Celebrities Who Have Had Gout
By Anna Collins
10 months ago
1. Jared Leto:
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Jared Leto gained significant weight for his role as Mark Chapman in the 2007 biopic Chapter 27, where he portrayed the deranged fan who assassinated John Lennon. The actor had to put on 67 pounds for the role, and the weight gain led him to experience gout. Suffering with the condition has led to him pledging to avoid such drastic weight changes for film roles in the future,2. Tom Hanks:
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Tom Hanks opened up about suffering from gout, and type 2 diabetes, which is a prevalent condition in the USA, contracted through lifestyle and diet. In interviews he's discussed having gout and diabetes, and how his lifestyle as an actor has probably contributed to his health struggles.3. Wells:
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David Wells is a former Major League Baseball pitcher known for his successful career spanning multiple teams, including the New York Yankees. After having problems with his foot, he sought out medical advice and was diagnosed with gout. Pain has affected him a lot, and he described it as a 'tough year'.4. Shaquille O'Neal:
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Shaquille O'Neal, often simply known as Shaq, is a retired professional basketball player and one of the most dominant centers in the history of the NBA. Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis, and so O'Neal's diagnosis of gout came as a massive shock and had a huge impact on his career!5. Maurice Cheeks:
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Maurice Cheeks is a retired professional basketball player and a former head coach in the NBA. "At the age of 46, I was completely unaware of what gout was," explained Cheeks, recounting his initial encounter with the serious arthritic condition. He added: "I had never heard of it, never discussed it with anyone, and then I began to realize that many other people were dealing with this condition."6. Elvis Presley:
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There are historical reports and speculation that Elvis Presley may have experienced gout. Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis, and it's been suggested that Presley, especially in the later years of his life, struggled with various health issues, including weight gain and prescription drug use, which are factors associated with gout.7. Tom Brady:
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Tom Brady is a professional American football quarterback known for his successful career with the New England Patriots and later with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tom Brady, despite his rigorous training and fitness regimen, encountered a swollen ankle which turned out to be gout. Brady blames his disease on eating the wrong kind of vegetables, with no anti-inflammatory properties.8. Emmit Smith:
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Emmitt Smith, the former NFL running back celebrated for his remarkable career with the Dallas Cowboys, has transitioned his focus. Now, nearly a decade following his retirement from professional football, Smith is leveraging his fame to raise awareness for a condition known as gout which causes him pain like he's never experienced before.9. Jools Holland:
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Jools Holland is a British pianist, bandleader, and television presenter, best known for his work as the host of the music television show "Later... with Jools Holland." He's amongst many celebrities to develop gout, which came as a very unexpected shock to him at the time.10. Terry Jones:
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Terry Jones, the late Welsh actor, writer, and comedian, was best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. In his later years, Terry Jones developed gout which caused a lot of pain. Then, in the last years of his life, he also suffered from dementia, a horrible disease that affects the mind.11. Christopher Nolan:
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Christopher Nolan is a highly acclaimed British-American film director, producer, and screenwriter known for his complex and visually stunning films. Nolan has also been a secret sufferer of gout for many years. Despite having the condition, he tries not to let it get in his way.12. Mick Jagger:
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Sir Mick Jagger, born Michael Philip Jagger on July 26, 1943, is an iconic English singer, songwriter, actor, and the lead vocalist of the legendary rock band The Rolling Stones. He's battled many health conditions due to leading an unhealthy lifestyle during his rock years. Now, he lives with gout but maintains a regular exercise regime and a healthy diet.13. Bill Clinton:
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Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. One of the lesser-known things about Bill Clinton and his highly publicized life is the fact that he has gout. The condition was discovered many years ago, however, Clinton never publicly revealed his struggle.14. Sir Alec Guinness:
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Sir Alec Guinness was a highly esteemed English actor, renowned for his versatile performances on stage and screen. In reality, everyday life was a lot more difficult when he developed gout. The debilitating disease took its toll on everyday movements and tasks.15. Samuel L. Jackson:
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Samuel L. Jackson was a renowned actor of the 20th century faced a significant health challenge when diagnosed with gout in 1965 at the age of 58, whilst he was filming a movie. Following the initial episode, he continued to grapple with recurring gout attacks, adding a layer of complexity to his health during this period.16. Billy Crystal:
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Billy Crystal, born on March 14, 1948, is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, director, and television host. Crystal hosted the Academy Awards (Oscars) nine times between 1990 and 2012, becoming known for his entertaining opening monologues and comedic sketches. He's also one of many celebrities to suffer from gout!17. Derek Jacobi:
