Tallulah Willis<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Tallulah](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-sheknows-2020\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
![\"Tallulah](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-02.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: River Callaway for WWD\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nActress Tallulah Willis shared her autism diagnosis in March 2024, in a sweet, low-key Instagram<\/a> caption accompanying a throwback video with her dad, Bruce Willis. \u201ctell me your autistic without telling me your autistic,\u201d she wrote next to the video, which featured a young Tallulah happily rubbing her dad\u2019s bald head.<\/p>\nWillis expanded on the diagnosis down in the comments. When one fan asked if she was diagnosed as a child, Willis replied, \u201cActually this is the this is the first time I\u2019ve ever publicly shared my diagnosis. Found out this summer and it\u2019s changed my life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nRobbie Williams<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Robbie](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/P10VYQC.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kristina Bumphrey\/Variety\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nRobbie Williams was diagnosed with \u201ca little bit of autism,\u201d he shared in 2026 \u2014 and wasn\u2019t afraid to admit that he uses the diagnosis as a \u201cget-out-of-jail-free card.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the weird s\u2013t that I do I just say, \u2018Sorry, I\u2019m autistic,’\u201d Williams quipped during a Q&A at the Autumn\/Winter launch of his clothing brand Hopeium. He added that he \u201cloves\u201d knowing that he has autism (as well as ADHD) \u201cbecause it explains so much.\u201d As an example, Williams explained that he\u2019s \u201ccreating images and making funny things.\u201d There\u2019s a big bright side to that obsession: \u201cif I\u2019m creating images and funny things, I\u2019m not thinking about me, because my brain is incredibly creative, and it can be creative about everything in the world that you panic or scared about.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nSia<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"NEW](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-09.jpg?w=200\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Raymond Hall \/ Contributor\/GC Images via Getty Images\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPop singer Sia opened up about her autism diagnosis on a 2023 Rob Has a Podcast<\/em><\/a> interview, saying, \u201cI\u2019m on the spectrum, and I\u2019m in recovery and whatever \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of things.\u201d The \u201cUnstoppable\u201d singer continued, \u201cFor 45 years, I was like, \u2018I\u2019ve got to go put my human suit on.\u2019 And only in the last two years have I become fully, fully myself.\u201d<\/p>\nSia faced backlash in 2020 for her depiction of autism in her film Music<\/em>, where neurotypical actor Maddie Ziegler was cast as a nonverbal autistic character. Sia later apologized and promised that scenes showing Ziegler\u2019s character in restraints while experiencing sensory overstimulation would be removed, Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a> reported.<\/p>\nDiscussing her own ASD diagnosis in the 2023 interview, Sia said, \u201cNobody can ever know and love you when you\u2019re filled with secrets \u2026 And when we finally sit in a room full of strangers and tell them our deepest, darkest, most shameful secrets\u2026 and we feel seen for the first time in our lives for who we actually are, and then we can start going out into the world and just operating as humans \u2026 and not pretending to be anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nBella Ramsey<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"HOLLYWOOD,](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autistm-01.jpg?w=215\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Amy Sussman\/GA\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIt was while filming the first season of The Last of Us<\/em> that Bella Ramsey, the series\u2019 star, was diagnosed with autism. As the 21-year-old revealed in a 2025 British Vogue<\/em><\/a> profile, a crew member on the show who had an autistic daughter assumed Ramsey had autism, too, which led them to eventually being diagnosed. The diagnosis, Ramsey added, helped them find clarity around things they\u2019d \u201calways wondered\u201d about, like their self-described status as a \u201cweirdo\u201d and \u201cloner\u201d while growing up and other sensory issues.<\/p>\nRamsey also believes their autism makes them a better actor because they\u2019ve \u201calways been watching and learning from people,\u201d including \u201chaving to learn more manually how to socialise and interact with the people.\u201d The diagnosis was \u201cfreeing,\u201d they continued. \u201cIt enables me to walk through the world with more grace towards myself about not being able to do the easy everyday tasks that everyone else seems to be able to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nGreta Thunberg<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"STOCKHOLM,](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-10.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Campanella\/Getty Images\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nEnvironmental activist Greta Thunberg shared her ASD diagnosis on social media<\/a> back in 2019 as a response to the relentless rolls attacking her actions and appearance. \u201cWhen haters go after your looks and differences, it means they have nowhere left to go. And then you know you\u2019re winning!\u201d Thunberg wrote on Instagram. \u201cI have Asperger\u2019s syndrome and that means I\u2019m sometimes a bit different from the norm. And \u2014 given the right circumstances \u2014 being different is a superpower.