Nick Viall reflects on dyslexia diagnosis in 30s

Nick Viall is thankful for better-late-than-never dyslexia diagnosis.

The actor reflected on a long-overdue realization—his dyslexia diagnosis, which came much later in life than expected.

“When I was a kid, you didn’t know about dyslexia or talked about dyslexia,” Viall, 44, shared on the Wednesday, February 26, episode of his Viall Files podcast. 

“If you found out you were dyslexic, you weren’t telling people. It’s something you would have definitely gotten picked on [for].”

The former Bachelor lead didn’t officially receive his diagnosis until adulthood, after years of wondering why reading aloud never came easily to him.

“I was like, ‘Why can’t I read out loud very well?’” Viall recalled. 

“I could never figure it out. I was like, ‘I’m not stupid.’ … [I was] in my 30s. I didn’t really change anything. I didn’t take any classes to help me read better aloud.”

Still, finally getting an explanation for his struggles brought a sense of validation.

“I felt a little seen, not to sound corny,” he admitted. 

“I’m a big believer in, like, I don’t like to lean into my weaknesses, but I think it’s nice to know what they are. I don’t have to make excuses for anything, it’s just [that] I’m dyslexic.”

While he never let his learning difficulties define him, Viall acknowledged that his diagnosis helped him understand why he struggled in school and even during professional media appearances.

“Now I know why I had no idea how many vowels were in a word or why I have a hard time reading a teleprompter when everyone makes it look so easy [and] it’s so hard for me,” he explained. 

“After I found out, people were telling me all the very talented, very successful people who are dyslexic.”

One of those talented individuals? Viall himself—who recently became a father to daughter River Rose with his wife, Natalie Joy. And fittingly, the first book he picked up for their little one had a special meaning.

“I bought it for myself,” he admitted after Joy, 26, shared that he had purchased Dyslexic Legends, a book about famous figures who thrived despite having dyslexia.

“We were at a kid’s store and I bought it for me. I’ll read it to her someday and tell her about dad.”

The book, written by Beck Feiner, features legendary figures like Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, proving that dyslexia doesn’t stand in the way of greatness. And with Viall’s journey of self-discovery, it’s clear he’s adding his own name to that list.