Kids who grow up with lisps, stutters, and other speech pathology problems can easily get discouraged. Thankfully, there are many examples of people who have overcome their speech disorders, many of whom are famous actors, singers, and public figures. If you or someone you know is feeling disheartened about their condition, show them these examples of famous people who overcame speech disorders.
President Joe Biden
That’s right, the 46th President of the United States once had a stuttering problem so bad that it got him bullied in school. Today he still uses the same techniques he learned growing up to overcome his stutter, which certainly hasn’t stopped him from becoming a world leader. It just goes to show that having a stutter isn’t the end of the world—you can still do amazing things.
King George VI of England
King George’s speech disorder is more famous than it used to be, thanks to the movie, The King’s Speech (2010) starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. What’s unique about King George is that radio was the primary technology people used back when he was on the throne. Most of his subjects only ever heard his voice, and he still managed to lift the nation’s spirits during World War II.
Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters is one of the most famous broadcasters in American history—you’d never think of making fun of her today. However, when she first started working in television, that’s just what people did. A famous Saturday Night Live skit called “Baba Wawa” mocked Walters for the way she pronounces words, but even that couldn’t hold her back.
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is well-known for his roles in films like The Hunt for Red October (1990) and The Lion King (1994), but nothing can top his deep, commanding tone as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars films. It’s one of the most famous character voices ever performed, and it comes from a man who grew up with a speech disorder.
Matt Mercer
Matt Mercer is a voice actor who appears in several popular Japanese anime, but now he’s more famous for being the Dungeon Master of Critical Role, an actual-play Dungeons and Dragons streaming show that pulls in millions of views each week. Mercer is widely known for his amazing voice work, so it may be surprising to learn that he went through years of child speech therapy to overcome his stutter.
We hope this list of famous people who overcame speech disorders proves that you can do anything you want to in life, even with a speech disorder. With confidence, passion, and speech therapy, you can achieve your dreams.
