Celebrity with Pectus Excavatum

Famous Actors with Pectus Excavatum

Actors

Joaquin Phoenix

Acclaimed for his performances in films such as Gladiator and Joker, has an asymmetrical low pectus arcuatum. This characteristic is noticeable in some of his on-screen appearances, particularly in The Master (2012), Her (2013), and Joker (2019).

Interestingly, in the anthology The Further Adventures of The Joker (1990), a collection of short stories centered on Batman's infamous antagonist, it is suggested that the Joker suffers from pectus excavatum, as highlighted by this excerpt:

"The chest shows a moderate pectus excavatum. The heart is normal in size and rhythm with no murmurs. The lungs are clear to auscultation and percussion." It’s important to note that this book, and therefore this description, is not part of the official DC Comics canon.

An intriguing fact is that Joaquin Phoenix, who played the Joker in 2019, himself has pectus excavatum.

Zachary Woods (Zach Woods)

Zach Woods, known for his roles in The Office and Silicon Valley, mentioned his pectus (classified as type 2 in Chin's classification, meaning symmetrical, shallow, and extending into the pectoral regions) during an interview on The Late Late Show with James Corden on August 1, 2016.

"I have something called pectus excavatum, which is like this indentation or concave area of my chest. So, I took my shirt off, and I saw the casting director's eyes drop to this indentation in my chest and show an utterly undisguised look of horror. And (laughs) I thought, okay, I’m not getting this role."

This anecdote illustrates how his condition might have influenced casting decisions, yet it hasn’t hindered his artistic career.

Joël Kinnaman

Joel Kinnaman, a Swedish-American actor known for roles in Altered Carbon and Suicide Squad, has spoken openly about his pectus excavatum. In a 2019 interview on The Ellen Show, he shared his experience with the condition and the corrective surgery he underwent.

He explained that his hole in the chest was so pronounced that it began compressing his heart, making intense physical activity difficult. These symptoms described a functional impact of the pectus, which required orthopedic surgery.

In 2015, he underwent surgery where two Nuss bars were inserted into his chest to push the sternum outward. These bars remained in place for three years.

Keanu Reeves

The globally recognized actor from The Matrix and John Wick franchises might have a mild pectus excavatum, often classified as a low pectus arcuatum. Keanu Reeves has never publicly addressed this condition, and it remains nearly imperceptible in his case.

Jeff Goldblum

Known for his magnetic screen presence, Jeff Goldblum has a low pectus arcuatum. This unique physical trait is especially noticeable in his iconic roles, such as in Jurassic Park. Although he hasn’t discussed the condition publicly, it adds to his distinct visual appeal.

Oscar Isaac

Acclaimed for his roles in Inside Llewyn Davis and Star Wars, Oscar Isaac has a minor low pectus arcuatum. This feature is visible in scenes where he appears shirtless, such as in A Most Violent Year and Dune.

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser, star of The Mummy and Oscar winner for The Whale, has a symmetric low pectus excavatum (type 1.4 in Chavoin’s classification). This trait can be observed in George of the Jungle (1997), where he appeared shirtless.

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas, a legend of American cinema, displayed a slight low pectus arcuatum. This characteristic was visible in several of his films, particularly in shirtless roles such as Spartacus (1960), The Vikings (1958), Lust for Life (1956), Champion (1949), and Ulysses (1954).

Although identified as early as 1911 by L. Meyer and later in 1949 by Dr. Ravitch, this deformity received little attention in Douglas's era. The second half of the 20th century largely viewed pectus as a cosmetic issue within a conservative public health framework.

Actresses

Women’s Pectus excavatum is harder to identify, as breasts can partially mask the indentation in the chest.

Hayden Panettiere

The American actress, best known for her role in the series Heroes (2006), has a low pectus arcuatum combined with strabismus of both breast implants, which fails to completely conceal the deformity in the upper chest. Initially, she had a mild pectus that was accentuated after undergoing breast augmentation.

Tori Spelling

The Beverly Hills 90210 actress from the 1990s has a low pectus arcuatum (Type 4 in Chavoin’s classification) with large breast implants meant to conceal it. Unfortunately, without prior correction of her chest indentation using a 3D implant, there is an internal tilt causing the breasts to touch each other, accentuating the aesthetic issue.

Athletes with Pectus Excavatum

The main question that arises when one has pectus excavatum or sees it in someone else is whether the deformity has any health implications, particularly in terms of respiratory or cardiac capacity.

This is a question that the following athletes have not dwelled on, as they reached the pinnacle of success without worrying about their initial physical condition.

Cody Miller

American Olympic swimmer, has often discussed his pectus excavatum and its impact on his sports career. Despite having a pronounced deformity, classified as a deep low pectus arcuatum, he won a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke and a gold medal in the men’s 4x100m medley relay at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

His best quote on the subject, infused with humor and pragmatism: “When you look at me from the side, it looks like I have a big hole in my chest, because I do”. (“When you look at me from the side, it looks like I have a big hole in my chest, because I do.”)

He does not shy away from discussing the topic and has embraced his physical condition: "I know what it feels like to walk into a room and not feel comfortable, to not like the way you look in the mirror. [...] Once I accepted that I had a big hole in my chest and that it wasn't a problem, it stopped bothering me as much." — Interview avec Olympic Channel, Jeux Olympiques.

However, it seems his chest deformity has had some impact on his lung capacity: "Having pectus excavatum means the chest cavity is sunken, which slightly reduces my lung capacity. But I’ve never let that be an excuse; instead, it’s motivated me to work harder." — Statement on his YouTube channel

Pieter Van Den Hoogenband

The Dutch swimmer, a specialist in the 100m and 200m freestyle events, has a low pectus arcuatum classified as type 4. This did not stop him from becoming a triple Olympic champion and holding the world record in the 100m freestyle for eight years!

Thomas Ceccon

Once again, we’re talking about a swimmer—this time, an Italian athlete with a small low pectus arcuatum accentuated by his muscular build and prominent costal flares. Thomas Ceccon has won numerous titles and recently earned a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in the 100m backstroke category.

He has never publicly spoken about his chest deformity, but he often tends to conceal his chest by crossing his arm over it, as though holding onto a childhood reflex to prevent others from noticing the indentation in his torso. Conclusion

Conclusion

Funnel chest is a common but mostly benign condition, affecting both celebrities and elite athletes. While it can be psychologically challenging to accept, custom 3D implants provide an ideal solution for correcting asymptomatic cases.

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