Famous Autistics
Greta
Thunberg
Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has been vocal about her diagnosis of autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. She calls those diagnoses her “superpowers”. Thunberg’s diagnosis helped her understand herself better. Her relentless focus on the climate and introverted nature are signs that she is indeed autistic.
Charles Darwin
Records say that Darwin had difficulty with social interactions, but was very precise and paid great attention to small details. Although he could not get diagnosed at the time, Professor Fitzgerald at Trinity College claims that Darwin probably had Asperger’s Syndrome. (Asperger’s Syndrome falls under the umbrella of autism.)
Elon Musk
Elon Musk revealed that he has Asperger’s Syndrome during a guest appearance on the talk show Saturday Night Live. According to the DSM-5, this means that Musk also has ASD. Musk is the first person with Asperger’s to host SNL!
Albert Einstein
Einstein would find it difficult to mingle with others and make small talk. In fact, he did not speak until he turned 3. Einstein also had a strong insistence to keep everything the same and consistent. Although diagnosing Einstein is impossible right now, the way he’d behave throughout his life has led many psychologists and doctors to believe that he had ASD.
Andy Warhol
Famous artist Andy Warhol is believed to have been autistic. Dr. Judith Gould (director of Eliot House) makes this claim based on behaviors Warhol showed such as obsession with uniformity and speaking very little. However, knowing for certain whether he is autistic or not is impossible.
Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd has written numerous successful films, such as the first and second Ghostbusters. He was also a writer on Saturday Night Live during its first four seasons. Aykroyd was diagnosed with Asperger’s in the 1980s. He viewed his autism as a strength that allowed him to write his famous movies. For instance, he says that his special interests in ghosts stemmed from him having Asperger’s Syndrome.
Satoshi Tajiri
As a child, Tajiri, creator of Pokemon, had an obsession with collecting insects and arcade games, so much so that he would cut classes to focus on his passions. His parents were afraid that this would ruin his future, however it did the exact opposite. Tajiri created his own game company called Game Freak. He pitched an idea for a video game to Nintendo that we all know and love today: Pokemon. From there, the success of Pokemon skyrocketed. Tajiri was also diagnosed with autism, which explains his very specific interests.
