Geri Jewell

Geri Jewell was born on September 13, 1956, in Buffalo, New York. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at eighteen months old, Jewell and her family moved to Orange County, California, to access specialized care and schooling. Despite facing discrimination in her early education, she developed a keen interest in the arts. While studying accounting and psychology at Cypress College and Fullerton College, she was encouraged by a blind comedian, Alex Valdez, to pursue stand-up comedy at The Comedy Store. This marked a significant turning point in her career trajectory, leading her to drop out of college to focus on performing in 1978.

In 1980, Jewell achieved national recognition with a recurring role on the hit NBC sitcom “The Facts of Life.” Her portrayal of Geri Tyler, a character with cerebral palsy, was groundbreaking, making her the first actress with a visible disability to have a recurring role on a primetime television series. After her contract ended in 1984, she faced personal and professional challenges, including financial difficulties due to managerial fraud and a period of addiction. However, she found renewed purpose as an advocate for the disabled, speaking at the White House in 1985 about overcoming fear and prejudice.

Jewell expanded her career into motivational speaking and diversity consulting for Fortune 500 companies. Her return to television was solidified with her role as Jewel in the critically acclaimed HBO series “Deadwood” from 2004 to 2006, a role she reprised in the 2019 film continuation. She also authored two books, including her 2011 autobiography, “I’m Walking As Straight As I Can: Transcending Disability in Hollywood and Beyond,” which received multiple awards and addressed her cerebral palsy and her coming out as a lesbian.