When it comes to naming famous people and celebrities with Parkinson’s disease, most people can name at least one famous man. But can you name any female celebrities with Parkinson’s disease?
We highlight some of the famous women in the public eye with Parkinson’s, from the actress Valerie Perrine – who played a showgirl in ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ and a villain’s moll in ‘Superman’ – to Canadian rock singer Martha Johnson.
Famous women with Parkinson’s
Valerie Perrine
Superman star and seventies silver screen icon Valerie Perrine launched her career with a role in Slaughterhouse Five (1972). She went on to star alongside some of the most celebrated actors of the time, including Dustin Hoffman in Lenny, Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, and Christopher Reeve in the original ‘Superman’ film in 1978.
Read more about women and Parkinson’s
Now retired, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2015. She has since undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery to try and reverse the effects of her tremor. Valerie’s “fascinating life” was the inspiration behind ‘Valerie’. This short documentary directed and produced by filmmaker Stacey Souther, which celebrates Perrine’s career while highlighting the impact of her condition.
Read more about Valerie Perrine and Parkinson’s
Lysette Anthony
TV and movie actor Lysette Anthony, known for her roles in Woody Allen’s Husbands And Wives and UK soap opera Hollyoaks, was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s at the age of 52.
The star of Krull and Dracula: Dead and Loving It credits comedian Sir Billy Connolly with her path to diagnosis. Hearing Connolly discuss his experience of Parkinson’s made the actor realise she, too, might have the condition: “I just thought, ‘That’s what I’ve got.’ I just knew it.”
In an interview where she shared her diagnosis, Lysette said: “I’ve decided to speak out because there’s no cure, and I want to be part of the cure. But looking at Billy Connolly and the work of Michael J Fox, who both have Parkinson’s, I want to step up to the plate.
“I would not swap my world now, although I could do without the pain. Now that I’ve accepted it, it’s such a relief not to have to hide it anymore.”
Read more about Lysette Anthony living with Parkinson’s
Janet Reno
Known for being the first woman to hold the position of attorney general of the United States, American lawyer Janet Reno was also a member of the Honorary Council of the former Parkinson’s Action Network, which merged with the Michael J Fox Foundation.
She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1995, while serving in office, and went on to become the longest serving attorney general in the 20th century.
Janet died on 7 November 2016 at the age of 78.
Pauline Collins
Actor Pauline Collins was best known for her stage and screen portrayal of unhappy housewife Shirley Valentine, as well as her roles in hit TV shows The Liver Birds and Upstairs, Downstairs.
The UK-born star played the title role in the play Shirley Valentine, winning multiple theatre awards for her performance. She returned to the role for the 1989 film adaption of Willy Russell’s tale of a working class woman rediscovering her confidence, earning her a BAFTA award, as well as Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
Pauline died on 5 November 2025, aged 85. In a statement, her family said she died peacefully in her London care home, having had Parkinson’s for several years. They added: “She could not have had a more peaceful goodbye. We hope you will remember her at the height of her powers; so joyful and full of energy.”
Margaret Bourke-White
US photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White witnessed many important moments in the 20th century. One of the first four photographers hired by ‘Life’ magazine, her images recorded Soviet industry, the Great Depression and the liberation of Buchenwald concentration camp. She also took the last photos of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948 – just before his assassination.
Bourke-White was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the mid-1950s. An article published in ‘Life’, titled ‘Famous Lady’s Indomitable Fight’ (1959), detailed the challenges she faced as a result of the condition and her experiences of treatment, which included a now-discarded operation called a ‘chemothalamectomy’. She died, aged 67, in 1971.
Deborah Kerr
The Scottish-born star of classic cinema was best known for her roles in ‘The King and I’ (1956) and ‘An Affair to Remember’ (1957), co-starring Hollywood legend Cary Grant. Nominated for six Academy Awards, and winning two Golden Globe Awards, the star was diagnosed with Parkinson’s which she lived with until her death in 2007, aged 86.
Martha Johnson
Canadian rock singer Martha Johnson, best known as the lead vocalist in eightiesdiag new-wave band, Martha and the Muffins, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2001 at the age of 51. She continues to perform while raising funds for the condition – with a portion of the proceeds from her 2013 album ‘Solo One’ going towards the Michael J Fox Foundation. She regularly attends Rock Steady Boxing classes, and has supported the organisation through fundraising.
Barbara Thompson
English jazz saxophonist and composer Barbara Thompson, who was awarded an MBE for services to music, worked closely with composer Andrew Lloyd Webber on shows including ‘Cats’ and ‘Starlight Express’.
Having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1997, the musician was forced to retire from music for a short period before returning to the stage in 2003.
Commenting on her Parkinson’s in a blog post, she said: “I decided earlier on that the only way to cope as not to make it the main point of my life, but treat it as an unwelcome visitor.” Barbara died 9 July 2022.
Cait Brennan
Despite being diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s in 2013, US glam rock singer-songwriter, actress and screenwriter Cait Brennan went on to release her critically acclaimed debut album ‘Debutante’ three short years later. While she undergoes intensive voice therapy to protect her voice and her ability to perform, she has said that when performing live on stage, she feels “absolutely free from any kind of discomfort or physical limitation”.
Victoria Dillard
Spin City star Victoria Dillard starred alongside fellow person with Parkinson’s Michael J Fox in the long-running hit US sitcom.
The actor, also known for her roles in Hollywood movies such as Coming To America, was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s age 36.
In an interview, she revealed she noticed a tremor in her left hand about six months after giving birth to her second child in 2006. It worsened to the point where she couldn’t brush her teeth or sign her name. She went on to see a neurologist, who diagnosed her with Parkinson’s disease.
