‘Adolescence’ Father Creator Stephen Graham Battles Dyslexia — A Hidden Learning Disorder Affecting Millions

Stephen Graham, the English actor who co-created and starred in the Netflix series Adolescence, has revealed publicly that he lives with dyslexia, a learning disorder that affects reading, spelling, and related skills.

In interviews, Graham has explained that his wife, Hannah Walters, assists him by reading scripts aloud and helping him navigate large textual blocks. He described a method in which he breaks scripts into smaller chunks and practices sections repeatedly so that he can perform confidently on set.

Graham first disclosed his dyslexia in a 2019 BAFTA panel, noting that he “struggles” with reading. He credits his partner with helping make sense of scripts: “My missus actually reads the script and says whether or not I’m doing it,” he said. His experience has drawn attention as he continues to produce and act in high-profile work, including Adolescence, which earned him two Emmy Awards in 2025.

Graham’s disclosure contributes to public awareness of dyslexia as not just a childhood challenge, but a condition that can accompany a person into adulthood.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia, also called developmental dyslexia, is characterized by difficulty in decoding (reading aloud) and spelling despite normal intelligence and educational opportunity. In the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,), dyslexia is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder. ³ It is often described as an unexpected difficulty in reading in individuals whose other cognitive abilities would predict better performance. ⁴ Epidemiologic studies estimate that dyslexia affects roughly 5%–20% of the population, with many individuals going undiagnosed. ⁴

Causes and Neurobiology

The precise causes of dyslexia are not fully understood, but research implicates genetic, neuroanatomical, and cognitive factors. Twin and family studies support a strong heritable component.² Neuroimaging reveals structural and functional differences in left-hemisphere brain regions associated with language and reading (e.g., changes in the inferior frontal, parietal, and temporal areas).

Cognitive theories focus on deficits in phonological processing—the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds within language—as a core difficulty. ¹Other contributing factors include inefficient visual attention, working memory limitations, or unstable ocular fixation during reading. ⁵

Symptoms Across Life Stages

In children, dyslexia often emerges in school years:

• Difficulty sounding out words (phonemic decoding)

• Slow or inaccurate reading

• Poor spelling

• Avoidance of reading tasks

• Trouble with rhyming, phonemic awareness

In adults, symptoms may present as:

• Slow reading speed and laborious comprehension

• Mistakes in spelling or typed text

• Difficulty memorizing scripts, contracts, or large documents

• Reliance on strategies (aides, breaking down texts)

Dyslexic individuals typically do not struggle with oral comprehension, intelligence, or general cognition—differences are specific to reading and writing processes. ²

Treatment and Support

The mainstay of intervention is structured literacy approaches, especially phonics-based training. These use systematic, explicit teaching of letter–sound correspondence, blending, segmenting, and multisensory reinforcement. A recent systematic review of dyslexia treatment found modest average effect sizes, with varied results depending on method and study design. ³

Though treatment does not completely “cure” dyslexia, many individuals improve their reading competence with sustained intervention. Early screening, ideally in early school grades, enhances outcomes.

Stephen Graham's success despite his reading difficulties implicates that dyslexia does not preclude achievement in language-heavy professions such as writing or acting.

References

1. Shaywitz, Sally E., and Bennett A. Shaywitz. “The Neurobiology of Reading and Dyslexia.” New England Journal of Medicine 338, no. 5 (2005): 307–312. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32939103/.

2. “Dyslexia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment.” StatPearls, updated July 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557668/.

3. Lyytinen, Heikki, et al. “Developmental Dyslexia: Early Predictors, Pathways, and Interventions.” Frontiers in Psychology 11 (2020): 573. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7455053/.

4. Peterson, Robin L., and Bruce F. Pennington. “Developmental Dyslexia.” Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 11 (2015): 283–307. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33278155/.

5. Zoccolotti, Pierluigi, et al. “Cognitive and Neuropsychological Aspects of Developmental Dyslexia: A Review.” Brain Sciences 11, no. 4 (2021): 455. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36979282/.

(Rh/eth/TL)