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Sir Derek Jacobi is a highly esteemed English actor and director with a distinguished career spanning stage, film, and television. He is known for his versatile performances and has received numerous accolades for his contributions to the arts. Aside from being born with a club foot, he also had to deal with gout throughout some of his career.18. Tommy Lee:
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Tommy Lee is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer for the rock band Mötley Crüe. He realized something was up when his ankle became sore and swollen, with no injury or accident having happened. On getting it checked out, he was told he had gout.19. Beethoven:
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Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist who is widely considered one of the greatest composers in the history of Western classical music. His autopsy was revisited and it was then discovered that it was most likely he had gout, aside from a long list of other health problems.20. Larry King:
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Larry King was an American television and radio host, known for his iconic interviews and distinctive style. Born in Brooklyn, New York, King rose to prominence as the host of "Larry King Live" on CNN, where he conducted over 6,000 interviews with a wide range of guests, including world leaders, celebrities, and ordinary people. One unknown thing about King was that he in fact suffered from gout!21. Christopher Walken:
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The well-loved Christopher Walken is an American actor, director, and dancer known for his unique and often eccentric performances. When Walken discovered he had gout, he had to make lifestyle adjustments, seek medical treatment, and navigate challenges related to the condition!22. Kim Jong-Un:
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Kim Jong-Un, the leader of North Korea, reportedly enjoys a diet that features an excess of Swiss Emmental cheese and red wine. There have been many claims that his assertive demeanor might be linked to steroids, a medication commonly prescribed for individuals dealing with gout.23. Sir Laurence Olivier
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Olivier was one of the most celebrated actors of the 20th century. He received a diagnosis of gout in 1965, during mid-film production. Gout is often characterized by recurrent attacks of red, tender, and swollen joints, often affecting the big toe which Olivier experienced himself.24. Harry Kewell:
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Harry Kewell is a retired Australian professional footballer and a current football manager. Born on September 22, 1978, in Sydney, Australia, Kewell enjoyed a successful career as a winger. It came as a surprise to him, because of his profession, when he was diagnosed with the disease!25. Luciano Pavarotti
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Renowned for his distinctive and commanding vocal prowess, Luciano Pavarotti, the celebrated Italian opera tenor, encountered gout-related challenges. Despite earning numerous accolades, it was something that plagued him for many years as he tried to manage it day to day.26. Dick Cheney:
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Dick Cheney, the ex-Vice President of the United States, has navigated through various health challenges, among them a bout with gout in 2006. It was then that he discovered the disease, and since has been able to manage the condition slightly more than in the initial phases.27. Jim Belushi:
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Jim Belushi, the actor and comedian raised in Wheaton, discovered the presence of gout when his big toe first swelled up 15 years ago. At that time, he attributed it to his jogging routine and initially dismissed the symptoms. However, a year later, as he experienced another painful flare-up, he decided to address the issue during his annual checkup. The revelation came as a surprise when his doctor diagnosed him with gout.28. Edgar Allan Poe
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Edgar Allan Poe, the renowned American writer and poet, suffered from gout. Poe faced various personal and health challenges during his lifetime, including financial struggles and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death, and it is believed that gout also had a part to play in the cause of his death.29. Charles Dickens
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Dickens faced the onset of gout in his left foot at the age of 52, and it persisted in his later years, affecting his daily life massively. This condition also played a role in the decline of his literary output during that time. He himself stated that ''the gout is a complaint as arises from too much ease and comfort.''30. Emily Brontë
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Emily Brontë was an English novelist and poet, born on July 30, 1818, and best known for her only novel, "Wuthering Heights." Despite there being a lot of assumptions and discoveries made about her life, relatively unknown speculation is that she also suffered from gout during her lifetime.31. Sir Isaac Newton
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Sir Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists of all time was also a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, and author. Newton formulated the theory of gravity and the three laws of motion. But in later years, gout affected him so badly amongst other health issues that he found it difficult to leave his house.32. Don Nelson
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Don Nelson is a former American professional basketball player and coach, as well as an executive. He is definitely not one of the first NBA ex-players to suffer from gout. In fact, despite it having nothing to do with playing basketball, many players in retirement have developed gout.33. Benjamin Franklin
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Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was not only a polymath, diplomat, and inventor but also dealt with significant health challenges. His medical history reveals a recurrent struggle with gout and the presence of a substantial bladder stone.34. John D. Rockefeller
