ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was a huge sensation when it was first introduced to the mainstream, but slowly, many people around the world are learning more about the disorder and helping to erase the stigma surrounding it. In fact, many successful actors have spoken out about the disorder over the years, and as readers can imagine, they all have different ways of dealing with it.
Fortunately, people diagnosed with ADHD today have more advocates to turn to, even fictional heroes like Percy Jackson who struggle with the same issues they do. There are also many big-name Hollywood actors whose films are coming out in 2024 who have spoken openly about their struggles with the condition and how they cope. Today, we celebrate their success and how they have helped manage the challenges of ADHD.
Reneé Rapp uses it to help her creative process
Reneé Rapp really exploded onto the Hollywood scene when she played Regina George in the 2024 film. Bad Girlsand she’s been on a roll ever since. The actress spoke to Official Charts about her ADHD diagnosis and the pros and cons of dealing with it while being a creative working in the industry:
I didn’t know I had ADHD when I was a kid, I just thought I was really dramatic! I do, but it’s a different thing. I didn’t know or understand what it was, but now I do and I really like it. I think it helps me a lot. When I write a song, ten songs come out of that concept. My brain is in ten different places. I actually really like it. It’s exhausting, don’t get me wrong, but it’s really fun. If it’s someone else’s story and a different creative process, I don’t do as well and I can freak out. But when it’s my thing, I’m like, “Wow, I have so many ideas!”
Rapp thrives when she’s in her element, and considering she played one of the most iconic teen villains in one of the best movies of the 2000s, I think it’s safe to say she’s found ways to make her ADHD work for her. That said, she’s kept a lid on the fact that she struggles more when she’s not in her element, whether it’s as an actress or a musician, and it’s a struggle I’m sure many can relate to.
Ultimately, Rapp believes she can use her ADHD as an asset, even if it is an occasional hindrance. She went on to explain how it helps her in her profession, as well as some of its drawbacks:
I think it really helps me with my humor and my ability to handle things. Don’t get me wrong, it can go wrong and fuck me up mentally, but I think it helps me in some ways. I’m always thinking about what’s coming next, which gives me better lyrical ideas and more opportunities. More avenues to explore. I’m loving it right now!
As one of the youngest on this list, it will be great to see Reneé Rapp blossom and grow in Hollywood. We’ll see how far she can go and continue to balance the challenges of being a young artist and ADHD at the same time.
Channing Tatum found mentors to learn from
Channing Tatum may have a ton of fans and people who admire him since he stars in the critically acclaimed film Fly me to the moonBut there was a time when his self-confidence wasn’t where it is today. Tatum mentioned in an interview with the New York Times (via People) that he struggled with ADHD and dyslexia while in school, and it led him to believe he wasn’t a very smart person. Over time, however, he found it more helpful to change the way he learned by finding mentors and realized that he simply needed to break the mold of traditional learning in order to succeed:
I can look at a person and say, “They’ve got something I want to get into their head. I’m going to do my best to get in there and absorb it.” My mother told me, “Be a sponge.” So I’ve learned more from people than I have from school or books.
The actor managed to find these mentors when he moved to New York to become a model and, lo and behold, he became the in-demand Hollywood star we know today. Although his parents were not artists, he was able to learn and develop a craft despite feeling inadequate at a young age when it came to his studies. A very inspiring story, especially for young readers who are facing similar challenges in education.
Zooey Deschanel is doing crafts
Actress Zooey Deschanel is well known in Hollywood, but what people may not know is that she also suffers from ADHD. That hasn’t stopped her from starring in movies. Almost known And Elfor make series like New girl. So how does she manage a busy acting career and ADHD? In a previous blog post, she said she spends a lot of time crafting:
Are you an unmedicated adult with ADHD who also LOVES to craft? I AM! I barely have the patience to write this opening paragraph (I’ve gotten up four times already), so I have to focus my distracted mind on projects that can be completed very quickly. Will I knit a scarf? NO! Will I knit a scarf for a bunny? I don’t know. Maybe, if it’s a tiny little field bunny and I knit with giant knitting needles. I recognize that I will never finish anything that requires any form of patience (sorry for the embroidery), so I’ve decided to focus this blog on crafts that I CAN finish.
Note the important distinction Deschanel made when she said she likes to do small crafts that she knows she can finish. It’s about focusing her mind for a few minutes and not trying to tackle something that might be as overwhelming to handle as the other tasks she has planned for the day. It’s nice to see that she found something to do, and maybe the resulting crafts can be a small addition to the homes her fiancé Jonathan Scott has been renovating.
Michelle Rodriguez Decided Medication Wasn’t for Her
Fast and furious In 2013, star Michelle Rodriguez told Cosmopolitan magazine that she suffered from ADHD but had chosen not to take medication. The actress expressed concern about the impact this decision would have on her future career goals and worried that it would prevent her from pursuing her acting career:
I would like to write and direct, but it’s not easy with ADHD. I have trouble concentrating when I’m alone. I get forgetful.
Maybe when she finally hangs up her role in the Fast and furious In the franchise, we’ll see her pursue other projects behind the camera, whatever they may be. I know I’d love to see her do it, but otherwise, she still has a great acting career.
Will Smith found solutions to the problems that challenged him
With plenty of Will Smith movies coming up, it’s safe to say that the actor hasn’t let his ADHD slow him down. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the actor said that his ADHD was a hindrance in school and that he had trouble focusing. As he grew up, he found solutions to these issues and found a way to make his struggles more manageable:
I was a mediocre student who should have gotten straight A’s—a typical struggling student. I had trouble reading an entire book in two weeks. Now I buy a book and have someone read it on tape!
When you live life the Big Willie way, there are always solutions to the problems you may encounter. Kudos to Smith for finding success and using modern technology to find different ways to do the things he wants.
Ryan Gosling was homeschooled after struggling in a traditional environment
It’s now clear that many successful actors with ADHD have struggled with their studies. The actor has revealed in interviews that he was tested for ADHD and told EW that school was a major challenge for him:
I didn’t feel very smart. They kept passing me at school when I didn’t know how to do things I should have known how to do. For example, I couldn’t read… I couldn’t process information, so I caused trouble.
Eventually, Gosling’s mother pulled him out of school and homeschooled him. While he was never officially diagnosed, his inability to focus in school is a problem that many people with ADHD can relate to and shows that sometimes, the solution is to find another way to learn if traditional methods aren’t working.
As we’ve seen above, there are many methods for treating ADHD and people who have found great success in life using a variety of different tools. Hopefully we’ll hear more about them over the rest of the year, which promises to be full of exciting movies and shows.