10 Celebrities Who Don’t Let Their Special Conditions Stop Them From Becoming Stars

Everybody knows that the industry loves to paint disabled people in a totally misrepresented light, and the special conditions of these famous stars don’t help at all. Yet despite their hardships, they still rose to fame and got their crowns of glory. By being vocal about their disabilities, these celebrities showed us that nothing can stand between you and your dream if you’re dedicated enough.
We know these famous people through their talent and their charming looks, but not a lot of us know what struggles they have to face in their daily life. So let’s see what special conditions they have to overcome on their path to success.

1. Ryan Gosling

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Ryan Gosling has been struggling with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) since he was a child. He had difficulties learning how to read and his mother had to quit her job to homeschool him. The actor grew up with the feeling of having “something messed up with his brain” and suffered a lot because of it.
Yet he dreamed of becoming a performer and felt like it was what his self-esteem needed. He dropped out of school at 17 to follow his dreams, and thanks to his dedication, he succeeded.

2. Johnny Depp

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Johnny Depp has never had a “proper vision.” The 58-year-old actor even claims that he is “basically blind as a bat.” Turns out he is almost blind in one eye and near-sighted in the other. So most of the time when he is acting, he can only see a few inches away from his face. Unless his character wears glasses, of course.
Despite his special conditions, we can all agree that Depp nails his role. You will never be able to guess that he is almost blind just by watching his movie alone. The actor never let his struggles with vision get the better of him.

3. Anthony Hopkins

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Sir Anthony Hopkins was diagnosed with Asperger's in his late 70s. People with this syndrome often miss certain subtle social cues and struggle with engaging with others, which can make dealing with complex social situations quite challenging for them.
However, the actor refused to let his diagnosis drag him down. He claimed to feel no different than before and even criticized how “we’ve ruined the human system by tabulating everything.” Keep in mind that Hopkins is famous for his ability to remember lines. He even delivered a 7-page speech in one go during the shooting of Amistad.

4. Billie Eilish

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We knew Billie Eilish as a talented singer who won Academy Award for Best Original Song. However, not a lot of us knew that she had Tourette’s syndrome. This is a neurological disorder that causes people to have sudden twitches and movements, or to unwillingly repeat certain sounds.
The famous singer has been struggling with her special condition since she was a child. “My Tourette’s makes easy things a lot harder,” she admitted, “Certain things increase and/or trigger the intensity of the tics. But it’s something I grew up with and am used to.”

5. Millie Bobby Brown

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Millie Bobby Brown is another actor who was born with special conditions. The 18-year-old actress was born half-deaf in one ear. Things only got worse from there and after she grew up, she completely lost her hearing in that ear. Yet Millie never let her disability gets to her. She achieved her dream of becoming an actress and is now pursuing a singing career.
“If you like to do it, if you genuinely enjoy doing it, then do it. No one should stop you,” she said.

6. Julia Roberts

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Who would have thought that an iconic actress like Julia Roberts used to have the fear of public speaking? Turned out, Roberts suffered from a pronounced stutter as a child, which led to her fear of public speaking.
Instead of giving up her dream and letting her special conditions beat her, the actress used her passion and dedication to fight back. And she won! Her roles are amazing, and so does her acceptance speech during the 73rd Oscar Awards ceremony.

7. Ryan O’Connell

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Ryan O’Connell grew up as a gay man with cerebral palsy. In his famous memoir I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves, he spoke candidly about his struggles throughout his life. His words moved a lot of us and he became the online voice of the millennials through his blogs and tweets.
His novel was adapted into the Netflix series Special. Ryan O’Connell produced and starred in the series.

8. Winnie Harlow

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Winnie Harlow didn’t let her skin condition stop her from becoming a supermodel. She was diagnosed with vitiligo at a very early age. It's a disorder that causes loss of skin color in patches.  Due to her disorder, she was bullied a lot in her childhood. Her classmates called her a lot of awful names like “cow” and “zebra.”
Harlow did not just suffer from her skin condition, she also suffered from anxiety, embarrassment, and depression. However, she got her chance to shine in 2014 when she participated in Tyra Banks’ legendary America’s Next Top Model. Nowadays people know her as a Canadian supermodel and an ambassador of a more diverse fashion industry.

9. Gaten Matarazzo

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Gaten Matarazzo has a rare genetic condition known as cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD). This condition affects the development of the bones and teeth. Because of his CCD, Matarazzo lost a lot of roles. However, it was his unique appearance that ultimately landed him a role in the famous series Stranger Things.

10. Troy Kotsur

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Marlee Matlin was the first deaf performer to win an Oscar, and her co-star Troy Kotsur became the first deaf man to win the award a few decades after. The actor wanted to dedicate his Oscar to the deaf and disabled communities, showing us that dreams can come true for everybody, disabled or not. Kotsur also claimed that Matlin was his inspiration, saying “She was persistent. And then, so was I with my own career as a stage actor. So here I am today.”
These special conditions didn’t stand a chance against these people’s dedication. Speaking of something special, there are many more celebs with unbelievable quirks that will leave you in awe. Like seriously, we all knew how famous Ellen DeGeneres was, but who the hell would have thought her cousin was Kate Middleton?