Aaron Lazar, the Broadway veteran best known for his performances in “The Light in the Piazza” and “Les Misérables,” has opened up about his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS.
The 47-year-old actor discussed the rare neurological disorder during a recent interview on the “Carefully Taught: Teaching Musical Theatre with Matty and Kikau” podcast.
“It’s a terminal disease that kills your nerves and takes your freedom before it takes your life,” he shared during the episode, which was released on Jan. 2.
Mr. Lazar said he was diagnosed with sporadic ALS in 2022. However, he first began experiencing symptoms eight months before that, suffering from bouts of muscle twitches and weakness as well as muscle atrophy, which is the thinning of the body’s muscles.
Living With ALS
Formerly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that impacts nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.Once the motor neurons die, they’re unable to send messages to the muscles, resulting in the aforementioned symptoms of muscle twitching, weakness, and atrophy. The symptoms gradually worsen over time and cause paralysis, impacting breathing and voluntary muscle movements like walking, talking, and chewing.
According to the ALS Association, the disease is age-related. Individuals tend to develop the condition between the ages of 40 and 70, and most cases are diagnosed around age 55. Although the disease does progress at varying speeds, the average life expectancy after diagnosis is around two to five years. However, some can live upwards of ten years.
There is currently no cure for ALS. However, treatments are available and may help slow its progression and increase life expectancy, per the National Institutes of Health.
Lazar’s ‘Impossible Dream’
The award-winning actor, who starred in 2013’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” and the 2020 television series “Filthy Rich,” among others, said he now sees his ALS diagnosis as a “divine opportunity disguised as an impossible situation.”“[F]or the most part, doctors in medicine will tell you you’re gonna die,” he said on the podcast. “Because your muscles just—your motor neurons degenerate, and your muscles stop working, and you’re alive and awake and aware. But you’re trapped and stuck in your body.”
However, Mr. Lazar doesn’t believe his condition will be terminal, drawing inspiration from the song “The Impossible Dream” from the musical “Man of La Mancha,” which he performed 23 years ago at his alma mater, the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.
Following his diagnosis, the Broadway icon said his new impossible dream was to beat ALS. But he’s since had a change of heart.
Learning to Heal
Now on a “healing journey,” Mr. Lazar spends his time prioritizing all aspects of his health, including his mental and emotional well-being. He enjoys reading books on how to heal the nervous system. He also gives presentations called “The Impossible Dream,” which intertwine the eponymous show tune and his journey with ALS.On Jan. 19, Mr. Lazar was honored at the Golden West Chapter of the ALS Association’s Champions for Cures and Care Gala. He was bestowed the 2024 Essey Spotlight Award for his commitment to raising awareness for the disease.
The actor has also received a show of support from many members of Hollywood since revealing his diagnosis, including Catherine Zeta-Jones, who shared the stage with Mr. Lazar during the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s 2019 musical, “A Little Night Music.” The actress took to Instagram to commend his performance of “The Impossible Dream,” writing: “Just amazing. Love you so much.”
Today, Mr. Lazar hopes his story will help others overcome any challenges they may be facing in life, too.
“I’m trying to use it as healing for me and hopefully healing for other people,” he explained. “If we can all help each other heal, wouldn’t that be a beautiful thing?”
