Cleft lips are a common facial deformity that can affect anyone, no matter their race or gender. Many famous people have been born with a cleft lip, but they’re living proof that having a cleft lip doesn’t mean you can’t live life to the fullest.
What the majority of people don’t know, is that there are many different celebrities and famous people that were born with cleft lip and went on to have surgery to get it fixed. Some openly talk about this, while others have waited to bring it up.
In this article, we are going to highlight some of those names and how it’s help shaped their lives.
15 Famous People Born With Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
The famous faces we see on the red carpet are often seen as perfect specimens of beauty and grace, but many have had to overcome facial abnormalities or diseases in order to get to where they are.
Here are some of the most popular people that have had life experience with a cleft palate.
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix is an Academy Award-winning actor and producer best known for his roles in Gladiator, Walk the Line, Her, and other films.
Phoenix was born with a cleft lip and has spoken openly about it over the years. In 2018, he worked with Operation Smile to raise funds to help children with facial deformities around the world.
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson is an American civil rights activist who ran for president twice in 1984 and 1988. He was born with a cleft lip which he chose not to have corrected as an adult because he wanted to serve as an example of strength despite having a physical defect.
He often speaks out against prejudice against those living with disabilities and works tirelessly to ensure that all people are treated equally regardless of their physical appearance.
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning is a retired NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion from the Indianapolis Colts. He was born with a cleft lip and had surgery to correct it as an infant, but still has scarring on his upper lip.
Despite this, he didn’t let the condition hold him back and went on to become one of the most successful quarterbacks in history.
Cheech Marin
Cheech Marin is an actor and comedian best known for his roles in films such as Up In Smoke, Desperado, Born In East LA, and The Lion King 1½. He was born with a cleft lip which was corrected when he was five months old by cosmetic surgeons at USC Medical Center using wire stitching technique.
Marin has since been very vocal about the importance of children receiving corrective surgery for cleft lip as early in life as possible.
Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw is an American television journalist who served as anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He was born with a cleft lip and underwent cosmetic surgery at age twenty-five to correct it.
Although he’s never spoken publicly about his condition, he believes that it didn’t stop him from achieving success in his career.
Doc Holliday
Doc Holliday was an American dentist, gambler, and gunfighter who lived during the late 1800s. He was born with a cleft lip which appears to have gone untreated because he still had it later in life.
Despite this, he was a renowned gunslinger and became known as one of the deadliest men in the Wild West.
Lee R Raymond
Lee R Raymond is an American businessman who served as chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil from 1999 to 2005. He was born with a cleft lip which he had surgically corrected when he was three years old.
Although his cleft lip didn’t hinder him from achieving success, he has been very vocal about using surgery to help children with facial deformities gain confidence in their appearance.
Stacy Keachk
Stacy Keachk is an actor best known for playing Mike Hammer on television and film. He was born with a cleft lip which was completely repaired by age five through several surgeries.
Unlike some people with clefts, Keachk has never shied away from talking about it and credits his success to the strength he gained from overcoming this physical defect.
José Ferrer
José Ferrer was a Puerto Rican actor, director, and singer who won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1950 for his role in Cyrano de Bergerac.
Ferrer was born with a cleft lip which was partially corrected by surgery when he was young but still had a slight scar on his upper lip throughout life. He often spoke positively of having a cleft lip as it helped him to relate to characters in difficult emotional situations.
Geoff Plant
Geoff Plant is a Canadian lawyer who served as British Columbia’s Attorney General from 2001-2005. He was born with a cleft lip and underwent corrective surgery as a baby.
He has since become an advocate for people with facial deformities, and believes that having a cleft lip gave him the strength to overcome challenges in his career.
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Bachar is an American singer and songwriter, dancer, and model who was a member of the pop group The Pussycat Dolls from 1995-2008.
She was born with a cleft lip which she had surgically corrected when she was young. She often speaks about her experience with her cleft lip and how it made her stronger and more confident in herself.
Wendy Harmer
Wendy Harmer is an Australian comedian, writer, broadcaster, actor, author, and playwright. She was born with a cleft lip which was partially corrected by surgery when she was young.
Harmer believes that her cleft lip has helped her to become a better performer and speaker, as it gave her the strength to be able to face difficult audiences without fear.
Lee R Raymond
Lee R Raymond is an American businessman who served as chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil from 1999-2005. He was born with a cleft lip which he had surgically corrected when he was three years old.
Despite this condition, he went on to lead one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world and achieved tremendous success. He often speaks positively about his experience with a cleft lip and how it helped him understand how people perceive physical differences.
Celebrities that Suffer from Abnormalities and Diseases
Celebrities and famous people often have to face the public eye even when facing physical abnormalities or diseases, which can be difficult for anyone. But some celebrities have used their influence to promote awareness of these conditions and inspire others.
Take Cara Delevingne for example. She was born with a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which affects how her hormones work and causes irregular periods, hormonal acne, weight gain, hair growth and other symptoms.
Despite this condition, she embraced her natural beauty and became an influential model in the fashion industry. To learn more about such cases and stories, be sure to view our list of celebrities that suffer from mental health conditions.
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