John Lennon
John Lennon was a legendary musician and songwriter. Hailing from Liverpool, England, he went on to achieve great fame and success not just in his native country, but throughout the world as one of the founding members of the rock band, The Beatles. The Beatles, which also had PaulMcCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr in its line-up, became the greatest and most influential band of the rock era, and also the most commercially successful one.
Already a well-known musician by the time he formed the Beatles, John Lennon was catapulted to even greater heights of stardom as a member of this band. To become a famous musician was a dream Lennon held close to his heart from his childhood which was marred by domestic instabilities. But, in his later adulthood, he discovered he has dyslexia. He could not spell right nor remember other people’s compositions, but he could write his own effortlessly. His giftedness to influence others with his music and life’s beliefs was proof that his condition was not something to be fixed rather be valued.
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Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley was a British actress and model. She was well-known for her films like Bend It Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl. She came into the entertainment industry at a very young age. Growing up in Richmond, London, she used to perform in several local amateur productions like After Juliet. She appeared on television for the first time in Royal Celebration. After that, she appeared in a number of television films like A Village Affair and Coming Home, to name a few. Between a lot of people know her as Elizabeth Swann from the hit film series Pirates of the Caribbean, Keira Knightley was diagnosed with dyslexia as early as age six. She convinced her parents that if she learned how to read, they would find her a way to pursue her dream of being an actress. Her mother told her that if she could memorize Emma Thompson’s screenplay of Sense and Sensibility her favor would be granted. This made her more immersed to push herself on learning and improving herself of dealing with dyslexia.
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg was a filmmaker, director, and producer. Having worked in the movie industry for more than four decades, he has contributed to films of many different themes and genres, including science-fiction and adventure as well as historical features. This versatility has allowed him to continue steady work on successful films throughout his life. His films have set box office records, setting the standards for what it means to be a blockbuster movie, such as Jurassic Park and E.T. the Extra Terrestrial. But, the renowned Academy Award-winning director, producer, and screenplay writer, Steven Spielberg was not diagnosed with dyslexia until he was 60 years old. During his younger years, he always felt out of place and wanted somewhere else but school. It took a wide span of years for him to finally figure out behind his struggle with reading and understanding words.
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg was one of the fourteen entertainers ever to have an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony in her kitty, a feat that select few can boast of. She created history by becoming the first African-American woman to win the Academy Award for best supporting actress in nearly fifty years. In her career which spanned across three decades and more, she has served as an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, Broadway star, political activist, author and talk show host. She suffered from dyslexia and drug addiction during her early years. What made her get out of that situation was her mother’s motivation and persistence. Her mother believed in her daughter’s abilities to be a successful woman, and so she did. Today, she remained a supporter of dyslexia campaigns spreading awareness that thinking differently is an advantage to uphold.
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Cherilyn Sarkisian
Cherilyn Sarkisian was an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Grammy Award-winning singer and actress. Shockingly, in her thirties, Cherilyn Sarkisian found out she has dyslexia. All those dragging days at school finally made sense to her of why it was difficult for her to process all information. She dropped out of school at age 16 and began her acting journey, but it was her musical prowess that made her famous in the entertainment industry. She sold millions of records and won a film Academy award for her movie Moonstruck. It was a tough battle for her knowing she has to do a lot of memorization but she managed to do it by embracing her own pace and accepting the fact she is different from how other people learn. These famous personas opened doors for discussions towards Dyslexia.
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