\u201d<\/p>\nIn a 2021 interview with The Guardian<\/em><\/a>, Thunberg expanded on the experience of getting diagnosed and why she sees autism as a superpower. \u201cA lot of people with autism have a special interest that they can sit and do for an eternity without getting bored. It\u2019s a very useful thing sometimes,\u201d she explained. \u201cAutism can be something that holds you back, but if you get to the right circumstance, if you are around the right people, if you get the adaptations that you need and you feel you have a purpose, then it can be something you can use for good. And I think that I\u2019m doing that now.\u201d She added that getting diagnosed was a relief, saying, \u201cThe diagnosis was almost only positive for me. It helped me get the support I needed and made me understand why I was like this.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nHolly Madison<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"NEW](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-12.jpg?w=231\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Raymond Hall\/GC Images via Getty Images\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHolly Madison revealed that she\u2019d received a \u201cformal diagnosis\u201d as \u201csomeone on the spectrum\u201d in a 2021 interview on the podcast\u00a0Ahead of the Curve<\/em>, per\u00a0People<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>In 2023, during an appearance on the\u00a0Talking to Death<\/em><\/a> podcast, the Down the Rabbit Hole<\/em> author went into depth about her experience with autism<\/a>. \u201cThe doctor told me that I have high executive functioning, which means I can pretty much go about my life and do things \u2018normally,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cI think because I\u2019m more quiet, I\u2019ve only recently learned to make eye contact, I\u2019m often in my own thoughts, things like that, so people take that as offensive. They\u2019re like, \u2018Damn, you\u2019re not super interested in me, f\u2014 you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\nMadison explained that she\u2019s \u201cjust not on the same social wavelength as other people,\u201d and that she hopes people don\u2019t take things like that personally. Having the diagnosis helps, she says: \u201cI like being able to explain that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nSusan Boyle<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"PASADENA,](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-07.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Tibrina Hobson\/WireImage via Getty Images\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSusan Boyle rose to fame as a contestant on Britain\u2019s Got Talent<\/em> in 2009, but it wasn\u2019t until 2012 that the opera-singing sensation was diagnosed with autism. Boyle was specifically told she had Asperger\u2019s disorder, a now-obsolete term once used to describe people with \u201chigh-functioning\u201d autism who had average or higher-than-average language and intelligence levels, per the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>. (Asperger\u2019s is now \u201creplaced by the broader diagnosis of ASD,\u201d the Cleveland Clinic says.)<\/p>\nWhen she shared her diagnosis in 2013 with The Guardian<\/em><\/a>, Boyle said getting diagnosed was \u201ca relief,\u201d though her experience with symptoms as a child led to feelings of isolation. \u201cI struggle with relationships,\u201d she said at the time. \u201cI never know if people are genuine. I would say I have relationship difficulties, communicative difficulties, which lead to a lot of frustration. If people were a bit more patient, that would help.\u201d Boyle was also determined to show that she was more than a diagnosis. \u201cAsperger\u2019s doesn\u2019t define me,\u201d she explained. \u201cIt\u2019s a\u00a0condition that I have to live with and work through, but I feel more relaxed about myself. People will have a greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nDan Aykroyd<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Dan](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-05.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Stewart Cook\/Variety\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA star of the original Ghostbusters<\/em> franchise, Dan Aykroyd told The Daily Mail<\/em><\/a> in 2013 that his autism actually helped inspire the popular movies. Diagnosed with Asperger\u2019s in the 80s \u2014 \u201cwhen my wife persuaded me to see a doctor\u201d \u2014 Aykroyd said he manages his ASD pretty well, but it comes with a tendency to get obsessive. \u201cOne of my symptoms included my obsession with ghosts and law enforcement \u2014 I carry around a police badge with me, for example,\u201d he said. \u201cI became obsessed by Hans Holzer, the greatest ghost hunter ever. That\u2019s when the idea of my film Ghostbusters<\/em> was born.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nAnthony Hopkins<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Actor](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-06-rotated.jpg?w=200\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Dan Steinberg for Variety\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAcademy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkins \u201cdidn\u2019t know Asperger\u2019s even existed\u201d until he was (somewhat informally) diagnosed. \u201cMy wife was trying to figure out who she was married to and she read a newsletter from a psychotherapist,\u201d he said of his journey to a diagnosis, in an interview with Desert Sun<\/span><\/a><\/em> in 2017. He learned that people with the condition \u201ctend to be creative or severely handicapped,\u201d noting that \u201cI don\u2019t know if that\u2019s true of me, but I know I can never be restful. I tend to multi-task. I decide I\u2019m not going to paint and then I\u2019ll spend 24 hours painting.\u201d<\/p>\nMore recently, Hopkins spoke about why his wife believes he might have ASD. \u201cI\u2019m obsessed with numbers. I\u2019m obsessed with detail. I like everything in order. And memorizing,\u201d he told\u00a0The Sunday Times<\/em><\/a> in 2025. However, Hopkins was dismissive of the possible diagnosis, calling himself \u201ccynical\u201d and saying, \u201cIt\u2019s just being a human being, full of tangled webs and mysteries and stuff that\u2019s in us. Full of warts and grime and craziness, it\u2019s the human condition. All these labels. I mean, who cares?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nGrimes<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Grimes](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1904H02_UH104.jpg?w=201\")
