Jennifer Aniston Shares That She Has Dyslexia
Best known for playing the role of Rachel on the iconic sitcom Friends, actor Jennifer Aniston shared in a recent Hollywood Reporter interview that she has .
Aniston says she was diagnosed with dyslexia in her twenties:
“The only reason I knew [that I had it] was because I went to get a prescription for glasses ... I had to read a paragraph, and they gave me a quiz, gave me 10 questions based on what I’d just read, and I think I got three right.”
The revelation was “life-changing,” says Aniston in the interview. When she was young, she wasn’t a good student because of issues related to her undiagnosed dyslexia. She just thought she “wasn’t smart” and “couldn’t retain anything.” But with the new discovery came a new knowledge of herself: “I felt like all of my childhood trauma-dies, tragedies, dramas were explained.”
Her struggles in school pushed her to develop an “innate humor.” She channeled that humor into making friends at school and eventually into acting.
Today, Aniston is engaged to actor-writer Justin Theroux. Her career is also on the upswing. She recently received a Golden Globe and SAG nomination (as well as critical acclaim) for her portrayal of an accident victim in the new film, Cake.
For her fans, Aniston’s dyslexia may just be more confirmation that she’s a “real person with a beating heart,” as the Hollywood Reporter notes. More and more Hollywood stars like Aniston are sharing their stories. Read inspiring quotes from celebrities who are speaking up about learning and thinking differences.
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