Years ago, this actress injured a part of her body, leading to a lifelong dependence on a medical procedure. Since then, she has battled other ailments as she continues to age.
This celebrity, born on September 13, 1956, in Buffalo, New York, is an actress, producer, and writer, known for starring in several series, including 1987’s “21 Jump Street.” Throughout her career, she has struggled with medical issues, which led her to rely on Botox. Here’s what we know about her story.
Acting While Living with a Disability
During a 2019 interview, the actress, who lives with cerebral palsy, opened up about her greatest challenge while filming. According to the Centers for Disease Control, cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to walk, move, or maintain balance. She revealed that healing was difficult:
“I had a lot of physical pain. Words can’t even begin to describe it. I would be performing on set and, Oh my God, the pain level would go through the roof. But I knew that I had to do it. I had to rise above it and do the role.”
At 62, “The Facts of Life” star shared that she was assisted by “Deadwood’s” program creator, David Milch, who provided her with a wheelchair-accessible trailer. At the time, she was already a part-time wheelchair user.
Recovering from surgery was the hardest part for her because afterward, she could not stand for long periods. She explained, “I could only stand for maybe a couple of minutes. … It was certainly challenging not just as an actress — spiritually too.”
The star continued, “It’s probably one of the most important challenges I’ve ever accomplished and overcome. I’m very proud of that role.” When asked how she was doing, the celebrity said, “Today I’m doing well. I’m walking again in my own special way.”
She explained that she could now stand for more than 30 minutes without kneeling and crying in pain. “That’s why I had surgery in the first place. Now I can stand in line for as long as I have to. You know, I will always be physically challenged. I’ve had two spinal cord surgeries so I’m always challenged. But I’m doing very, very well,” she elaborated.
When asked if she ever worried about not getting quality roles because some people did not know how to work with someone with a disability, the actress gave a candid answer. She laughed and revealed, “You know, not really. I didn’t have room to be scared.”
She explained that she spent three years in college before starting stand-up comedy. The star took up stand-up because of falling behind in college, and being on stage felt like heaven to her.
She told herself she had to succeed because she had no other choice. The star shared, “And when you start off as a stand-up comic, any comic would tell you the scariest place in the world is being on that stage with a microphone on [sic] your hand and nothing to fall back on. Everything else was not so difficult.” And in the past, she’s faced issues with addiction.
Struggling with Addiction Due to Prescription Medication
In her book, “I’m Walking as Straight as I Can,” she discussed how she ended up needing Botox. The actress explained, “Prescription drugs have always been a part of my journey because I deal with a lot of chronic pain… But I think when I was so high on prescription drugs in ’99 that I flipped over backward and basically crushed a lot of my bones in my neck.”
Ironically, the medication she had taken was intended for her neck. She even mentioned that during her earlier performances, her head moved involuntarily. It took time for her to heal, with her stating, “But now I use Botox!”
The actress shared that she had been receiving three to four vials of Botox in her neck for chronic pain since 1999. This came after she broke her neck, requiring emergency surgery. However, she clarified, “But I’ve never had it in my face… I’m going to age naturally.”
She also spoke about what kept her moving forward, saying, “As a performer, it’s because opportunities continue to come my way. As a human being… it’s my spirituality, my relationship with God. That is what’s moving me forward.”
The star noted that without her beliefs, nothing else would have made sense to her. She concluded, “I just keep putting one foot in front of the other in my special way.” The actress was the first person with a visible disability to act on primetime television.
Setting the Tone in the Entertainment Industry
Speaking about her “Deadwood” role, she said it was an “honor” to be the first person with a visible disability on a hit primetime show. She added, “It’s a miracle in itself that I am the first one… I’m proud of the fact that I was able to open the first door. The first door is the heaviest.”
The celebrity also noted that she had to credit Norman Lear “who made that happen. It wasn’t just me.” Lear is credited with discovering her and writing her “Facts of Life” storyline. When asked about her relationship with her female co-stars from the series, the actress revealed that they were friends, although she was closest to Lisa Whelchel.
The celebrity said she was 23 when she was cast to play Geri Tyler, while Whelchel was 17. For nine months, they were roommates and they built a bond. However, by the time she gave the interview, she was no longer in touch with her former cast members.
She explained, “We’ve all gone on [sic] our separate directions. We did get together for the TV Land Awards and some other shows. I did keep in touch with Charlotte Rae. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to spend quality time with her before she passed.”
The actress also discussed how she used comedy to challenge misconceptions about cerebral palsy, saying, “I make fun of the human condition. I think the healthiest sense of humor we could have is a sense of humor about ourselves. I have that.”
The star explained that this was a trait she inherited from her family recalling how her mother did not rush each time she mis stepped while learning to walk, but would instead humorously ask, “Is that trip necessary?”
Explaining her mother’s approach, the celebrity stated, “She got me to laugh so I wouldn’t take myself so seriously. That was an enormous gift.” As she nears 70, the actress describes what her life is like now.
What Life Looks Like Now for the Actress
At 68, Geri Jewell revealed that she is now battling additional health issues as she ages, something she continues to manage with “a sense of humor.” She shared on the “Still Here Hollywood” podcast on March 24, 2025, that she now struggles with hearing loss and finds walking more challenging.
Jewell added, “I’ve always had a certain gait, but my balance is not nearly as good. My hearing is impaired even more, and I get very, very frustrated.” Discussing factors that worsened her issues, she said, “My neck is now 45% titanium, and it’s pretty strong.”
Showing how she relies on humor, the actress continued, “But this cerebral palsy still wants to move my head all over the place, and my neck is going, ‘No! I can’t do that.'” She believes in pacing herself while hoping her medical insurance will not run out.
Jewell now receives two Botox injection vials in her neck and shoulders every three months. Explaining a muscle disorder she has, she shared, “I have dystonia, which I always had, but I never realized it.” The condition causes involuntary contractions, forcing her “neck [to be] pulled to one side.”
The star continued, “I have a titanium neck, I know when the Botox is wearing off because it’s pulling even farther. So I have a lot of issues, but so does everybody else when they age.” Steve Kmetko, the podcast’s host, noticed how smooth Jewell’s neck looked, with no visible wrinkles.
This led the celebrity to humorously note, “I have the neck of a 12-year-old.” The actress admitted that having a good sense of humor is a blessing. She added, “All the challenges that I’ve had — that everybody has in life — It’s a sense of humor that’s gonna get us through it. Because, if I couldn’t laugh once in a while, I’d be in a loony bin. I have to laugh. You have to.”
After seeing a clip of Jewell talking during the podcast, one viewer remarked, “This breaks my heart. I grew up with facts of life [sic]. I’m the same age as the cast/show. Geri was inspirational… No, that’s not right. She was more than inspirational.”
Another person commented, “What [an] inspiring lady she is. God bless 🙏🏼🥰.” On YouTube, a netizen wrote, “Wonderful to see her, a true survivor and a remarkable person inside and out!” Meanwhile, a fourth person shared, “Love her such a big part of my upbringing… happy memories. [sic]”
Jewell’s enduring spirit and humor continue to inspire fans worldwide. Her remarkable journey reminds us of the strength it takes to rise above life’s challenges.
