Did Kimberly Williams-Paisley lose her voice in 2022? Actress addresses vocal disorder

Kimberly Williams-Paisley is opening up about the sudden onset of symptoms she experienced after a vocal disorder that left her voiceless for two years. In November 2022, the actress lost her voice due to muscle tension dysphonia, as reported by People Magazine.

The actress, 53, was welcoming guests at an annual Alzheimer’s fundraiser that honored her late mother, Linda Williams, who succumbed to dementia at 73 in 2016. Reflecting on the harrowing moment when she realized she couldn't speak, she told Fox News Digital,

"It was definitely a dramatic change for me. It was very embarrassing. I was on stage about to give a speech and suddenly had no voice."

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who is now slated to host the new season of the reality dating show Farmer Wants a Wife, added:

"And the next day, it wasn't back. And then a couple of weeks later, it still wasn't back. It sort of sounded very whispery and quiet. Kind of like I'd been at a rager or I was getting sick. A lot of people thought I was sick."

Kimberly Williams-Paisley reflects on her health struggles, shares advice for all those in the same boat

During an exclusive interview with TODAY on March 24, the actor and television host reflected on the frightening two-year ordeal she went through and how she "came out the other side." She stated,

"I open my mouth to welcome everybody and nothing came out. I had just nothing. My throat was completely clenched."

She revealed that her illness remained a mystery for about 18 months thereafter, adding,

"What we found out after a year and a half of me trying everything to try to figure this out was that I had paralysis in one of my vocal cords."

Kimberly Williams-Paisley also revealed that she had lost her voice in the past, but it was onstage in Nashville where it "completely went" for the first time. She then underwent several surgeries at the Vanderbilt Voice Center in Nashville to "plump up" her vocal cords, though she has since undergone a laryngoplasty surgery that rectified the issue. She mentioned she has an implant now to help deal with her issue,

"I started with filler, so I look 20 years younger on the side. And then that ran out, and so then I got a permanent fix."

She has since not faced any issues with her voice. Kimberly said,

"I feel great. It was so nice to go back to work after a long time. When you're in the middle of a weird, mysterious kind of health scare, it can feel like it's going to go on forever, and so I'm just so relieved that it's not. I'm on the other side of it. I'm stronger, I understand my body more. I came out the other side."

Reflecting on how the diagnosis took a toll on her career, Kimberly Williams-Paisley told People Magazine in an exclusive interview in December 2024. She mentioned,

"So much of our personalities are expressed in our voice and for me, so much of my career. And when that's not there, I thought, 'Who am I?' I felt invisible. I'm someone who tries to find the silver lining no matter what, but there are days when I really grieved."

She also shared some tips for people experiencing similar woes by asking people to consult a doctor when they notice the problem instead of trying to fix it with home remedies.

She also explained that there were "silver linings" to her struggles and mentioned that she has become a stronger person.

She further added,

"I think a lot of times when we face something like this, it helps lift us up in other areas of our lives. And so I worked on, 'What other ways can I use my voice?' And I started writing, and I journaled a lot and I got stronger, and I started lifting weights and I started meditating. So there are all these silver linings that I'm really grateful for."

Kimberly Williams-Paisley serves as the host of the reality dating show Farmer Wants a Wife, as she replaced Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles for the third season, which debuted on March 20.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback