Lauren Weedman stars as Mayor Jo in "Hacks." Max

Actor Lauren Weedman has depended on her lovely, expressive face to make a living in Hollywood for more than three decades.

Weedman cracked audiences up in projects including “Date Night,” “Looking,” “Will & Grace,” “Arrested Development,” “Euphoria,” “Special” and “Mom.” Recently, she’s had recurring roles on Emmy-winning comedies “Abbott Elementary” and “Hacks.”

Then, last August, the 56-year-old actor experienced severe facial paralysis.

Weedman had developed Bell’s palsy, which temporarily paralyzes the muscles on one side of the face. The exact cause of the condition is unknown, but Bell’s palsy often stems from a viral infection that inflames the facial nerve. Stress can be a contributor. Her symptoms included complete freezing of the right side of her face, an inability to align her lips and smile normally, an inability to close her right eye, headache and general malaise.

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The paralysis began at the start of a three-week break from work. Weedman wasn’t auditioning for new gigs. She was already employed, having shot two episodes of the new hourlong dark comedy “Sirens,” which premiered May 22 on Netflix.

“The idea of sitting out and waiting for it to get better just was not an option,” Weedman wrote in a text to me.