- “I had a bad stutter when I was really young. I couldn’t get a sentence out. Like, ‘D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-ad. And that turned into a mumble.”
- My mom said to me, “Be a sponge.’ And so I’ve learned more from people than I have from school or from books.”
- “Not having early success on that one path messes with you. You get lumped in classes with kids with autism and down syndrome, and you look around and say, ‘Okay, so this is where I’m at.’ Or you get put in the typical classes and you say, ‘All right, I’m obviously not like these kids either.’ So you’re kind of nowhere. You’re just different.”
- “I was not good in school. I could never read very fast or very well. I got tested for learning disabilities, for dyslexia. Then I got put on Ritalin and Dexedrine. I took those starting in the eighth grade. As soon as they pumped that drug into me, it would focus me right in.”
- “I’ve always had way too much energy so I’m always looking for new things to do to channel that energy.“
- ‘I’ve learned more from people than I have from school or from books’
- “I just learned everything I could from anybody who knew something I didn’t.”
- On his ADHD: “Everyone’s on a spectrum. Some people really need [medications] to help them, and others could maybe go on a different route. So it’s really tough. Whatever you do, hopefully you can use it to your benefit.”
- “I had an all right high school, even though I hated school. I wasn’t massively popular, but I was okay. But I wouldn’t want to do it again.”
- “Doing SNL (Saturday Night Live) was by far the most terrifying thing that I’ve ever done, because there is a lot of reading involved, and I don’t read that well out loud.”
- “I’m thankful for weird people out there ’cause they’re some of the most creative people.”
- “The system is broken. If we can streamline a multibillion-dollar company, we should be able to help kids who struggle the way I did.”
- “My parents were not artistic at all but now I like to sculpt in clay.”
More on Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum was born in Cullman, Alabama but grew up in the bayous near the Mississippi River where he lived for a time with his family. School had proven difficult for him when he was young because of ADHD and dyslexia.
Gifted in athletics, he has involved himself in sports like football, track, soccer and the performance martial arts, ‘Wushu’.
After a few years and odd jobs later, Channing was discovered and signed with a modeling agency in Miami. He later appeared in print ads like Gap and American Eagle Outfitters, and soon starred in a few television commercials and music videos before pursuing acting and producing shows on TV and movies.
Today he is an internationally acclaimed actor and producer. His movies include:
Coach Carter (2005)
Step Up (2006)
She’s the Man (2006)
GI Joe: The rise of Cobra (2009)
Dear John (2010)
The Dilemma (2011)
The Vow (2012)
Magic Mike (2012)
21 Jump Street (2012)
White House Down (2013)
GI Joe: Retaliation (2013)
22 Jump Street (2014)
Foxcatcher (2014)
Magic Mike XXL (2015)
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Hail Caesar! (2016)
Photo: Gage Skidmore
I have dyslexia too. Way to go Channing Tatum, so proud of your accomplishments. ..Just saw the Vow again last night, my favorite of all your movies I have seen.. and I have seen all but hail Caesar, will see soon.. your biggest fan. Melinda Supples.
I know how difficult life can be with dyslexia, I went through school telling my parents and teachers something was off for me and no one would believe me!! My mom still doesn’t believe me, she says if i was able to put myself through Massage therapy school there is no way i can be dyslexic!! I am, and school was incredibly difficult for me and took me reading things over and over to get it all!
Now having a son that im sure is dyslexic and dealing with the fact that his teachers dont believe him and i and not being able to get him tested because of that is sooo frustrating!
For what it’s worth, I would recommend looking into a program called “Fast ForWord”. My 13 year old son can now read without error because of this program, and my 11 year old daughter has just started on it, too. It might be the missing key for your son, too.
I can recomend this program too. It has helped my daughter.
Take him to an educational psychologist! My son just got a proper diagnosis, best money that I’ve ever spent!
Even if the school did test him, most do not test for dyslexia. You are better to get him tested privately by a psychologist that specializes in dyslexia. If that is too expensive find a dyslexia screener (It is cheaper to screen and they do many of the same tests, but they do not give a medical diagnosis). You can look on websites like dys-add.com (Bright Solutions for Dyslexia). This site and Susan Barton have been a wonderful resource for me. I was able to find a screener and psychologist in my area to have my son tested. Then maybe you could get a 504 and get your son the accommodations he needs. Good Luck. I know the frustrations and understand how people don’t believe Dyslexia is a real thing. We just have to keep pushing until they do.
I can relate so well, I had nothing but comments of “lazy” and “just doesn’t get it” at school. It was a label and it took me to find out what was wrong because no one else was interested. Once I found out I had already completed school so I set about dealing with it and now I work as an Intensive Care Paramedic in rotary and fixed wing aircraft, I have 5 degrees 2 of which are masters degrees. The only thing that really disappointed me about the whole thing was that I had to figure it out myself because for school it was just easier to go with the “lazy” theory…….
Its all ever so true – our family is riddled with dyslexia – but Oh such clever people.
School is such a difficult time, but thank you I will search out the Fast forWord.- for my grandchildren.
Is there support groups or any organizations out there to meet up with and find out ways to cope and get the help you need to succeed?
I struggled with reading, stuttering and spelling as a child but managed to get great grades in GCSES.
I still believe that my love for dance got me through this and I am a strong believer that dyslexia made me the performer that I am.