\t<\/figure>\nGrimes revealed her autism diagnosis in a lengthy post on X<\/a> in 2025. \u201cGot diagnosed w adhd\/ autism this year and realized I\u2019m prob dyslexic which is why I can\u2019t spell at all without spellcheck,\u201d she wrote. The musician noted that, if she\u2019d had the diagnoses as a child, \u201cI would have worked so much less hard, been on drugs, and so many of the weird obsessions and motivations I had would have been seen as pathological and I could have written off certain things that were very hard for me but I\u2019m glad I overcame them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nCourtney Love<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Courtney](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-04.jpg?w=204\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rob Latour\/WWD\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCourtney Love has only publically spoken about her experience with ASD once, in a 1994 interview with Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a>. \u201cWhen I talk about being introverted, I was diagnosed autistic,\u201d the Hole frontwoman said, with her initial symptoms including difficulty communicating. \u201cAt an early age, I would not speak,\u201d she explained. \u201cThen I simply bloomed. My first visit to a psychiatrist was when I was, like, three. Observational therapy. TM for tots. You name it, I\u2019ve been there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nElon Musk<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Elon](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-01.jpg?w=232\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Buckner for Variety\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nElon Musk could hardly have chosen a more public outlet to share his ASD diagnosis: he announced it on Saturday Night Live<\/em><\/a> in 2021. \u201cI\u2019m actually making history tonight as the first person with Asperger\u2019s to host SNL<\/em>, or at least the first to admit it,\u201d the Tesla and SpaceX founder said in his monologue. (Dan Aykroyd hosted\u00a0in 2003, but did not share his diagnosis publicly until 2013.)<\/p>\nMusk expanded on his experience with ASD in a 2022 TED Talk<\/a>, sharing that his childhood was \u201cquite rough\u201d because, for him, \u201cSocial cues were not intuitive\u2026 I would take something very literally as if the words that were spoken were exactly what they meant. But that turned out to be wrong.\u201d Despite the bullying, Musk found refuge in science and technology. \u201cI found it rewarding to spend all night programming computers, just by myself,\u201d he explained. \u201cMost people don\u2019t enjoy typing strange symbols into a computer by themselves all night. They think that\u2019s not fun. But I really liked it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWentworth Miller<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Wentworth](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-03.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: David Buchan\/Variety\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPrison Break<\/em> star Wentworth Miller took to Instagram in 2021 to acknowledge the one-year anniversary of his autism diagnosis. \u201cThis fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis,\u201d he wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post, per CNN<\/em><\/a>. He said the diagnosis came as \u201ca shock\u201d but \u201cnot a surprise,\u201d and admitted that he still had a lot to learn.<\/p>\n\u201cI don\u2019t know enough about autism. (There\u2019s a lot to know.),\u201d Miller wrote. \u201cRight now my work looks like evolving my understanding. Re-examining 5 decades of lived experience thru a new lens.\u201d He also noted that it wasn\u2019t his intention to speak for the entire the autistic community, a group that \u201chas historically been talked over\u2026 I don\u2019t wish to do additional harm. Only to raise my hand, say \u2018I am here.\u2019 Have been (w\/o realizing it).\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nDaryl Hannah<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Daryl](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-11.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Mark Von Holden for Variety\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBlade Runner<\/em> actress Daryl Hannah was diagnosed with autism as a child and suffered from intense shyness and isolation as a result of the condition. She also repeatedly rocked back and forth, a symptom of ASD, and doctors wanted to put her in a mental institution until her mother intervened.\u00a0 Acting became her escape from the symptoms, she told People<\/em>\u00a0in 2013, per Today<\/em><\/a>. \u201cActing for me was about going to the Land of Oz and meeting the Tin Man,\u201d Hannah explained. \u201cIt still is.\u201d<\/p>\nWhile Hannah said she still deals with the mental and physical symptoms of ASD, she manages them in order to continue her acting career and her environmental activism. \u201cI wasted too much time scared, self-conscious and insecure,\u201d she said. \u201cLife is too short to stress the small things anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nChris Fischer<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autistm-03.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Nacion\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAward-winning chef Chris Fischer was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2019, and his journey to diagnosis was actually kicked off by his wife, comedian Amy Schumer. \u201cMy wife was the person that really initiated the conversation,\u201d Fischer explained on a 2021 episode of the Eating in Isolation<\/em><\/a> podcast. \u201cThrough observations of my behavior and my patterns and my communication skills, or lack of communication skills, [and] for the preservation of our relationship, [she] wanted to figure out how to provide the best tools for us to thrive. And so she did some research and poked around online and learned about autism spectrum disorder.