3 days ago
Sirens star reveals she had private health condition written into hit Netflix show
Lauren Weedman, a cast member on the new hit Netflix show Sirens, has revealed how the producers adapted the script to accommodate her recent Bell's palsy diagnosis.
The actor, best known for roles in Hacks and Abbott Elementary, plays a family chef, Patrice, in the newly-released dark comedy series, which is based on Molly Smith Metzler's play Elmeno Pea.
Sirens follows Devon (Meghann Fahy), who believes her sister Simone (Alcock) has a strange relationship with her new boss, the socialite Michaela Kell (Julianne Moore). Michaela's life of luxury is addictive to Simone, and Devon decides it's time for an intervention.
Weedman, 56, has disclosed that after filming the first two episodes of the show last summer, she was diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a temporary weakness or lack of movement that usually affects one side of the face. Weedman experienced facial paralysis on the right side of her face, an inability to align her lips and smile normally, an inability to close her right eye, headaches and general discomfort.
Speaking in a new interview with The Huffington Post, Weedman said that waiting for her visible symptoms to subside was not an option during filming, and spoke to the production team about how to move forward with her role.
Weedman ultimately suggested the team write Bell's palsy into her character's storyline, which she said the production team supported.
'I wanted to talk to [the Sirens team] about it as soon as I could so I wouldn't be stressed the whole time,' Weedman said.
The show's creator, Metzler, said in the same interview that she had 'fallen in love' with Weedman's character and wanted to actor to take the lead on how she wanted to continue the character's storyline.
'We didn't even wanna conceive of the show without her in it', Metzler said, who added she was 'so so game' when Weedman suggested writing in the Bell's palsy storyline.
'It's such a terrific character trait', Metzler said. She also added that the tortured, long-suffering Patrice is made more relatable with the line, 'Every summer, this happens; the stress of this job, my Bell's palsy is back.'
Weedman has previously experienced a mild case of Bell's palsy while pregnant with her son, Leo, but the symptoms subsided quickly.
Her experience with Bell's palsy was very different the second time around, and she received steroid and antiviral therapy and acupuncture.
At night, she'd tape her right eye shut to keep it from drying out while she experienced severe fatigue and pain.
Weedman added she was 'so happy' she could continue working since she had guest spots on Hacks and Abbott Elementary during that period, and that the producers were also accommodating.
But she admitted she lost out on at least two series, including a new comedy and an Emmy-nominated drama, due to not yet having regained full control of her face.
The NHS states that Bell's palsy symptoms should get better within six months, with treatment including a 10-day course of steroid medicine. Symptoms include weakness on one side of the face, or not being able to move a side of the face, a drooping eyelid or corner of your mouth, drooling, a dry mouth, loss of taste and a dry or watering eye.
Sometimes, the condition can lead to permanent facial weakness and symptoms such as facial pain around the jaw and behind the ear, a constantly watering eye, difficulty eating or drinking, changes in their sense of taste and difficulty with loud sounds.
