Actor Justin Theroux to Be Honored at DC Gala

PHOTO of Justin Theroux from ‘The Leftovers,’ HBO

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Actor and writer Justin Theroux and other high-profile adults who have dealt with learning differences will be honored Thursday night by The Lab School of Washington when they host their 31st Anniversary Gala at the National Building Museum.

The evening gala will honor Theroux and three other people with learning differences that have made great achievements in their field, the school announced.

Theroux is an actor, screenwriter and director, and currently stars in “The Leftovers” on HBO.

“The first time I was ever called on to read I could not,” Theroux said in an interview with NPR. “I was called on the first or second day of this public school to read, and I remember looking down at the piece of paper that I was supposed to read and the first word was ‘the,’ which I could read because it’s the first three letters of my last name, but I couldn’t read a single other word. It was like just looking at Greek.”

In addition to Theroux, others who will be honored Thursday by the Lab School are:

• Sally Taylor, musician and artist, founder of CONSENSES, daughter of James Taylor and Carly Simon
• Dean Bragonier, former Martha’s Vineyard restaurateur and founder of NoticeAbility.org
• Louis “Bo” Polk, business executive and venture capitalist

Earlier on Thursday, awardees will tour The Lab School campuses and participate in an assembly with students. At the assembly, students will have the opportunity to ask questions of the awardees and learn how these very successful people struggled with many of the same issues students currently face. The awardees serve as an inspiration for the students and their families who can see a bright future for themselves or their children.

For almost 50 years, The Lab School has provided an educational experience for students who learn differently, either from having diagnosed issues like dyslexia, ADHD or other learning differences that made it challenging for them to learn in a traditional school setting.

This annual gala and dinner dance raises critical funds to continue the mission of the school to unlock each child’s full potential.