\u201d<\/p>\nAfter taking a few online tests, Fischer eventually connected with professionals who worked with adults with autism, got a clinical diagnosis, and found a \u201cgreat therapist\u201d he\u2019d been working with ever since. \u201cWe spend a lot of time talking about life and how my brain works,\u201d he said. Fischer said one of his symptoms is a fixation on problem solving \u2014 which can be a positive or negative. \u201cI sort of spend most of my day identifying problems which are not necessarily a negative thing and then organizing my world around solving them,\u201d he explained. While he says that approach has helped him succeed in the restaurant industry, where his singular focus can help him block out the noise of a busy night in the kitchen and find more efficient ways to improve systems, it can also manifest in a \u201ctendency to obsess [over work,\u201d he noted. \u201cI was all in on work and I had a very imbalanced rest of my life,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a complicated subject,\u201d Fischer reflected of ASD and his own diagnosis. \u201cI\u2019m still trying to understand what it means.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nMelanie Sykes<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autism-08.jpg?w=215\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Karwai Tang\/WireImage via Getty Images\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nEnglish TV presenter Melanie Sykes described her 2021 autism diagnosis as \u201ctruly life changing, or rather, life affirming.\u201d Per The Sun<\/em><\/a>, Sykes shared her diagnosis in an email to subscribers of her magazine The Frank<\/em>, telling readers the diagnosis came with a \u201csense of relief,\u201d and that she was celebrating the news. \u201cI now have a deeper understanding of myself, my life, and the things I have endured,\u201d Sykes explained.<\/p>\nSykes said she sometimes struggled working in TV due to her autism. She\u2019d accidentally respond to a director talking in her earpiece while she was live on air, \u201cas I cannot juggle the person I am interviewing and the person in my ear at the same time.\u201d Her memory had also been \u201cproblematic, and remembering pieces to camera could spin me out, resulting in sleepless nights beforehand. There have been many tears of fear and frustration.\u201d With the diagnosis, Sykes said, \u201cso many things made sense.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nTamra Judge<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Tamra](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/celebrities-autistm-02.jpg?w=199\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Gilbert Flores\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nReality star Tamra Judge revealed her autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in 2024 on an episode of the podcast she cohosts with Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, Two Ts In a Pod<\/em><\/a>. \u201cI just did my first therapy session \u2026 Let\u2019s just say I found out something pretty big about myself that I didn\u2019t know,\u201d Judge told Mellencamp before revealing, \u201cI am on the spectrum.\u201d<\/p>\nIn a follow-up conversation with People<\/em><\/a>, the Real Housewives of Orange County star recalled that her therapist pointed out a few specific symptoms of autism that Judge displayed. \u201cShe told me that many of the things about me \u2014 like how I process information, my sensory issues, my social anxiety, my aversion to eye contact with new people, my not wanting to be out of my routine, etc. \u2014 were all signs of being on the spectrum.\u201d<\/p>\nJudge also expressed regret at publically revealing her diagnosis so soon, noting that she\u2019d just finished her therapy session when she sat down for the podcast. \u201cI just want to take people through the journey with me as I\u2019ve always done, but I realize now I spoke too soon publicly, and that processing this with such an onslaught of negative comments has been horrible,\u201d Judge said. At the same time, she continued, \u201cI\u2019m finally getting the help I need, and I\u2019m proud of myself for that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nKyland Young<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Kyland](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/P101Q013.jpg?w=214\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Buckner\/Variety\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBig Brother<\/em> alum Kyland Young was diagnosed with autism at age 30 after viewers of the show suggested he might have ASD. When multiple medical professionals confirmed the diagnosis, he called it \u201chelpful and relieving,\u201d telling People<\/em><\/a>, \u201cIt just was a better understanding of my mind. I\u2019ve always known I was very particular, but then in Big Brother, I found out I was peculiar, and that just means that people can see how particular you are.\u201d<\/p>\nThree years later, Young is using his platform to speak out about the way autism is being portrayed in politics. In April 2025, when health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., claimed that people with autism can\u2019t hold jobs, go on dates, or pay taxes, Young responded by calling the \u201ctroublesome, but also not surprising.\u201d He added, \u201cOne thing I\u2019ve noticed is that when I\u2019m talking to people in the autistic community is that there is a very strong resistance to ever let it come off as an excuse,\u201d he continues. \u201cNo one\u2019s looking for an excuse. I think that is also the insulting part of [Kennedy\u2019s] statements.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nDemi Burnett<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"Demi](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/P101GJAS.