Daryl Hannah Has Autism, She Says; Once Fainted on `Late Show With David Letterman’

Daryl Hannah has autism and the “Kill Bill” and “Splash” star is going public with her lifelong struggle with the disease.

In the new issue of People magazine, Daryl Hannah said that was diagnosed with autism as a child. The future star says she has spent her entire life battling a "debilitating shyness." Daryl Hannah told People,"I wasted so much time scared, self-conscious and insecure.”

Daryl Hannah told People magazine that she exhibited many of the signs of autism when she was growing up in Chicago. She said she was disconnected from other people and would incessantly rock her body. The future star "checked out" when she was in school.

Doctors diagnosed Daryl Hannah with autism when the disorder was yet understood. Doctors wanted to have Daryl Hannah medicated and institutionalized. Daryl Hannah’s mother, Susan, who was a teacher, refused and let her daughter find comfort watching old movies.

Daryl Hannah moved to Los Angeles when she was 17 to pursue a film career, ultimately becoming a successful actress. But the sweet shyness she showed in movies like “Steel Magnolias” wasn’t an act.

Daryl Hannah’s “debilitating shyness” made a hard time of it. Daryl Hannah admitted "I've never been comfortable being the center of attention. It's always freaked me out."

Even after she became well known as an actress, Daryl Hannah said she was still "terrified" to tell people about her autism, especially producers. Daryl Hannah said that because she was a "socially awkward, incredibly shy person," she developed a reputation as a diva. She refused to meet with movie executives, or go on talk shows, or appear at her own premieres.

According to reports, Daryl Hannah fainted on the set of "Late Show With David Letterman" once. Daryl Hannah admits that she had to be medicated to attend the Academy Awards.

Hannah says it was "not because I was above it, but because I was terrified.

Hilary Shepard told People magazine "I've seen her so nervous she's literally shaking on a red carpet."

In a 2007 interview with the environmental group Amazon Watch in 2007, she admitted, "I maybe had Asperger's [syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder]. It wasn't widely understood at the time."

Daryl Hannah told People, "I'm a grow-up now. I've learned a couple of things that would have really made my life easier if I'd only known them 20 years ago. … I wasted so much time scared, self-conscious, and insecure."

The 52-year-old Daryl Hannah is now able to manage her symptoms. Hannah still occasionally appears in movies but she likes keeping a lower profile. She lives off the grid on a ranch filled with animals in Los Angeles. She focuses her energy on environmental activism.

Daryl Hannah has appeared in more than 50 movies, including "Kill Bill," "Blade Runner," and "Wall Street." She had high-profile relationships with John F. Kennedy Jr. and the California musician Jackson Browne.