Learning disabilities can create many educational and social challenges to those who face them. The prevalence of learning disabilities in North American schools would astound some parents, but there is always hope for those who are facing some major hurdles. The world of Hollywood is not immune to such infirmities, and the A-listers who have overcome their setbacks may serve as a good source of inspiration for young people who feel discouraged. This list looks at the top celebrities who overcame their disorders and have excelled to the top of Hollywood’s elite.
10. Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom has spoken quite publically about his struggle with dyslexia as a child. He was diagnosed at the age of 7 and he says that his difficulties with reading and writing created a lot of frustration and anger in him as a child. Bloom says that his mother used to bribe him with incentives of money and a motor bike for learning poems and reading books and that this helped him a lot. He also said, “I think creativity is the key to any child who has dyslexia. When I was on stage performing, creating—that was really what got me through…When I was on stage I was more focused than I was anywhere else.” Bloom’s advice for parents with children facing the same challenges is to understand dyslexia as a gift, that if “kids can be given the opportunity to find that way of thinking, what works for them, they will be very happy and successful in whatever field they choose to go into.”
Rob Latour/REX