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Christopher Polk\/Billboard\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBachelor<\/em> alum Demi Burnett revealed her autism in an Instagram<\/a> post in 2022, telling followers \u201cI did a psychological evaluation and I\u2019m autistic. There is a huge stigma when it comes to autism. I encourage you to be open minded and accepting.\u201d Burnett, who was 27 at the time, has since become an outspoken advocate for people with autism, sharing tips for dating with autism and showing support for loved ones.<\/p>\nStill, it hasn\u2019t all been smooth sailing. In 2025, Burnett took to Instagram<\/a> to reveal that she\u2019s been criticized for oversharing about her autism journey online. \u201cWhen I post about it, when I talk about it, people who relate can take that content, understand themselves better,\u201d Burnett said in response. \u201c\u2026 You should never want me to stop making autistic content because of the amount that it helps people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nDavid Byrne<\/h2>\n\n\t\t![\"David](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/P101H3L8.jpg?w=200\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kristina Bumphrey\/Variety\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhile Talking Heads frontman David Byrne hasn\u2019t been officially diagnosed with autism, he spoke recently about resonating with some symptoms of ASD. Speaking on the\u00a0Louis Theroux Podcast<\/a>,<\/em> Byrne recalled hearing about ASD for the first time in the 90s and recognizing some of the more \u201cmilder\u201d manifestations. \u201cI said, \u2018Oh, yeah, I\u2019ve recognized that,’\u201d he recalled thinking. \u201cI\u2019ve never thought of it as a disability, but I can see that there\u2019s a part of me that is like that.\u201d<\/p>\nThe artist said that, in the past, he\u2019s had trouble parsing facial cues and other kinds of non-verbal communication. \u201c\u201dI\u2019ve had the experience where someone will say, \u2018Well, I clearly said no,\u2019 and then I\u2019ll replay the conversation and the word \u2018no\u2019 was not there, but they expected their facial expression or the nuances of what they were saying to be read and clearly interpreted as a \u2018no,’\u201d said Byrne. \u201c\u2026I wasn\u2019t able to read that.\u201d He says he\u2019s since gotten better at understanding facial cues, crediting music with helping him do so.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
Actress Tallulah Willis shared her autism diagnosis in March 2024, in a sweet, low-key Instagram<\/a> caption accompanying a throwback video with her dad, Bruce Willis. \u201ctell me your autistic without telling me your autistic,\u201d she wrote next to the video, which featured a young Tallulah happily rubbing her dad\u2019s bald head.<\/p>\n Willis expanded on the diagnosis down in the comments. When one fan asked if she was diagnosed as a child, Willis replied, \u201cActually this is the this is the first time I\u2019ve ever publicly shared my diagnosis. Found out this summer and it\u2019s changed my life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Robbie Williams was diagnosed with \u201ca little bit of autism,\u201d he shared in 2026 \u2014 and wasn\u2019t afraid to admit that he uses the diagnosis as a \u201cget-out-of-jail-free card.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll the weird s\u2013t that I do I just say, \u2018Sorry, I\u2019m autistic,’\u201d Williams quipped during a Q&A at the Autumn\/Winter launch of his clothing brand Hopeium. He added that he \u201cloves\u201d knowing that he has autism (as well as ADHD) \u201cbecause it explains so much.\u201d As an example, Williams explained that he\u2019s \u201ccreating images and making funny things.\u201d There\u2019s a big bright side to that obsession: \u201cif I\u2019m creating images and funny things, I\u2019m not thinking about me, because my brain is incredibly creative, and it can be creative about everything in the world that you panic or scared about.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Pop singer Sia opened up about her autism diagnosis on a 2023 Rob Has a Podcast<\/em><\/a> interview, saying, \u201cI\u2019m on the spectrum, and I\u2019m in recovery and whatever \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of things.\u201d The \u201cUnstoppable\u201d singer continued, \u201cFor 45 years, I was like, \u2018I\u2019ve got to go put my human suit on.\u2019 And only in the last two years have I become fully, fully myself.\u201d<\/p>\n Sia faced backlash in 2020 for her depiction of autism in her film Music<\/em>, where neurotypical actor Maddie Ziegler was cast as a nonverbal autistic character. Sia later apologized and promised that scenes showing Ziegler\u2019s character in restraints while experiencing sensory overstimulation would be removed, Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Discussing her own ASD diagnosis in the 2023 interview, Sia said, \u201cNobody can ever know and love you when you\u2019re filled with secrets \u2026 And when we finally sit in a room full of strangers and tell them our deepest, darkest, most shameful secrets\u2026 and we feel seen for the first time in our lives for who we actually are, and then we can start going out into the world and just operating as humans \u2026 and not pretending to be anything.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n It was while filming the first season of The Last of Us<\/em> that Bella Ramsey, the series\u2019 star, was diagnosed with autism. As the 21-year-old revealed in a 2025 British Vogue<\/em><\/a> profile, a crew member on the show who had an autistic daughter assumed Ramsey had autism, too, which led them to eventually being diagnosed. The diagnosis, Ramsey added, helped them find clarity around things they\u2019d \u201calways wondered\u201d about, like their self-described status as a \u201cweirdo\u201d and \u201cloner\u201d while growing up and other sensory issues.<\/p>\n Ramsey also believes their autism makes them a better actor because they\u2019ve \u201calways been watching and learning from people,\u201d including \u201chaving to learn more manually how to socialise and interact with the people.