Julie Legg chats with Kiwi screenwriter, actor, and pro wrestling commentator Steve McCleary, best known for his work on Power Rangers. Steve reflects on his late ADHD diagnosis, tracing the thread from misunderstood childhood behaviours to the clarity that came in adulthood. He shares his pure joy for plot dynamics, his love of the creative process, how he’s redefined success, and how understanding his neurodivergence has reshaped his approach to writing, perspective, and living fully.
This conversation is a must-listen for anyone exploring diagnosis later in life, those in creative industries, or anyone seeking permission to love what they love, unapologetically.
Key Points from the Episode
- Steve’s journey to adult ADHD diagnosis
- How childhood trauma often masks neurodivergence
- The "brake pad" metaphor and the crash of coping mechanisms
- Why Power Rangers was the perfect ADHD job
- Inside the world of ADR, monster voices, and hyper-creative TV writing
- Wrestling, dopamine, and finding your tribe
- Managing distraction and burnout with intentional creative rituals
- Redefining success and choosing joy over judgement
- Encouragement for newly diagnosed creatives navigating ADHD
Links
- LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mccleary-9a649ba3/
- WEBSITE: https://proofreadernz.com/
- X: https://x.com/SJMcCleary
- INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/stevejmccleary/?hl=en
Thanks for listening.
- Visit ADHDifference.nz to find past episodes, videos, links, or to say hello!
- Get social with us on Instagram
- Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.