10 Celebs You May Not Know Have Disabilities

Olivia Murphy

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Billie Eilish at the Barbie movie premiere. She is wearing light pink striped shirt, and she has dark hair.
Image description: Billie Eilish at the Barbie movie premiere. She is wearing light pink striped shirt, and she has dark hair. Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / Filmmagic.
Many disabilities are not visible to the naked eye, so raising awareness about them is essential. There are actors and singers with disabilities who act in your favorite shows and sing your favorite songs. Disability advocacy and awareness are crucial to promote understanding and support for people with disabilities.
Billie Eilish: the renowned singer-songwriter Eilish disclosed via Instagram story in 2018 that she was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome during her childhood. Since then, she has been candid and forthright about her condition. Given the public nature of her career, Eilish’s openness is a remarkable example of embracing and destigmatizing neurological disorders.
Jameela Jamil: British actress and podcast host Jameela Jamil, renowned for her role in “The Good Place” alongside Kristen Bell, is a prominent advocate for promoting body positivity and self-love. She has been vocal about her experiences with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder affecting joints, skin, and blood vessels. Jamil has become a beacon of empowerment, encouraging individuals to embrace their bodies in all their unique forms and raising awareness about the syndrome.
Lewis Capaldi: Capaldi openly discusses the impact of anxiety on his life and music, encouraging fans to seek help when needed and fostering an environment of empathy. In 2022, during an instagram live he revealed he was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome. Unlike other people with Tourette’s syndrome, Capaldi was not diagnosed until his mid-20s. Since revealing his diagnosis, he has been open about his ticks’ impact on his ability to perform live. Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations known as tics. These tics can range from mild to severe and include motor tics such as blinking, jerking movements, or facial grimacing and vocal tics such as grunting, throat clearing, or shouting out words. Like many other disabilities, how Tourette’s manifests can vary from person to person.
Daniel Radcliffe, a British actor best known for his iconic role as Harry Potte, revealed in 2008 that he has a mild form of dyspraxia. Like many other disabled individuals, Radcliffe has never let his disability stop him. Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder that affects motor skills, memory, judgment, processing, and other cognitive abilities throughout life. People with dyspraxia often struggle with writing, spelling, and typing.
Nick Jonas: Nick Jonas was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was thirteen years old. Ever since revealing his diagnosis, he’s been open about advocating for people with type one diabetes. He has been open about managing his diabetes while on tour with his brothers. Back in 2015, he founded a nonprofit organization called Beyond Type 1. It focuses on education and advocacy of type one diabetes and has since expanded to include type 2 diabetes.
Simone Biles, the American gymnast who won four gold medals in the 2016 Olympics, revealed that she has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in 2016 after confidential records that showed that she had tested positive for Ritalin before the 2016 games leaked. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition characterized by persistent difficulties in attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior.
Halsey: The popular singer-songwriter Halsey disclosed in a Instagram story in 2022 that she has two medical conditions: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and posterior orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (commonly known as POTS), which is a form of dysautonomia affecting mast cell activation syndrome. These disorders often co-occur and have a significant impact on her health. Halsey has always been a vocal advocate for mental health.
Lena Dunham: Dunham’s openness about her struggles with endometriosis has contributed to a greater understanding of this condition and prompted discussions about women’s health. Individually, Durham is another celebrity with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. In 2019, she revealed in an Instagram post that she has a connective tissue disorder after paparazzi caught pictures of her using a cane. Since 2019, she has continued to be open about her Ehlers-Danlos diagnosis as well as her overall chronic pain in various interviews.
Wentworth Miller: Talented American actor Wentworth Miller, who became famous through his roles in the TV series “Prison Break” and “Legends of Tomorrow”, shared in a since-deleted Instagram post. in 2021 that he is autistic. His post aimed to raise awareness about this often misunderstood disability. In recent years, more attention has been given to autism spectrum disorder, which may have contributed to more people being diagnosed later in life. It’s essential to understand that autism is not a one-size-fits-all condition, and every person with autism experiences it differently.
Millie Bobby Brown: In a revealing 2017 interview, the Star of the popular Netflix series “Stranger Things” disclosed that they have been completely deaf in one. This admission sheds light on the unique challenges that deaf or hard-of-hearing actors face in the entertainment industry.
These celebrities exemplify that just because someone has a disability, it doesn’t mean they can be any less successful or have any less potential than their able-bodied nondisabled counterparts.
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