Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by delusions of grandeur, a lack of empathy, and a need and desire for constant praise. Therefore, it can be said that many celebrities and public figures are narcissists because, as you will read, they share many characteristics that can be interpreted as narcissism.
According to a study by psychiatry professor Drew Pinsky, celebrities suffer from narcissism at a higher rate than the general population. For many, this will come as no surprise given the fact that over the past few years, the word “narcissist” has been thrown around like confetti. The assumption is that narcissists are vain individuals who can’t get enough of themselves.
But the reality is that they are desperately insecure, and for a famous person, the face they put on in public doesn’t match the inner turmoil they endure. Below is a list of famous narcissists now and in history.
Disclaimer: This article is not a statement of fact, and none of the people mentioned have been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. However, they do display narcissistic tendencies in their behavior.
10 Famous Narcissists
The truth about narcissism: There is a positive side to narcissism; people with narcissistic personality disorder can be charming, intuitive, and intelligent.
Let’s take a look at some famous people who exhibit personality traits that indicate narcissism. Most exhibit grandiose thinking and exaggerated self-importance, many believe or imagine their own power, and most believe they are special, need admiration, and feel worthy.
Many dictators and criminals have had narcissistic personalities, as have Hollywood celebrities; some are negative and some are positive. Hitler and Stalin had inflated self-images, as did Casanova, the Marquis de Sade, Peter Sellers, and heart surgeon Christian Barnard. Other possible suspects include Madonna, Margaret Thatcher, Paris Hilton, and O.J. Simpson. Here are some of the many famous narcissists
Donald Trump: According to developmental psychologist Howard Gardner, Donald Trump is a classic narcissist. Other experts have claimed that he is very easy to diagnose with the disorder because he exhibits many of the symptoms of the condition, such as his domineering personality and his willingness to humiliate people without remorse.
Nicklas Bendtner: The Danish striker has been quoted as saying, “If you ask me if I am one of the best strikers in the world, I would say yes.” He believes this to be true despite the fact that he has never scored more than nine goals in a top-flight season. From his comment, it seems that he suffers from one of the common symptoms of narcissism, which is delusions of grandeur.
Jose Mourinho: Jose Mourinho is known for his public bragging, once stating: “Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m the European champion and I think I’m special.”
Larry Page: American internet entrepreneur and computer scientist who is one of the founders of Google. Experts believe he lives in an alternate universe and seems to live in the future. His employees have described him as “terrifying” when interacting with him because his expectations are so high.
Mark Zuckerberg: Psychoanalyst and anthropologist Michael Maccoby has referred to Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, as a “productive narcissist.” Productive narcissists are visionaries who have a desire to change the world. They are aggressive, competitive and believe they don’t need to follow the same rules as everyone else.
Kenya Moore: The Real Housewives of Atlanta star feels the need to interfere in everyone’s business. Kenya believes that everything she says has exceptional importance and deliberately slows down her speech to emphasize this.
Draya Michele: The American media personality, fashion designer, model and actress suffers from an exceptionally high self-esteem and during an interview with US Weekly magazine she stated: “I’m an Aquarius. Yes, I think we’re superior.
Joselyn Hernandez: The reality TV personality refers to herself in the third person and honestly believes she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. Hernandez believes she’s indestructible and despite the many rumors that continue to circulate about her personal life, her response is always the same, “It doesn’t matter because I’m a bad woman!”
Rick Ross: “Am I really a narcissist because I woke up to a bowl of lobster bisque?” One of his albums is titled “Mastermind” where he spends many of his songs bragging about how great he is. The American rapper has a lot of confidence in himself and sees nothing wrong with telling the world how great he is.
Tiger Woods: In his autobiography “Roaring Back – the Fall and Rise of Tiger Woods”; author Kurt Sampson describes Woods as a pathological narcissist whose relationships were transactional Purely. If you can’t help him achieve his goals, he doesn’t want anything to do with you.
Ted Bundy: This psychopathic serial killer had a number of narcissistic characteristics such as grandiosity and manipulation. He was also selfish and enjoyed public exposure.
10 Celebrities With Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Facts About Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Narcissists have a deficit in empathy; they are unable to empathize in the same way that people who are considered mentally stable do.
Kim Kardashian: Kim Kardashian has been accused of having Narcissistic Personality Disorder for many reasons, but one of them is that she uses her children as a source of her narcissism. In a 2019 Instagram post, she filmed a video of herself asking her children to tell her how much they love her.
Kanye West: Media reports claim that the world-famous rapper has an inflated opinion of himself. West is probably one of the most famous narcissists; he has referred to himself as the “new Kurt Cobain” and believes that his music is so good that it can cure cancer.
Mariah Carey: Narcissists tend to engage in bizarre behaviors that are not common among the general public. Mariah Carey has publicly stated that she bathes in milk.
Madonna: The world-famous singer seems to have a habit of shamelessly stealing the spotlight, and she has been called out on more than one occasion. Her public tributes to Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson have focused more on herself than on these famous figures.
Tom Cruise: News reports suggest that Tom Cruise was responsible for brainwashing Nicole Kidman’s adopted children against her, which is why they are no longer in a relationship. He is one of many celebrities who suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Narcissists are known to turn people against you when they break up with you.
