High-functioning Autistic Celebrities
Surprised nobody has mentioned Gary Numan. He self-diagnosed himself as having Asperger’s in the early 2000s after discussing the condition with his wife. However, in a recent interview, he claimed to have been diagnosed when he was 14 about 20 years before Asperger’s became a recognised condition so I have my doubts about him now.
Craig Nicholls of Australian rock band The Vines is an aspie (diagnosed by Tony Attwood!) as is New Zealand singer-songwriter Ladyhawke.
The OP's list is already TOO long. To think that that many famous actors and actresses are Autistic is ludicrous. I'm sure it's possible one or two make it, but that's way too many people in a field that requires way too much social interaction.
How many Aspies were popular in school? Being a celebrity is often being a winner in the biggest popularity contest on Earth. Very, very few autistics will win in this contest.
I agree with this.
I'm waiting for someone to suggest Paris Hilton.
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The OP's list is already TOO long. To think that that many famous actors and actresses are Autistic is ludicrous. I'm sure it's possible one or two make it, but that's way too many people in a field that requires way too much social interaction.
How many Aspies were popular in school? Being a celebrity is often being a winner in the biggest popularity contest on Earth. Very, very few autistics will win in this contest.
I agree with this.
I'm waiting for someone to suggest Paris Hilton.
Like me you are old enough to remember Studio 54. That had to be a hangout for undiagnosed autistic people, after all they were different from the mainstream. (sarcasm)
More seriously performers and creative people in general usually have to be significantly different in some way(s). Impossible to deal with actors and rock stars are a cliche. Quirks are tolerated and expected and the stuff that sells endless gossip magazines. I do think the percentage of creative people that are autistic are higher then in the general populace. But the lists you see online claiming or speculating so and so is autistic are mostly speculation based on flimsy or no evidence and often copied and pasted from another such list.
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“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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I'm pretty certain that Heechul is an Aspie. As to him being very social, perhaps even overly so is something I've seen in other autistics. I find that some autistics are very extroverted with their general behaviour and this type of aspie is usually less likely to be diagnosed. You also have to take into account that he has in the past lived in a dorm with up to 15 other men and then after that done his mandatory military enlistment as a soldier for 2yrs so he would have had a huge amount of practice for his social skills. He was also trained for yrs before his debut and it's a huge part of his job to be friendly and courteous so I guess he's just a really successful aspie who when undiagnosed.
What do you think? Any other Kpop Aspies you can think of?
Im not sure. Im not very good at spotting it. Maybe L from Infinite? That discussion has actually popped up in the past. There's a lot of really quirky idols out there. Blackpink Jisoo would be my strongest bet honestly but I doubt she'd really be on the spectrum.
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Some videos of a time where I think Catherine Tate seems like an Aspie;
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WxB1gB6K-2A
And Sandi Toksvig
She’s a lot like my mother who is undiagnosed because of just not having anyone who knew about aspie girls/women when she was young
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vkqvpWFOfLE
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I saw a documentary about Jimi Hendrix a few years back. They mentioned he often was quiet, sitting in the corner. he had to areas of intense interest, music of course and women. He had many groupies so it is understandable that too many frustrated ASD virgins etc that would disqualify him. But it was the free love 60's, and many women were and are attracted to rock stars, plus his hyper focus on them makes it plausible he was autistic with groupies.
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“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
Last edited by ASPartOfMe on 14 Jan 2019, 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WxB1gB6K-2A
I clicked on the link and it brings me to a skit of her character Lauren. Is that what you meant to link?
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Matthew Labyorteaux -Biography.com
The future actor faced many challenges as a youngster: He had a hole in his heart at birth that doctors felt would heal on its own. In addition, he didn't walk until he was 3, never spoke until the age of 5 and often threw tantrums. He was diagnosed as being autistic, and experts told his parents that Labyorteaux might never lead a normal life.
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
Angelina Jolie
Jennifer Lawrence
Johnny Depp
Leonardo DiCaprio
Sadie Toksvig (QI presenter)
Daniel Radcliffe
Michael Mcintyre (comedian)
Catherine Tate
Maggie Smith
Adam Young (Owl City)
Heechul (Super Junior)
Possibly Brat Pitt and Benedict Cummberbatch
.
Most of these candidates for aspiehood are total nonsense.
Adam Young (Owl City) declared himself to be aspie, but was never diagnosed.
But on the same album that contains his hit "Fireflies" he has a song about how great it is to go to the dentist.
So I will go with that. Anyone who is moved to celebrate dental checkups in song might well be neurodivergant.
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