15 Famous People with Narcolepsy

15 Famous People with Narcolepsy 

Narcolepsy is a long-term neurological condition or disorder that interferes with the brain’s capacity to regulate sleep-wake cycles. These people also fall asleep all of a sudden. Narcolepsy can appear to anyone at any age in life, teenagers and young adults are the age groups that are more vulnerable to it.

Although the precise cause of narcolepsy is uncertain, it is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The condition however has no cure but it can be managed with medication and lifestyle changes. Here is a list of famous people who have this condition;

1. Ryan Reynolds

Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

First on our list is renowned actor Ryan Reynolds who was diagnosed with the condition in his early 20s. The. Canadian and American actor, producer, and businessman who is very candid about his narcolepsy diagnosis and how it has impacted his life, has always spoken about his condition.

He stated clearly that he needs to manage his sleep carefully and stay away from caffeine and alcohol. Despite the difficulties posed by narcolepsy, Reynolds has been successful in his Hollywood career acting in several well-known movies, such as “Deadpool,” “The Adam Project,” and “Free Guy.” He is also married to actress Blake Lively.

Read more about him here

2. Mary Beard

Mary Beard is a British classicist, a historian of the ancient world, and a Cambridge University professor of classics. She is also a well-known public figure with several well-liked works about the ancient world, such as “SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome” and “Women in Power: A History.

Mary Beard who has been suffering from Narcolepsy for some time has acknowledged that she frequently feels as though she will doze off in the middle of discussions or presentations. She also mentioned that she needs to drive very carefully because she runs a higher risk of dozing off while driving.

3. Franck Bouyer 

Thomas Ducroquet, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Franck Bouyer was born on 17th March 1974 and is a French former professional road bicycle racer who was an active racer from 1995 to 2013 and is best known for his fight to be allowed to compete in his favorite sport with Narcolepsy condition. He suffered from narcolepsy for most of his career and could use Modafinil which helped to treat his Narcolepsy during races.

However, the use of that drug was ruled out by the Union Cycliste International (UCI) stating that it was a performance-enhancing drug, a claim which did not have scientific evidence. Bouyer could go on to appeal that decision in court and after several attempts he was allowed to race again until his retirement in 2013. His case also helped create awareness of the disorder.

4. Jinkx Monsoon

Another famous person suffering from this disorder is American drag queen Jerick Roman Lamar Hoffer famously known by her stage name Jinkx Monsoon. Monsoon is also an actor, singer, and comedian and was born on 18 September 1987. She is also known for her impersonation of celebrities, her quick wit, and her win in RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The drag queen was diagnosed with the condition in 2006 and has since spoken openly about her experience with Narcolepsy and hopes to raise more awareness and understanding of the disorder. She also says the condition makes it hard for her to perform on stage and she has to be careful. She even released a song called “Narcolepsy” where she explained her experiences with the disorder.

5. Lenny Bruce

Unknown. New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection (Library of Congress)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Leonard Alfred Schneider famously known by his stage name Lenny Bruce born on 13th October 1925 was an American standup comedian, social critic, and satirist who was renowned for his open, freewheeling, and critical comedy which contained several pioneers of free speeches which he numerous times for his performance.

In the early 1950s, he was diagnosed with Narcolepsy which made it hard for him to perform and often led to embarrassing moments for him. He even wrote about his experience in his autobiography “How to Talk Dirty and Influence People”. It is also believed to have contributed to his death in 1962 when he was found dead in his apartment.

6. Kevin Cadogan

Kevin Rene Cadogan born on 14th August 1970 is an American musician, songwriter, singer, record producer, and guitarist. He is also a founding member of the Third Eye Blind band which is notable with its hits “How’s It Going to Be” and “Losing a “Whole Year”.

Cadogan was diagnosed with Narcolepsy early in his early career and this made it hard to tour and record with the Third Eye Blind band and he eventually left the band in 2000. He has since spoken openly about his experience with Narcolepsy and released an album in 2007 called “The Cardigan EP” where he featured a single dubbed “Narcolepsy”.

7. George Church

George McDonald Church born on 28th August 1954 is an American geneticist, molecular engineer, chemist, serial entrepreneur, and pioneer in personal genomics and synthetic biology renowned for his research and technological developments and has been featured among the most famous geneticists of all time in human history.

