Image Group LA via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Maya Hawke, who stole hearts in the most recent season of Stranger Things, opened up over the weekend about her learning disabilities and why she was kicked out of school.
In a Saturday interview with NPR, Hawke — who is the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman — candidly spoke about her dyslexia and how it still affects her career.
Despite the hardships her disability has brought her over the years, the 22-year-old actress attests, “I would say it is, like, one of the great blessings of my life in a lot of ways.”
One particular hardship was when her old school punished her for struggling to keep up with her classmates.
“I did get, like, kicked out of school for not being able to read when I was a kid,” Hawke disclosed in the interview, “It was deeply difficult.”
“Every grade that went by, you get dropped down into a lower and lower reading group,” she continued in regards to how her old school reacted to her disability, but says her leaving it was for the best because she then “went to a special school for kids with learning disabilities.”
While it “took me a long time to learn how to read,” as the Little Women star reveals, she is still “limited” as to what she can do.
Hawke remained positive that she will persevere, adding “The wonderful thing about today’s world is that there are so many options.”
As for how her dyslexia has made her a better actress, the “Generous Heart” artist says it’s enhanced her ability to “take in stories.”
“That made me even more determined to love them and understand them and grow in them,” Hawke explained. She also credits her parents for doing “a wonderful job of encouraging me to be creative.”
By Megan Stone
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