Famous Deaf People

Leslie Nielsen was a Canadian actor who played more than 220 characters, appearing in over 150 television programs and 100 films in a career that spanned 60 years. In the latter part of his career, he gained recognition as a comedian and went on to become one of the most popular Canadian comedians of his generation.

Marlee Matlin is an American actress and author. Her portrayal of Sarah Norman in the 1986 film Children of a Lesser God earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the only deaf performer to have received an Oscar. Apart from being an accomplished actress, Matlin is also an important member of the National Association of the Deaf.

Tigran Petrosian was a Soviet-Armenian chess player who achieved the grandmaster title in 1952. Nicknamed Iron Tigran, Petrosian was the World Chess Champion between 1963 and 1969. Regarded as one of the best chess players in Armenia during his generation, Tigran Petrosian is credited with popularizing the game in Armenia. He also won the USSR Chess Championship on four occasions.

Though born deaf, Matt Hamill didn’t let his physical disability hinder his progress in mixed martial arts and wrestling. Introduced to wrestling by his wrestling coach father, he won three NCAA Division III wrestling titles. His life inspired the 2011 film The Hammer, named after his nickname.

Lester Piggott is an English former jockey. Piggott has 4,493 career wins under his belt and is considered one of the greatest jockeys of all time. In 1999, Piggott was ranked second in the top 50 jockeys of the 20th century list published by the Racing Post. In 2021, Piggott was inducted into the British Champions Series Hall of Fame.

Japanese pop icon Ayumi Hamasaki had started a TV career after moving to Tokyo at 14. She later gained fame with her dance hits and ballads. Also known for her dramatic costumes and videos, The Empress of J-pop has been rendered totally deaf in one ear, owing to a ear infection.

Dutch footballer Maarten Stekelenburg, the goalkeeper for Ajax, has had a successful stint with the club, winning both the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup with them 4 times. He was also part of the Dutch squad that became the runner-up at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Gertrude Ederle made history when she became the first female to cross the English Channel. Unfortunately, she lost her sense of hearing while achieving the feat and later devoted herself to coaching deaf swimmers. She also won 2 bronze medals and a relay gold medal at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

Initially a fire fighter in Paris, cyclist Robert Marchand was also a World War II prisoner of war. He became a Guinness record holder as the world’s oldest competitive cyclist, at 105. Initially discouraged from cycling for his 5-foot frame, he returned to cycling at 68 and created history.

Godfrey Huggins, 1st Viscount Malvern was a Rhodesian physician and politician. He is best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia from 12 September 1933 to 7 September 1953. He also served as the first Prime Minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 7 September 1953 to 2 November 1956.

Retired Indian deaf badminton player Sonu Anand Sharma was part of the gold-medal-winning Indian team at the 1997 Deaflympics. The first deaf woman to be honored with the Nari Shakti award, she took to coaching post-retirement. She has also headed the Deaf Sports Association of Delhi as its Sports Director.

Vanessa Lima Vidal is a Brazilian model, beach volleyball player, and beauty pageant contestant. She achieved national prominence in 2008 when she became the first deaf beauty pageant participant at the Miss Brasil pageant. Vanessa Lima Vidal also represented Brazil at the Summer Deaflympics in 2013 where she was part of the national deaf beach volleyball team.     

Swedish analytical chemist Anders Gustav Ekeberg is primarily known for his discovery of tantalum in 1802. He first studied at and later taught at the University of Uppsala. He was also a member of Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. In 2018, Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center started an award in his name to acknowledge work in the field of tantalum research. 

Ivan Karlovich Arnold was a Russian artist and educator remembered for establishing the Moscow School for the Deaf. The school, which was founded in 1860, was the first school for the deaf in the city. He served as the director of the school from 1860 to 1866. His contributions were honored in 1900 when the school was rechristened Arnoldo-Tretyakov School.