\u201d The diagnosis was \u201cfreeing,\u201d they continued. \u201cIt enables me to walk through the world with more grace towards myself about not being able to do the easy everyday tasks that everyone else seems to be able to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Environmental activist Greta Thunberg shared her ASD diagnosis on social media<\/a> back in 2019 as a response to the relentless rolls attacking her actions and appearance. \u201cWhen haters go after your looks and differences, it means they have nowhere left to go. And then you know you\u2019re winning!\u201d Thunberg wrote on Instagram. \u201cI have Asperger\u2019s syndrome and that means I\u2019m sometimes a bit different from the norm. And \u2014 given the right circumstances \u2014 being different is a superpower.\u201d<\/p>\n In a 2021 interview with The Guardian<\/em><\/a>, Thunberg expanded on the experience of getting diagnosed and why she sees autism as a superpower. \u201cA lot of people with autism have a special interest that they can sit and do for an eternity without getting bored. It\u2019s a very useful thing sometimes,\u201d she explained. \u201cAutism can be something that holds you back, but if you get to the right circumstance, if you are around the right people, if you get the adaptations that you need and you feel you have a purpose, then it can be something you can use for good. And I think that I\u2019m doing that now.\u201d She added that getting diagnosed was a relief, saying, \u201cThe diagnosis was almost only positive for me. It helped me get the support I needed and made me understand why I was like this.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Holly Madison revealed that she\u2019d received a \u201cformal diagnosis\u201d as \u201csomeone on the spectrum\u201d in a 2021 interview on the podcast\u00a0Ahead of the Curve<\/em>, per\u00a0People<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>In 2023, during an appearance on the\u00a0Talking to Death<\/em><\/a> podcast, the Down the Rabbit Hole<\/em> author went into depth about her experience with autism<\/a>. \u201cThe doctor told me that I have high executive functioning, which means I can pretty much go about my life and do things \u2018normally,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cI think because I\u2019m more quiet, I\u2019ve only recently learned to make eye contact, I\u2019m often in my own thoughts, things like that, so people take that as offensive. They\u2019re like, \u2018Damn, you\u2019re not super interested in me, f\u2014 you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Madison explained that she\u2019s \u201cjust not on the same social wavelength as other people,\u201d and that she hopes people don\u2019t take things like that personally. Having the diagnosis helps, she says: \u201cI like being able to explain that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Susan Boyle rose to fame as a contestant on Britain\u2019s Got Talent<\/em> in 2009, but it wasn\u2019t until 2012 that the opera-singing sensation was diagnosed with autism. Boyle was specifically told she had Asperger\u2019s disorder, a now-obsolete term once used to describe people with \u201chigh-functioning\u201d autism who had average or higher-than-average language and intelligence levels, per the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>. (Asperger\u2019s is now \u201creplaced by the broader diagnosis of ASD,\u201d the Cleveland Clinic says.)<\/p>\n When she shared her diagnosis in 2013 with The Guardian<\/em><\/a>, Boyle said getting diagnosed was \u201ca relief,\u201d though her experience with symptoms as a child led to feelings of isolation. \u201cI struggle with relationships,\u201d she said at the time. \u201cI never know if people are genuine. I would say I have relationship difficulties, communicative difficulties, which lead to a lot of frustration. If people were a bit more patient, that would help.\u201d Boyle was also determined to show that she was more than a diagnosis. \u201cAsperger\u2019s doesn\u2019t define me,\u201d she explained. \u201cIt\u2019s a\u00a0condition that I have to live with and work through, but I feel more relaxed about myself. People will have a greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n A star of the original Ghostbusters<\/em> franchise, Dan Aykroyd told The Daily Mail<\/em><\/a> in 2013 that his autism actually helped inspire the popular movies. Diagnosed with Asperger\u2019s in the 80s \u2014 \u201cwhen my wife persuaded me to see a doctor\u201d \u2014 Aykroyd said he manages his ASD pretty well, but it comes with a tendency to get obsessive. \u201cOne of my symptoms included my obsession with ghosts and law enforcement \u2014 I carry around a police badge with me, for example,\u201d he said. \u201cI became obsessed by Hans Holzer, the greatest ghost hunter ever. That\u2019s when the idea of my film Ghostbusters<\/em> was born.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Academy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkins \u201cdidn\u2019t know Asperger\u2019s even existed\u201d until he was (somewhat informally) diagnosed. \u201cMy wife was trying to figure out who she was married to and she read a newsletter from a psychotherapist,\u201d he said of his journey to a diagnosis, in an interview with Desert Sun<\/span><\/a><\/em> in 2017. He learned that people with the condition \u201ctend to be creative or severely handicapped,\u201d noting that \u201cI don\u2019t know if that\u2019s true of me, but I know I can never be restful. I tend to multi-task. I decide I\u2019m not going to paint and then I\u2019ll spend 24 hours painting.\u201d<\/p>\n More recently, Hopkins spoke about why his wife believes he might have ASD. \u201cI\u2019m obsessed with numbers. I\u2019m obsessed with detail. I like everything in order. And memorizing,\u201d he told\u00a0The Sunday Times<\/em><\/a> in 2025. However, Hopkins was dismissive of the possible diagnosis, calling himself \u201ccynical\u201d and saying, \u201cIt\u2019s just being a human being, full of tangled webs and mysteries and stuff that\u2019s in us. Full of warts and grime and craziness, it\u2019s the human condition. All these labels. I mean, who cares?