In a candid revelation during the 20th-anniversary episode of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!,’ Hollywood icon George Clooney disclosed that he had battled Bell’s palsy as a teenager. The 51-year-old actor’s revelation added a deeply personal layer to an evening filled with laughter and nostalgia.
George Clooney, best known for his roles in movies like ‘Up in the Air’ and ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ made this revelation during an engaging late-night interview on Thursday. The special anniversary episode featured not only the actor but also the legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, who joined the conversation.
As the show’s host, Jimmy Kimmel, delved into Clooney’s past, he unearthed a treasure trove of childhood photos. The first snapshot displayed a young Clooney with a bowl cut and glasses, evoking chuckles from the audience. The actor, ever the humorist, couldn’t resist cracking a joke about his mother’s hairstyling skills.
However, it was the second photograph that took a poignant turn. It portrayed a 15-year-old George Clooney, sporting long hair and a youthful side-smile. Clooney interrupted before Kimmel could tease him, revealing a significant detail: “Now wait, I want to point out something because you’re going to laugh, gonna make a joke. I have Bell’s palsy there, and half of my face is paralyzed.”
To illustrate, Clooney covered one side of his younger self’s face and then the other. “Look at this, watch this, if you go like this, on the other side, it’s a completely different face,” the actor remarked with a wry smile. Kimmel, with good-natured humor, responded, “You know what? I didn’t have a joke, George, and you really brought everybody down.” The men shared a laugh and a toast before moving on to the next snapshot, capturing Clooney’s later high school years, showing a handsome young man.
Bell’s palsy is a neurological condition that leads to sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face, resulting in a characteristic slanted smile. As described by the Mayo Clinic, this weakness is typically temporary, with recovery taking anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Fortunately, Bell’s palsy rarely recurs, although its precise causes remain unknown. Experts speculate it may be linked to nerve inflammation in the face.
George Clooney’s revelation on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ shines a spotlight on a condition that affects many individuals around the world, offering a poignant reminder of the unpredictability of health. Notably, Clooney isn’t the only celebrity to open up about their battle with Bell’s palsy. Actress Angelina Jolie disclosed her diagnosis in a 2016 interview with Vanity Fair, shedding light on the challenges of living with this condition, alongside discussing her other health issues and medical procedures, such as hypertension and surgeries, including a hysterectomy and a double mastectomy.