Justin Bieber: The American singer is reported to constantly engage in reckless behavior without regard for those around him. Additionally, he once stated that the late Anne Frank would have been Bieber if she were alive today. Critics claim that such a statement suggests that his name is so important that a prominent figure like Anne Frank should be associated with it.
Kylie Jenner: Socialite and entrepreneur Kylie Jenner has been accused of being completely self-obsessed. Her constant posting of selfies on social media is clearly teaching young girls that physical appearance is the most important aspect of a woman.
Drake: Canadian rapper Drake has been accused of being a narcissist after he sent out a social media post praising Barack Obama’s departure from office. His farewell message included a photoshopped image of the former president, with Obama giving him a beard and hairstyle.
Beyoncé: The world’s most famous female singer has been branded a narcissist after her documentary Life Is Just a Dream. She has been accused of being out of touch with reality and living in her own fantasy world.
Angelina Jolie: The American actress has been accused of being attention-seeking and desperate to be in the spotlight. Producer Scott Rudin referred to her as a “spoiled child with limited talent.”
Marilyn Manson: When confronted about claims that his music inspired the Columbine shootings, he simply denied any responsibility and said that the killers needed more attention. Manson appeared to be selfish, boastful, and enjoyed public display.
O.J. Simpson: Simpson lacked empathy and often envied others. He also believed he was special and deserving of praise.
Paris Hilton: Paris lives for the cameras, and the world is her stage; she has been arrested for drunk driving, and she seems to lack empathy.
5 Most Narcissistic People in History
Fact about narcissism: Narcissists are not born, they are made; environmental factors play a bigger role in the disorder than genetics.
Franklin Roosevelt: Roosevelt has been ranked as one of the most charismatic presidents in American history. According to experts, narcissists are extremely charismatic, and it is this trait that makes the disorder difficult to detect because they are able to convince everyone around them that they are completely normal.
Lyndon Johnson: The 36th president of the United States wanted to go down in history as America’s greatest president. His biographer Robert Caro referred to him as an exceptionally empty person who could not stand being alone and needed constant approval, affection, attention, and companionship.
Nero: Donald Trump has been described as a modern-day Nero. The famous Roman ruler brought complete destruction and misery to the Roman people. He was known for his lust for attention and fame.
Alexander the Great: Critics claim that he served with a narcissistic leadership style because he failed to fulfill his obligations as a statesman and was more interested in satisfying his military passion.
Henry VIII: Experts claim that his behavior was like that of a modern-day serial killer, and they also described him as a psychopath. However, he was also extremely charming, selfish, and cruel, all traits of a narcissist.
5 Historical Narcissistic Leaders
The Truth About Narcissism: Narcissism is rooted in self-loathing and low self-esteem due to childhood trauma.
Adolf Hitler: Experts believe that Adolf Hitler was a pathological narcissist who believed in his superiority to the point that everyone else should be executed. He managed to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.
George Washington: George Washington was the first president of the United States. He has been accused of being a narcissist because he had an overconfidence in his judgment and strongly believed that he deserved his achievements. Many have argued against this.
Richard Nixon: The 37th president of the United States has been described as having an ego that is out of control. He referred to himself publicly in the third person and hated previous presidents receiving credit for their achievements, especially John F. Kennedy.
Robert Mugabe: The late president of Zimbabwe wore clothes on his face and was a vile villain who killed thousands and destroyed the livelihoods of many. Everything had to be done his way, and if it wasn’t, he went on the warpath. Narcissists are known for their controlling nature.
Joseph Stalin: Experts describe the former leader of the Soviet Union as a malignant narcissist. He ruled the nation with an iron fist and terrified people with his unpredictable behavior. In classic narcissistic fashion, he tortured his citizens, then rescued and rewarded them.
5 Famous Movie Characters With Narcissism
Fact about narcissism: Narcissism is a spectrum disorder; in other words, some people are more narcissistic than others.
Miranda Priestly: The main character in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada” was obsessed with her physical appearance. Priestly was cold, demanding, and expected perfection from her employees. Anything less than the best was met with harsh criticism.
Jenna Maroney: The main character in the TV series “30 Rock,” suffers from delusions of grandeur. Maroney believes that she deserves special treatment and that everyone around her should worship her. However, her accomplishments do not deserve the recognition she believes they deserve.
Violet Weston: Violet Weston is a character in the TV series “August: Osage County,” who is emotionally abusive and cruel. Weston is also a heavy drug addict, all of which are traits of a narcissistic personality.
Gilderoy Lockhart: Described as “everyone’s favorite narcissist” in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, this character is a pathological liar who tells so many lies that she believes her own stories. She is also convinced that she is a person of great importance to the world.
Zaphod Beeblebrox: Zaphod Beeblebrox is a fictional character in the television series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. One of his many quotes that reflects his narcissistic personality is, “If there’s anything more important than my ego, I want it caught and shot right now.” He is also an extrovert, untrustworthy, irresponsible, intelligent, and imaginative person.
FinalThoughts
Everyone admires celebrities, public figures, and industry leaders for their immense success. The entertainment industry is a multi-billion dollar machine driven by those who buy into the image of the high-profile figures.
