winning actor, but also a producer and rapper, Will Smith also claims that he has ADHD. Forbes ranked him among the “most bankable stars” so his success is more than evident despite his condition.
1- Jim Carrey:
Award-winning actor Jim Carrey is also a celebrity who struggles with ADHD. The famous actor has actually won our hearts by bravely using all the symptoms to his advantage - in the characters he plays.
Top 5 Famous Athletes Diagnosed with ADHD
5- Karina Smirnoff:
Karina is a great example of athletes who have ADHD and who always strive for more. She has a variety of interests like dancing, ice skating, playing the piano, and gymnastics. She is using medication to stay focused and it seems to work for her. So far, she has become a five-time champion U.S., National Champion, World Trophy Champion.
4- Simone Biles:
She is an award-winning gymnast. She has won 19 world championships and Olympic gold medals despite her struggle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. She was diagnosed with ADHD when she was a child and has used medication ever since.
3- Michael Phelps:
When he was a child, his teacher told him that he wouldn’t be able to succeed in anything in life. But Michael didn’t surrender to his ADHD and became a great swimmer winning 23 Olympic gold medals.
2- Terry Bradshaw:
Focusing and standing still can be challenging for children and adults with ADHD. Terry was also experienced difficulties in school and decided to shift his concentration to sports. Eventually, he became a Super Bowl Champion.
1- Michael Jordan:
He is known as the greatest basketball player of all time. Yet, he was never completely content with what he had achieved and he always tried to discover himself, which is also considered a common symptom of ADHD.
Top 6 Famous Singers Diagnosed with ADHD
6- Loyle Carnel:
Carnel is a believer that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder helped him in becoming a successful singer and musician. When he was young, he couldn’t figure out what the problem was, but after he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, he turned it into something positive for his life.
5- Solange Knowles:
Solange is one of the famous people who initially refused to believe that she had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Yet, she managed to become a successful, famous singer, songwriter, and artist. However, after becoming more aware of the symptoms, she claimed that many people in the industry may have ADHD.
4- Will.i.am:
You may rogue l remember him as a member of the Black Eyed Peas. William is a great example of someone who can see ADHD’s positive sides. In an interview with the Mirror, he claims that this disorder helped him become successful in his music career by saying “For every obstacle, there’s some type of solution. So if you have ADHD it’s your passion point.”
3- Adam Levine:
Levine was diagnosed with ADHD when he was a child. Although he started medication, he still struggles with ADHD symptoms. Being the frontman of the famous Maroon 5 group, Adam proved that you can be a successful famous regardless of your ADHD condition.
2- Justin Timberlake:
He is one of the most famous stars in the world. He managed to rock ADHD as he did rock your body. Although he doesn’t speak too much about how he succeeded to live with ADHD, in an interview with Collider he mentions his condition by saying “I have OCD mixed with ADD. You try living with that.”
1- John Lennon:
The singer, songwriter, and peace activist John Lennon is also believed to have had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. He was having so much difficulty in class that he dropped out of school. However, he successfully managed to live with ADHD and became one of the most famous people in the world.
Top 4 Famous Authors Diagnosed with ADHD
4- Dav Pilkey:
The famous writer and illustrator Dav Pilkey is known for his Captain Underpants book series. He was punished at school several times because of his acting out that was a result of his ADHD. He started creating the famous book series during a detention time at school.
3- Agatha Christie:
Agatha Christie is one of the most famous writers of all time. Her books are translated in 103 different languages and four billion copies are sold in total. She had not been diagnosed with ADHD in her lifetime but it is commonly known that she had difficulties due to dysgraphia.
2- George Bernard Shaw:
The writer of more than 100 plays, Shaw deeply criticized the existing education system of his time . A lot of people believe Shaw had ADHD that prevented him from accepting the education system as it was at the time.
1- Jules Verne:
The father of the science fiction genre and a huge inspiration for the steampunk stream, Verne had a hard time in school He was unable to focus on the school tasks and projects but he was into writing from an early age. Although he was not diagnosed with ADHD, it is commonly accepted today that he probably suffered from this condition.
Top 6 Famous Historical Figures Diagnosed with ADHD
6- Walt Disney:
Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse, one of the first and biggest cults of the animation world, is also on the list of those who struggled with ADHD especially due to the difficulties he experienced during his school years.
5- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
Mozart, the genius of classical music and one of the biggest composers of the 18th century, is among those who struggled with ADHD according to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.
4- Alexander Graham Bell:
Bell, the inventor of the phone, gained his innovative and problem-solving personality thanks to his struggle with ADHD even though he had serious problems during his school years.
3- Thomas Edison:
The man who brought light to our lives, the award-winning American inventor Edison, is also believed to have had ADHD. His hyperactivity led him to the urge to always learn and discover something new.
2- Albert Einstein:
Einstein is one of the most important physicists of the 20th century. He was known for his carelessness and forgetfulness. But Einstein is another award-winning, famous person to prove that it is possible to be successful and productive with ADHD.
1- Leonardo Da Vinci:
Da Vinci is another instance of a famous person that lived with ADHD. The difficulty of focusing on one single thing due to ADHD caused him to be interested in many different subjects. He was an artist, sculptor, inventor, scientist, musician, architect, anatomist, astronomer, and a mathematician.
50 Famous People With ADHD
Evidently, ADHD does not have to be an obstacle to achieving success. If you or your child want to pursue a goal and be successful in life alongside having ADHD, you can find lots of useful information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by following the MentalUP’s blog page about ADHD questions.
MentalUP also helps you increase your brainpower by taking just 15 minutes a day with the help of fun and scientific attention games designed by academics and pedagogues.
