Batman Actors Who Have Lived With Health Conditions
Batman is undoubtedly one of the most iconic characters in pop culture and has been inspiring people around the globe for over 80 years. Many actors have tackled the role of Batman in TV and Film, subsequently inspiring audiences with their portrayals of the caped crusader. Although Batman fans are more than familiar with these actors, it is lesser known that many of these celebrities have lived with long-term health conditions. Making these actors inspirational not only on-screen but behind the scenes too, when using their own stories to promote health advocacy.
From Ben Affleck’s life with migraines to Val Kilmer’s battle with cancer, several actors have faced long-term health-conditions when playing The Dark Knight.
Robert Pattinson — The Batman
Type: Anxiety & BDD
‘I get a ton of anxiety, right up until the second I get out of the car to the event… Up until that moment, I’m a nutcase. Body dysmorphia, overall tremendous anxiety. I suppose it’s because of these tremendous insecurities that I never found a way to become egotistical. I don’t have a six-pack and I hate going to the gym. I’ve been like that my whole life. I never want to take my shirt off.’
Fact: People of any age can have BDD, but it’s most common in teenagers and young adults. It affects both men and women
Ben Affleck — The DCU
Type: Chronic Migraines
‘A regular sleep schedule helps prevent migraines. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends’
Fact: Most people find their migraines slowly get better as they get older
George Clooney — Batman and Robin/The Flash
Type: Chronic Pain
‘Things hurt me now. My knees hurt, my back hurts. But your head still thinks it’s twenty-three’
Fact: Chronic or persistent pain is pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks, or beyond the natural healing time
Val Kilmer — Batman Forever
Type: Throat Cancer
‘I can speak without plugging this hole. You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat… It’s an obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me’
Fact: 19–59% of people in England survive head and neck cancers for 10 or more years
Kevin Conroy — Numerous Batman Projects
Type: Intestinal Cancer
‘Our time is so limited, you never know what someone is battling’
Fact: Between 2019 and 2021, the number of all cancers diagnosed in England decreased by 1% for males (from 169,599 to 167,918)
Adam West — Numerous Batman Projects
Type: Leukemia
‘Over the years, I’ve learned that if you can just hang in there and, regardless of what’s presented to you, take it as a challenge and try to bring in something fresh, then it works’
Fact: Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer
Keanu Reeves — DC League of Super-Pets
Type: Dyslexia
‘Because I had trouble reading, I wasn’t a good student… I didn’t finish high school. I did a lot of pretending as a child. It was my way of coping with the fact that I didn’t really feel like I fit in’
Fact: It’s estimated up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia
Michael C. Hall — JL: Gods and Monsters
Type: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
‘I feel fortunate to have been diagnosed with an imminently treatable and curable condition, and I thank my doctors and nurses for their expertise and care’
Fact: 75% survive Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for 10 or more years
Will Arnett — Lego Batman
Type: Addiction
‘I don’t want to make a show about AA because it’s a personal experience for anybody who is a part of that. My relationship with it has changed over the years, and I wanted the show to reflect that in a real way’
Fact: The risk to your health is increased by drinking any amount of alcohol regularly