He was however diagnosed with narcolepsy in his early 20s, a condition which made it difficult for him to stay awake in class and focus on his studies but Church was determined to succeed and could eventually go on to become a world-renowned scientist. He has since used his expertise to develop new treatments for Narcolepsy.

8. Graeme Dott

Martin Rulsch, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Graeme Dott born on 12th May 1977 is a Scottish professional snooker player and snooker coach. He is renowned as a two-time world champion having won the title in both 2006 and 2010. Dott was diagnosed with Narcolepsy in 2009 and has openly spoken about his condition which he says has forced him to make changes to his lifestyle and his training regime.

Dott continues to compete at the highest level in snooker games and he is a fighter as he trains hard and plays with skill. He has also had to deal with severe depression in his life after his wife was diagnosed with cancer and had a miscarriage.

9. Theresa Nielsen Hayden

Theresa Nielsen Hayden born on 21st March 1956 is an American science fiction editor, Fanzine writer, essayist, and workshop instructor, who is renowned as a consulting editor for Tor Books and is well known for her weblog, Making Light. She has also been nominated for the Hugo Awards five times.

Hayden is also one of the famous people with Narcolepsy and was diagnosed in her early 20s. She has written extensively about her experiences with Narcolepsy in her book “In the Company of Cat”. She is also an advocate for people with Narcolepsy and she is the founder of the Narcolepsy Network, a nonprofit organization that provides support and resources to people with the condition.

10. Jimmy Kimmel

Pete Souza, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

James Christian Kimmel born on 13 November 1967 is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is renowned for his role as the host and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live, a late-night talk show that premiered on ABC on January 26, 2003. He is the longest-serving late-night host in the United States.

Having been diagnosed with Narcolepsy early on in his career, Kimmel has been using his late-night show to discuss the condition and educate his audience on the challenges of living with the disorder and other chronic illnesses. He has shown that it is possible to live a normal life and successful life even with that condition.

11. Nastassja Kinski

Nastassja Aglaia Kinski born on 24th January 1961 is a German actress and former model who is renowned for her roles in more than 60 films in Europe and the United States. She is a Golden Globe award winner for her role in the Roman Polanski-directed film Tess (1979).

She is also one of the famous people with Narcolepsy disorder and has opened up on her status on numerous occasions including using her platform to educate others with the same condition. She also says that her condition has made her appreciate the simple things in life.

12. Kang Daniel

티비텐, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kang Eui-geon famously known as Knag Daniel born on December 10th, 1996 is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, television host, and businessman who rose to fame in 2007 as a first-place winner of the second season of the reality competition series Produce 101. He is also a winner of several awards and accolades.

He was diagnosed with Narcolepsy in 2017 and in 2019 took a hiatus from his career to focus on his health and well-being and could only return in 2020. He is a role model for several people with the same condition. He was also a member of the temporary boy group Wanna One which skyrocketed his career.

13. Kim Hyo-jong

Kim Hyo-jong famously known as Dawn born on 1st June 1994 is a South Korean rapper and singer, songwriter. He is best known for being a former rapper and songwriter of the South Korean boy band Pentagon where they released nine EPs in both Korean language and Japanese before his departure.

The South Korean is also one of the top personnel facing the Narcolepsy which somehow derailed his progress in the entertainment industry but he is also one of the strongest people to have worked their way up the radar to become one of the most successful people in South Korea.

14. Paul Gonsalves

Paul Gonsalves born on 12th July 1920 was an American jazz tenor saxophonist best known for being a member of Duke Ellington’s band for over 30 years. What made him one of the best was that he was passionate and energetic in playing as well as improvising skills. He died on 15th May 1974.

He was diagnosed with Narcolepsy earlier in his career but he successfully overcame the stress that comes with the condition. He could take naps during the day to stay awake but he did not let it define him and became one of the most successful tenor saxophonists of his time.

15. Winston Churchill

Yousuf Karsh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sir  Winston Leonard Spenser Churchill born on November 30th, 1874 was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom and is renowned for his ideologies of economic liberalism and imperialism.

Churchill is one of the most famous people on our list of people with Narcolepsy. Having experienced his first episode when he was just 21 during a speech in parliament, he however did not let this define his life as he strived and went on to become a successful politician. He is remembered for being an inspiration to future generations.

Read more about him here

In conclusion, these guys remain the role models to many across the globe considering not all people will strive to succeed with such conditions and they continue being a ray of hope with their teachings to the rest of the people with such conditions.