In an interview, actor Kimberly Williams-Paisley recalled the harrowing experience of losing her voice for two years.
The "Father of the Bride" alum revisited the memories in an interview with People, saying that she "felt trapped" in her own body after losing her voice in 2022. She was later diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia.
"I had to fight to be heard," she said. "Now, no matter what my physical voice is, my voice underneath is stronger. I feel more confident. I know myself better."
The actor found strength through her husband, country music star Brad Paisley, and sons Huck, 17, and Jasper, 15.
In November 2022, Williams-Paisley and her sister, actor Ashley Williams, prepared to host their annual Dance Party to End ALZ, a fundraiser dedicated to raising awareness about Alzheimer's. The event, created in memory of their mother, who died in 2016 after battling dementia, aimed to bring attendees together for a meaningful cause.
Williams-Paisley recalled the "terrifying" moment of putting "the mic to my mouth, and nothing came out."
The experience caused her to pull away from friends and turn down acting opportunities. She told People that she grappled with feelings of deep shame, admitting she "felt invisible." Initially, she believed her voice loss was something simple that could be fixed with "hot tea and rest."
"I went to self-blame," Williams-Paisley said, reflecting on the premiere of Netflix's "Dog Gone" last year. The loud noises on the red carpet, she told People, made it difficult to participate in press interviews.
"I sounded weak, and it's not how I felt. I went into the bathroom and cried, and a couple of friends held my hand," she said.
Last year she visited the Vanderbilt Voice Center, where she was diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia — causing her neck muscles to tense, forcing her vocal cords to meet, she said.
In August, she revisited the center and underwent a medialization laryngoplasty, which resulted in her voice returning — a moment she described as "unbelievable." Now, she says her voice is "much better."
"I still can't yell down the road," she said. "And at the end of a long day of talking, I'll sound a little more raspy than I used to, but I think that's sexy, and I've learned that when you talk quieter, people lean in, which is not bad either."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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