Paul Stanley Opens Up About How Facial Deformity Connected Him to Phantom of the Opera Character

Published: June 16, 2025

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has revealed how his facial deformity helped him connect to the character he played in The Phantom of the Opera. In an interview on The Magnificent Others podcast, Stanley, 73, opened up about how his birth defect, called microtia, helped him understand the character's struggles.

Stanley recalled how he was "teased" because of his facial difference, which made him feel like an outcast. However, playing the Phantom, who has a "ghastly facial deformity," allowed him to connect with the character on a deeper level.

"I didn't realize at the time how I connected with that character because, well, he has this ghastly facial deformity," Stanley said. "I had an ear that got scrutiny and stared at and teased, and I separated myself from people and didn't know how to interact with people."

Stanley also revealed that he received letters from people who were moved by his performance, including a woman who was the president of a charity group called About Face that works with children with facial differences.

Stanley opened up to the woman about his "secret" of having microtia, a condition where the external ear is small and not formed properly. He revealed that throughout his life, he covered his facial difference with hair.

For Stanley, sharing his story was "cathartic," and he hopes that it can inspire others who may be struggling with similar issues.

Read more about Paul Stanley's journey and how he overcame his facial deformity to become a rockstar: KISS' Paul Stanley Reveals a Physical Deformity Pushed Him to Pursue Stardom