Top 10 Neurodivergent Representations Hollywood Got Right

“Happy Feet” (2006)

One of the most wholesome animated comedies tells the story of Mumble the Penguin. He’s an adorable emperor penguin, unique for having a passion for dancing, rather than singing. This makes his childhood particularly challenging, with his teacher and a specialist claiming he’s a lost cause. Mumble doesn’t fit in, with no penguins except his mother accepting him. But by the movie’s conclusion, they’ve learned to accept him, even learning his dance moves. It’s a wonderfully sustaining tale, which can easily be interpreted as an allegory for neurodivergence. The lesson is that we should encourage children’s passions, no matter how different they are.

“Community” (2009-15)

Tons of fans will argue that Abed Nadir was the best representation of an autistic person in television history. Unlike the situation in a lot of poor portrayals, his neurodivergence isn’t his number one defining personality trait. For many autistic people, Abed was the first time they saw themselves in a character who wasn’t mocked, pitied, or a wildly intelligent savant. On top of this, his unique traits are never softened for others; he grows but always stays himself. Abed’s way more than just an awkward autistic sidekick, simply there for comic relief - he is a real-life human being. His best friend Troy loves him unconditionally, with the pair becoming maybe the most adorable bromance in television.

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012)

Charlie, the main character, doesn’t realize it, but he shows signs of complex PTSD, social anxiety, depression, and possibly autism. The movie is told through letters he writes throughout high school, exploring the difficulties of navigating adolescence. Charlie begins the movie completely alone, struggling to make meaningful connections, preferring to observe instead of participate. He’s also painfully empathetic, so much so he spends more time reflecting on other people’s pain, rather than his own. One of the major plot points is his trauma, which has a humongous effect on his mental health. By the end, he isn’t cured, but he does have people helping him now, making his world a safer one to live in.

“Everything’s Gonna Be Okay” (2020-21)

Kayla Cromer first appeared as Matilda in 2020, and is thought to be the first autistic actor to play an autistic main character on TV. This adds an element of authenticity to everything, from her tone of voice to the way she stims. Cromer made her into a shining example of representation, one that’s deeply underrated. By the season’s conclusion, Matilda finds herself a neurodivergent girlfriend, a wonderfully heartwarming plotline. She’s not a trope, but a real teen, who just happens to be autistic. It was also groundbreaking for addressing both autism and sexuality head-on, as opposed to the stereotype of autistic characters having no concept of sexuality.

“Temple Grandin” (2010)

Claire Danes portrayed the real-life character in this 2010 biopic. If you don’t know her, Temple Grandin is a trailblazer of autism and neurodiversity, growing up in an era with completely different attitudes. Danes doesn’t turn in a simple Hollywood performance but instead carefully studied Temple’s speech and mannerisms. The result is one of the most loving and respectful performances of neurodivergence in cinema. So many portrayals focus on overcoming divergence, but in “Temple Grandin,” she succeeds because of her autism. Her traits help her make a name for herself in the livestock industry, seeing things no one else can, in a way no one else does. In the end, the world adapts to her, not the other way around - a beautiful message.

“Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” (2010)

Portraying neurodivergence as a boon, rather than a crutch, is something cinema still struggles with. Despite this, one representation we can celebrate is Percy Jackson, whose neurodivergent traits are why he’s heroic. Percy lives with ADHD and dyslexia, which presents difficulties in a classroom environment with the result that he gets kicked out of schools, a standard neurodivergent childhood. Eventually these traits are revealed to be signs that Percy is a literal demigod. The message isn’t to look at how brave he is, despite his divergence; it’s that his divergence is part of his bravery. For many children, seeing their struggles validated through Percy was amazing, giving ND children a hero to root for, without becoming someone different.

“Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (2022)

Do you like whales? Attorney Woo does, and she would love to talk to you about them all day. In South Korea and most of Asia, autism is still stigmatized and barely represented. This made Woo a trailblazing character, becoming a turning point for how autistic women are portrayed, especially outside of the West. Too many autistic characters fall into the emotionless robot stereotype, but Woo is the total opposite. She’s intelligent, honest, loyal, and passionate, reflecting real life neurodivergence. The series shows her struggling with ableism, infantilization, and disbelief in her skills, but inspiringly pushes back, growing with her differences - not against them. She’s brilliantly loveable and relatable to millions.

“Finding Dory” (2016)

While not explicitly diagnosed, Dory is a beautiful portrayal of a character with cognitive differences. Dory struggles with short-term memory loss, causing her to frequently forget what she’s doing, often right in the middle of a task. Despite her disorientation, she’s portrayed as a compassionate and loveable character. In “Finding Nemo,” Dory is the comic relief, but in “Finding Dory” her full backstory is revealed. Even though she’s a fish, it feels remarkably realistic. In the end, she saves the day not by becoming neurotypical, but by using her unique personality. All this makes her one of the most deeply human fish in cinema history.

“Amélie” (2001)

The titular character is never labeled or diagnosed as neurodivergent, but despite this, her character deeply resonates with the neurodivergent community. She possesses a rich imagination, allowing her to see magic in the most mundane objects. Amélie struggles to communicate, loves to observe, and expresses affection through puzzles, rather than words. She’s overflowing with empathy, but expresses it in a unique way. We can’t praise the movie enough for how Amélie finds love, without needing to change. She doesn’t have to fix her quirkiness or become extroverted; instead, she finds love by being her true self. It makes for a magnificent movie, with a representation films still fail to match, over two decades later.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

A Portrayal Which Is Often Too Real

A Heartwarming Character From Children’s TV

Netflix
Actor Leo Long Has Autism & Made Stevie Wonderfully Authentic

Monumental For All Three Leads Having Autism In Real Life

Anyone With Complex PTSD Understands Diane’s Hunt For “Good Damage”

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022)

Everyone with ADHD knows the struggles of feeling like you’re in multiple worlds at once. Evelyn struggles to focus on just one thing, feels overwhelmed by everything, and finds herself falling short in every reality. This is arguably the most accurate portrayal of ADHD in cinema history, using a sci-fi multiverse as a phenomenal metaphor. Instead of her learning to focus, she instead embraces her differences, learning to love her ADHD-self, instead of hate it. Fascinatingly, one of the directors heavily researched ADHD for Evelyn, causing him to realise he had it himself. We also forgot to mention it’s the most visually stunning ND representation.

Are you neurodivergent, and if so, which fictional character did you relate to the most? Let us know in the comments below!