Rowan Atkinson's hidden health struggle that's stopped him from doing interviews
Mr Bean star Rowan Atkinson has been a household name for years, but the TV and film star has long made a point of avoiding interviews - and it's all down to one issue
by Lauren Haughey, Lucretia Munro, Lucretia Munro · The MirrorRowan Atkinson, beloved for his portrayal of Mr Bean, may have had a personal reason for choosing a role that relied on physical comedy rather than dialogue. The TV star has been dealing with a stammer for many years.
The 69-year-old movie icon isn't fond of giving interviews, as he reportedly finds it hard to pronounce words starting with 'B' followed by a vowel, often needing to pause before speaking such words. As revealed in a previous Time magazine interview, Atkinson found relief in acting, remarking: "It comes and goes. It depends on my nerves, but it can be a problem."
He added: "I find that when I play a character other than myself, the stammering disappears. That may have been some of my inspiration for pursuing the career that I did."
The NHS explains that stammering, also referred to a stuttering, is a speech issue that's relatively common in childhood, but may persist into adulthood. Although it varies from person to person, it may include a repetition of certain sounds or syllables in speech, or making some sounds appear 'longer' than others. Others may struggle to say specific words at all.
"It is not possible to say for sure why a child starts stammering, but it is not caused by anything the parents have done," the NHS explains. "Developmental and inherited factors may play a part, along with small differences in how efficiently the speech areas of the brain are working."
Despite his struggles, Atkinson is undoubtedly a national treasure in the UK, with a rise to fame sealed in his performance in Blackadder, Mr Bean, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Not the Nine O'Clock News, according to the Express. The actor also delved into the deep connection between personal hardship and humour with GQ magazine in 2022 amid his comedy-packed Netflix venture, Man vs Bee.
"Tragedy and comedy are extremely close bedfellows and you can’t really have one without the other," he said. "Every joke has a victim, whether fictional or non-fictional or notional, ideological or human and therefore, there’s always someone suffering if there’s a joke. I suppose you have to accept that’s the way it is."
Growing up, Rowan revealed that he was a 'reasonably happy' child 'but quite quiet.' He went on to admit: " I was quite a quiet, relatively introspective child who changed when he performed."