One app for all your study abroad needs
Famous people with Autism: When we talk about famous personalities with autism, we get reminded of Bollywood films, like “My Name is Khan” portrayed by Shahrukh Khan as Rizwan Khan and “Barfi” portrayed by Priyanka Chopra as Jhilmil, the two characters suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is believed, that every 1 in 36 children is affected by ASD. A person with autism may have a unique way of interacting with others, may learn things differently, may have a strong passion for a particular topic, and may struggle with processing sensory information. Despite these challenges, they can achieve great things, as shown in the list below of famous personalities with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Table of Contents
List of Most Famous People with Autism Spectrum Disorder
If we start taking big names, we know people like Albert Einstein from history to Elon Musk of the present who despite suffering from autism have written their names in human revolution already. In fact, many individuals with autism have made extraordinary contributions in fields like science, art, music and technology. Let us get to discuss these famous personalities with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) below –
| Name | Profession | Autism Status | Achievements |
| Woody Allen | Filmmaker, Actor | Suspected | Three-time Oscar winner |
| Dan Aykroyd | Actor, Writer | Diagnosed | Developed Ghostbusters character |
| Temple Grandin | Professor, Author | Diagnosed | TIME 100 Most Influential People, revolutionized livestock |
| Albert Einstein | Theoretical Physicist | Suspected | Theory of relativity, Nobel Prize |
| Susan Boyle | Singer | Diagnosed | Sold 14 million albums after Britain’s Got Talent |
| Sir Isaac Newton | Scientist | Suspected | Laws of motion, gravity, and calculus |
| Emily Dickinson | Poet | Suspected | Over 1,800 poems written |
| Jerry Seinfeld | Comedian, Actor | Self-diagnosed | Created and starred in Seinfeld |
| Satoshi Tajiri | Game Designer | Diagnosed | Created Pokémon |
| Tim Burton | Filmmaker | Suspected | Directed Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice |
| Daryl Hannah | Actress | Diagnosed | Starred in Splash and Blade Runner |
| Anthony Hopkins | Actor | Diagnosed | Oscar winner for The Silence of the Lambs |
| Michelangelo | Painter, Sculptor | Suspected | Painted the Sistine Chapel, sculpted David |
| Nikola Tesla | Inventor, Engineer | Suspected | Invented alternating current electricity |
| Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Composer | Suspected | Prolific Classical era composer |
| Heather Kuzmich | Model | Diagnosed | Contestant on America’s Next Top Model |
| John Elder Robison | Author | Diagnosed | Best-selling memoir Look Me in the Eye |
| Charles Schulz | Cartoonist | Suspected | Created Peanuts comic strip |
| Clay Marzo | Professional Surfer | Diagnosed | Star of the surfing documentary Just Add Water |
| Courtney Love | Singer, Actress | Diagnosed | Lead singer of punk band Hole |
| Stanley Kubrick | Filmmaker | Suspected | Directed The Shining and A Clockwork Orange |
| Thomas Edison | Inventor | Suspected | Over 1,000 patents, invented electric light bulb |
| Dan Harmon | Writer, Producer | Diagnosed | Created TV series Community |
| Bill Gates | Entrepreneur, Philanthropist | Suspected | Co-founder of Microsoft |
| Alexis Wineman | Pageant Contestant | Diagnosed | First Miss America contestant with autism |
| Adam Young (Owl City) | Musician | Diagnosed | Created hit song “Fireflies” |
| Vernon Smith | Economist, Nobel Laureate | Diagnosed | Pioneered experimental economics |
| Lionel Messi | Footballer | Suspected | Winner of seven Ballon d’Or awards |
| William Butler Yeats | Poet | Suspected | Nobel Prize for Literature |
| Vincent van Gogh | Painter | Suspected | Post-Impressionist artist, known for Starry Night |
| Elon Musk | Entrepreneur, Founder, CEO | Diagnosed | Founder and CEO of SpaceX, One of the Richest Men in the World |
Also Read – Most Famous Personalities with ADHD
Famous People with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Present
Some of the famous personalities with autism, who are alive today and have influenced many are –
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is a three-time Oscar winner, who is considered to be on the Autism Spectrum. Though he has not been officially diagnosed, Allen himself has admitted to being highly neurotic, with tendencies like avoiding elevators and insisting on different habits. These traits have even helped him in his creative endeavours.
| Aspect | Details |
| Profession | Filmmaker, Writer, Actor |
| Famous Work | Annie Hall, Manhattan |
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Anthony Hopkins is also a two-time Academy Award-winning actor who was diagnosed with ASD. He is known for his iconic role in The Silence of the Lambs and the Remains of the Day. He credits his condition with allowing him to intensely focus on his craft.
| Aspect | Details |
| Profession | Director, Actor, Producer |
| Famous Work | The Silence of the Lambs, Shadowlands, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Thor franchise, etc |
Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is a professor, author, and an ethologist. Diagnosed with autism as a child, she overcame social challenges to become a leading expert in livestock behaviour. Her story was portrayed in an Emmy-winning biopic.Se has written books about autism and her feelings and challenges surrounding it, which became inspirations for many to talk about autism.
| Aspect | Details |
| Profession | Professor, Author |
| Famous Work | Emergence: Labeled Autistic, The Learning Style of People with Autism: An Autobiography, Livestock handling and transport, etc |
| Achievements | Revolutionized livestock industry, TIME 100 Most Influential People |
Elon Musk
Elon Musk is an entrepreneur and billionaire, who is devising cutting-edge technology in every field. He is the Founder and CEO of SpaceX, Tesla and Inc. He is also co-founder of OpenAI, X.com and Neuralink. He is also listed on the Forbes Richest Man list. He credits his autism for his interest in getting interested into computers and technology.
| Aspect | Details |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Engineer |
| Achievements | Global Green Award, TIME 100 people who most affected the world |
Also Read – Famous Personalities with Down Syndrome
Famous People with Autism Spectrum Disorder in History
Some of the famous personalities with autism in the past who have succeeded are –
Albert Einstein
Many experts believe that Albert Einstein, the renowned physicist, exhibited traits which were consistent with autism. His intense focus on specific subjects, difficulty with social interactions, and delayed speech are all characteristics commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder.
| Aspect | Details |
| Profession | Theoretical Physicist |
| Famous Works | Theory of relativity, Nobel Prize |
Sir Isaac Newton
Known as the founding father of physics and mathematics, Sir Isaac Newton is thought to have had traits of ASD. His eccentric behaviour, obsession with routines, and social difficulties are key indicators of autism. Newton’s condition may have enabled his intense focus, which led to his discoveries.
| Aspect | Details |
| Profession | Scientist |
| Famous Works | Laws of motion, gravity |
Emily Dickinson
Poet Emily Dickinson, a renowned poet who lived a reclusive life, shows traits that many now associate with autism, including a preference for solitude, rigid routines, and deep introspective thinking. These characteristics are believed to be an add-on to her creative side.
| Aspect | Details |
| Profession | Poet |
| Famous Works | Because I could not stop for Death, Hope is the Thing with Feathers, I’m Nobody! Who are you? |
FAQs
Some of the most famous autistic personalities are – Dan Aykroyd, Daryl Hannah, Tim Burton, etc.
Elon Musk is a billionaire suffering from Autism.
Currently, Sia is one of the most famous singers who is autistic. She gave multiple hit songs like Cheap Thrills, Unstoppable, etc
Find other relevant blogs here!
This was all about the famous personalities with Autism. If you want to know more about other Famous Personalities then visit our General Knowledge page!