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John D. Rockefeller, an American business magnate and philanthropist, co-founded the Standard Oil Company in the late 19th century and became one of the wealthiest individuals in history. Historical accounts believe that Rockefeller also suffered from the debilitating condition.35. Leonardo da Vinci
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Leonardo da Vinci, often hailed as one of the greatest polymaths in history, was an Italian Renaissance artist, inventor, scientist, mathematician, and writer. He was plagued by gout, which caused him immeasurable pain throughout the later years of his life.36. Queen Victoria
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Queen Victoria, born Alexandrina Victoria in 1819, ascended to the British throne in 1837 and reigned until she died in 1901. Victoria lived a highly indulgent lifestyle which contributed to her contracting gout. It was common a condition for nobility and royals throughout history.37. John Hancock
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John Hancock was an American statesman, patriot, and merchant, best known for his prominent role in the American Revolution and his distinctive signature on the United States Declaration of Independence. One thing unknown about him is that he also had gout.38. William Pitt
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William Pitt the Younger (1759-1806) was a significant political figure in British history, serving as the youngest Prime Minister in the country's history. It wasn't realized at the time that he was suffering from gout, yet historical accounts have led experts to believe this was what he was suffering from at the time.39. Samuel Johnson
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Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) was an English writer, lexicographer, and critic, best known for his contributions to the English language and literature. Samuel Johnson suffered from various health issues throughout his life, including neurological disorders. He faced bouts of depression and was affected by conditions that are believed to have included gout and other ailments.40. Alexander the Great
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Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE) was a historic military leader and ruler known for his extraordinary conquests and influence on world history. st. The cause of his death remains a subject of historical debate, with proposed possibilities including natural causes, disease, or poisoning. It's also been assumed he had gout!41. John Calvin
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John Calvin was a prominent French theologian and pastor who played a key role in the Protestant Reformation. Historical records from the 16th century don't provide conclusive details, yet from accounts and records, it is believed that it was likely John Calvin did have gout and suffered from swollen feet.42. King Henry VIII
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The infamous Henry VIII was a notable English monarch, often remembered for his treatment of his many wives. Historians believe that it was more than likely that Henry VIII would have had gout given his overly indulgent diet and lifestyle which he was already renowned.43. George Washington
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George Washington was a key figure in American history, serving as the first President of the United States and playing a crucial role in the American Revolutionary War. As for his health, his death was attributed to acute epiglottitis, a throat infection. Throughout his life, Washington faced various health challenges, including issues with his teeth, and gout!44. Robert Burns
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Robert Burns, also known as the Bard of Ayrshire, was a Scottish poet and lyricist, celebrated for his contributions to Scottish literature and folk culture. There's a lot of literature surrounding Burns and his health and it is believed amongst historians that Burns was badly affected by gout.45. Christopher Columbus
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Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator who also suffered from gout. He played a pivotal role in the Age of Exploration by undertaking a series of voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. He died on May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, Spain, without fully realizing the extent of his discoveries.46. William Wordsworth
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Another famous face in history with gout was the legendary William Wordsworth. William Wordsworth was a prominent English poet and a key figure in the Romantic literary movement. He developed a close friendship with fellow poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge and is credited with starting the Romantic literary movement.47. Joseph Haydn
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Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer of the Classical era and a pivotal figure in the development of symphonic and chamber music. Haydn returned to Vienna in 1795 and continued to compose until his death. It is believed that he had gout, although this wasn't the cause of his death.48. Karl Marx
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Karl Marx was a German philosopher, economist, political theorist, and revolutionary socialist who, along with Engels, authored "The Communist Manifesto" and later developed the theory of historical materialism. His works have been focused on throughout history, his health on the other hand has rarely been focused on, or the fact that he did have gout.49. Michelangelo
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Michelangelo Buonarroti was an Italian Renaissance artist renowned for his contributions to sculpture, painting, architecture, and poetry. He died on February 18, 1564, in Rome, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest artists in history. He suffered from gout for many years, which impacted his feet greatly.50. Oliver Cromwell
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Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who played a crucial role in the English Civil War. His controversial policies and historical impacts have been greatly discussed throughout history. Again, his medical history remains lesser known, but it is believed that he did have gout.What To Read Next
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