With the news of Justin Timberlake‘s Lyme disease diagnosis, many are wondering why it seems that so many celebrities have the illness. Over the years, fans learned that some of Hollywood’s biggest names were living with the medical condition, such as Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Osbourne and more.
Conspiracy theories about show business have formed and mutated over the years, with the most notorious being the “celebrities die in 3s” rumor. So, why is Lyme disease such a common diagnosis?
Below, Hollywood Life explains everything you need to know about Lyme disease and which celebrities were diagnosed with it.
Why Do So Many Celebrities Have Lyme Disease?
It seems that a large portion of Hollywood has revealed Lyme disease diagnoses, and that’s because the illness is common in the United States. More than 400,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Lyme Disease Symptoms
The most commonly reported symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, facial paralysis, an irregular heartbeat, arthritis and a skin rash called erythema migrans, according to the CDC.
Can You Die From Lyme Disease?
Yes, but only in rare cases. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Lyme disease has resulted in few deaths, and there are treatments for the illness. However, if it’s left untreated, symptoms may linger for years.
Justin Bieber
In a since-deleted January 2020 Instagram caption, Justin revealed he had “recently” been diagnosed with Lyme disease in addition to a “serious case of chronic mono which affected [his] skin, brain function, energy, and overall health.”
Avril Lavigne
Since her 2015 diagnosis, Avril has opened up about her battle against Lyme disease. She once wrote on her website that she had “accepted death and could feel [her] body shutting down.”
Justin Timberlake
In July 2025, Justin shared a lengthy Instagram post about his diagnosis, admitting he would “be on stage … in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.”
“Among other things, I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease — which I don’t say so you feel bad for me — but to shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes,” the “Mirrors” crooner wrote. “If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.”
Shania Twain
In 2003, Shania was bitten by a tick, which resulted in Lyme disease. In her doc, Not Just a Girl, the music artist said her voice “was never the same again.”
“I thought I’d lost my voice forever,” Shania admitted. “I thought that was it, [and] I would never, ever sing again.”
Riley Keough
Riley told Vanity Fair in 2023 that she lives with Lyme disease.
Yolanda Hadid
Yolanda has opened up about her condition over the years. In September 2024, she wrote in an Instagram post that she had been battling Lyme disease for 15 years.
Bella Hadid
Bella was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 and updated fans in August 2023 about her journey.
“I have so much gratitude for and perspective on life, this 100+ days of Lyme, chronic disease, co infection treatment, almost 15 years of invisible suffering, was all worth it if I’m able to, God willing, have a lifetime of spreading love from a full cup, and being able to truly be myself, for the first time ever,” Bella wrote via Instagram at the time.
Ben Stiller
In October 2011, Ben told The Hollywood Reporter that he caught the disease in Nantucket, Massachusetts, “a couple years” prior.
“My knee became inflamed and they couldn’t figure out what it was, then they found out it was Lyme,” the actor-director told the publication. “I’m symptom-free now, but Lyme doesn’t ever leave your system. It’s a really tough thing.”
Alec Baldwin
Alec was infected by the bacteria around 20 years ago. During a 2021 podcast interview, he recalled how he got bitten by a tick.
“August of one summer I was standing on my friend’s porch at night, and it was a cool evening — it wasn’t a hot, steamy evening — and I felt literally this wave go over my back and over my shoulders and kind of wrap around me like a chill,” the actor said. “And I got just attacked. It came like someone snapped their fingers and put a spell on me.”
Amy Schumer
Amy broke the news of her diagnosis in a September 2020 social media post, noting she may have had the illness “for years.”
Kelly Osbourne
In her memoir, There Is No F*cking Secret: Letters From a Badass Bitch, Kelly unpacked her Lyme disease diagnosis and journey. She was bitten by a tick in England in 2004 and went undiagnosed for years.