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Grimes revealed her autism diagnosis in a lengthy post on X<\/a> in 2025. \u201cGot diagnosed w adhd\/ autism this year and realized I\u2019m prob dyslexic which is why I can\u2019t spell at all without spellcheck,\u201d she wrote. The musician noted that, if she\u2019d had the diagnoses as a child, \u201cI would have worked so much less hard, been on drugs, and so many of the weird obsessions and motivations I had would have been seen as pathological and I could have written off certain things that were very hard for me but I\u2019m glad I overcame them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Courtney Love has only publically spoken about her experience with ASD once, in a 1994 interview with Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a>. \u201cWhen I talk about being introverted, I was diagnosed autistic,\u201d the Hole frontwoman said, with her initial symptoms including difficulty communicating. \u201cAt an early age, I would not speak,\u201d she explained. \u201cThen I simply bloomed. My first visit to a psychiatrist was when I was, like, three. Observational therapy. TM for tots. You name it, I\u2019ve been there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Elon Musk could hardly have chosen a more public outlet to share his ASD diagnosis: he announced it on Saturday Night Live<\/em><\/a> in 2021. \u201cI\u2019m actually making history tonight as the first person with Asperger\u2019s to host SNL<\/em>, or at least the first to admit it,\u201d the Tesla and SpaceX founder said in his monologue. (Dan Aykroyd hosted\u00a0in 2003, but did not share his diagnosis publicly until 2013.)<\/p>\n Musk expanded on his experience with ASD in a 2022 TED Talk<\/a>, sharing that his childhood was \u201cquite rough\u201d because, for him, \u201cSocial cues were not intuitive\u2026 I would take something very literally as if the words that were spoken were exactly what they meant. But that turned out to be wrong.\u201d Despite the bullying, Musk found refuge in science and technology. \u201cI found it rewarding to spend all night programming computers, just by myself,\u201d he explained. \u201cMost people don\u2019t enjoy typing strange symbols into a computer by themselves all night. They think that\u2019s not fun. But I really liked it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Prison Break<\/em> star Wentworth Miller took to Instagram in 2021 to acknowledge the one-year anniversary of his autism diagnosis. \u201cThis fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis,\u201d he wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post, per CNN<\/em><\/a>. He said the diagnosis came as \u201ca shock\u201d but \u201cnot a surprise,\u201d and admitted that he still had a lot to learn.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know enough about autism. (There\u2019s a lot to know.),\u201d Miller wrote. \u201cRight now my work looks like evolving my understanding. Re-examining 5 decades of lived experience thru a new lens.\u201d He also noted that it wasn\u2019t his intention to speak for the entire the autistic community, a group that \u201chas historically been talked over\u2026 I don\u2019t wish to do additional harm. Only to raise my hand, say \u2018I am here.\u2019 Have been (w\/o realizing it).\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Blade Runner<\/em> actress Daryl Hannah was diagnosed with autism as a child and suffered from intense shyness and isolation as a result of the condition. She also repeatedly rocked back and forth, a symptom of ASD, and doctors wanted to put her in a mental institution until her mother intervened.\u00a0 Acting became her escape from the symptoms, she told People<\/em>\u00a0in 2013, per Today<\/em><\/a>. \u201cActing for me was about going to the Land of Oz and meeting the Tin Man,\u201d Hannah explained. \u201cIt still is.\u201d<\/p>\n While Hannah said she still deals with the mental and physical symptoms of ASD, she manages them in order to continue her acting career and her environmental activism. \u201cI wasted too much time scared, self-conscious and insecure,\u201d she said. \u201cLife is too short to stress the small things anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Award-winning chef Chris Fischer was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2019, and his journey to diagnosis was actually kicked off by his wife, comedian Amy Schumer. \u201cMy wife was the person that really initiated the conversation,\u201d Fischer explained on a 2021 episode of the Eating in Isolation<\/em><\/a> podcast. \u201cThrough observations of my behavior and my patterns and my communication skills, or lack of communication skills, [and] for the preservation of our relationship, [she] wanted to figure out how to provide the best tools for us to thrive. And so she did some research and poked around online and learned about autism spectrum disorder.\u201d<\/p>\n After taking a few online tests, Fischer eventually connected with professionals who worked with adults with autism, got a clinical diagnosis, and found a \u201cgreat therapist\u201d he\u2019d been working with ever since. \u201cWe spend a lot of time talking about life and how my brain works,\u201d he said. Fischer said one of his symptoms is a fixation on problem solving \u2014 which can be a positive or negative. \u201cI sort of spend most of my day identifying problems which are not necessarily a negative thing and then organizing my world around solving them,\u201d he explained. While he says that approach has helped him succeed in the restaurant industry, where his singular focus can help him block out the noise of a busy night in the kitchen and find more efficient ways to improve systems, it can also manifest in a \u201ctendency to obsess [over work,\u201d he noted. \u201cI was all in on work and I had a very imbalanced rest of my life,\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a complicated subject,\u201d Fischer reflected of ASD and his own diagnosis. \u201cI\u2019m still trying to understand what it means.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n English TV presenter Melanie Sykes described her 2021 autism diagnosis as \u201ctruly life changing, or rather, life affirming.