Lewis Bridgeman has already made an impression on soap fans after joining EastEnders back in June.
The actor plays Barney Mitchell, a character who has already gotten himself in a whole heap of trouble as he’s left fearing for his life.
However, in the real world, he isn’t just known for his acting talents, he also is one of the world’s smartest people.
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At the age of 12, he passed Mensa’s rigorous intelligence test, meaning that his IQ, or intelligence quotient, is among the top 2% of the world’s population.
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society globally with the minimum accepted IQ for the group listed at 132.
Lewis’ mum Jayne was incredibly proud of her son, who attended Plume Academy in Maldon, England.
She told the Maldon Standard: “His IQ is high but he struggles with social things like making friends. But the Plume have been brilliant - he’s come on so much.”
Lewis has suffered from anxiety over the years and was diagnosed with autism and dyspraxia.
Jayne shared: “I was told he was going to have a horrible time at secondary school but it’s been quite the opposite – they’ve been amazing.
“He has found confidence in himself and now getting this from Mensa has been fantastic for his confidence because someone thinks he is clever. I always knew he was clever, but not to that extent.
“He started talking early and he was very good at maths and figures at a very early age.
“Now we know why we all get beaten by him at quiz games, and how he gets the answers right watching University Challenge.”
Lewis found a love for drama at the age of six and joined the National Youth Theatre at 14 years old. He previously wanted to be an actor or a drama teacher.
His mum previously said: “He is very successful in his drama club and is a different boy when he’s on stage. On Friday he got up in front of 100 people and wasn’t nervous, yet he doesn’t go outside at break time or lunch time.”
She also shared that he is one of the youngest to get through to the National Youth Theatre.
“He has huge anxieties in everyday life, but when he’s on the stage, he’s like a different person. He adores everything to do with theatre and film,” Jayne said.
The EastEnders star was also given the Young Achiever Of The Year award at the Pride of Maldon Awards in 2020.
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