\u201d Per The Sun<\/em><\/a>, Sykes shared her diagnosis in an email to subscribers of her magazine The Frank<\/em>, telling readers the diagnosis came with a \u201csense of relief,\u201d and that she was celebrating the news. \u201cI now have a deeper understanding of myself, my life, and the things I have endured,\u201d Sykes explained.<\/p>\n Sykes said she sometimes struggled working in TV due to her autism. She\u2019d accidentally respond to a director talking in her earpiece while she was live on air, \u201cas I cannot juggle the person I am interviewing and the person in my ear at the same time.\u201d Her memory had also been \u201cproblematic, and remembering pieces to camera could spin me out, resulting in sleepless nights beforehand. There have been many tears of fear and frustration.\u201d With the diagnosis, Sykes said, \u201cso many things made sense.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Reality star Tamra Judge revealed her autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in 2024 on an episode of the podcast she cohosts with Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, Two Ts In a Pod<\/em><\/a>. \u201cI just did my first therapy session \u2026 Let\u2019s just say I found out something pretty big about myself that I didn\u2019t know,\u201d Judge told Mellencamp before revealing, \u201cI am on the spectrum.\u201d<\/p>\n In a follow-up conversation with People<\/em><\/a>, the Real Housewives of Orange County star recalled that her therapist pointed out a few specific symptoms of autism that Judge displayed. \u201cShe told me that many of the things about me \u2014 like how I process information, my sensory issues, my social anxiety, my aversion to eye contact with new people, my not wanting to be out of my routine, etc. \u2014 were all signs of being on the spectrum.\u201d<\/p>\n Judge also expressed regret at publically revealing her diagnosis so soon, noting that she\u2019d just finished her therapy session when she sat down for the podcast. \u201cI just want to take people through the journey with me as I\u2019ve always done, but I realize now I spoke too soon publicly, and that processing this with such an onslaught of negative comments has been horrible,\u201d Judge said. At the same time, she continued, \u201cI\u2019m finally getting the help I need, and I\u2019m proud of myself for that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Big Brother<\/em> alum Kyland Young was diagnosed with autism at age 30 after viewers of the show suggested he might have ASD. When multiple medical professionals confirmed the diagnosis, he called it \u201chelpful and relieving,\u201d telling People<\/em><\/a>, \u201cIt just was a better understanding of my mind. I\u2019ve always known I was very particular, but then in Big Brother, I found out I was peculiar, and that just means that people can see how particular you are.\u201d<\/p>\n Three years later, Young is using his platform to speak out about the way autism is being portrayed in politics. In April 2025, when health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., claimed that people with autism can\u2019t hold jobs, go on dates, or pay taxes, Young responded by calling the \u201ctroublesome, but also not surprising.\u201d He added, \u201cOne thing I\u2019ve noticed is that when I\u2019m talking to people in the autistic community is that there is a very strong resistance to ever let it come off as an excuse,\u201d he continues. \u201cNo one\u2019s looking for an excuse. I think that is also the insulting part of [Kennedy\u2019s] statements.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n Bachelor<\/em> alum Demi Burnett revealed her autism in an Instagram<\/a> post in 2022, telling followers \u201cI did a psychological evaluation and I\u2019m autistic. There is a huge stigma when it comes to autism. I encourage you to be open minded and accepting.\u201d Burnett, who was 27 at the time, has since become an outspoken advocate for people with autism, sharing tips for dating with autism and showing support for loved ones.<\/p>\n Still, it hasn\u2019t all been smooth sailing. In 2025, Burnett took to Instagram<\/a> to reveal that she\u2019s been criticized for oversharing about her autism journey online. \u201cWhen I post about it, when I talk about it, people who relate can take that content, understand themselves better,\u201d Burnett said in response. \u201c\u2026 You should never want me to stop making autistic content because of the amount that it helps people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n While Talking Heads frontman David Byrne hasn\u2019t been officially diagnosed with autism, he spoke recently about resonating with some symptoms of ASD. Speaking on the\u00a0Louis Theroux Podcast<\/a>,<\/em> Byrne recalled hearing about ASD for the first time in the 90s and recognizing some of the more \u201cmilder\u201d manifestations. \u201cI said, \u2018Oh, yeah, I\u2019ve recognized that,’\u201d he recalled thinking. \u201cI\u2019ve never thought of it as a disability, but I can see that there\u2019s a part of me that is like that.\u201d<\/p>\n The artist said that, in the past, he\u2019s had trouble parsing facial cues and other kinds of non-verbal communication. \u201c\u201dI\u2019ve had the experience where someone will say, \u2018Well, I clearly said no,\u2019 and then I\u2019ll replay the conversation and the word \u2018no\u2019 was not there, but they expected their facial expression or the nuances of what they were saying to be read and clearly interpreted as a \u2018no,’\u201d said Byrne. \u201c\u2026I wasn\u2019t able to read that.\u201d He says he\u2019s since gotten better at understanding facial cues, crediting music with helping him do so.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\nRobbie Williams<\/h2>\n
Sia<\/h2>\n
Bella Ramsey<\/h2>\n
Greta Thunberg<\/h2>\n
Holly Madison<\/h2>\n
Susan Boyle<\/h2>\n
Dan Aykroyd<\/h2>\n
Anthony Hopkins<\/h2>\n
Grimes<\/h2>\n
\t<\/figure>\nCourtney Love<\/h2>\n
Elon Musk<\/h2>\n
Wentworth Miller<\/h2>\n
Daryl Hannah<\/h2>\n
Chris Fischer<\/h2>\n
Melanie Sykes<\/h2>\n
Tamra Judge<\/h2>\n
Kyland Young<\/h2>\n
Demi Burnett<\/h2>\n
David Byrne<\/h2>\n