You’ve seen her. Keala Settle, draped in purple silk, belting out "This Is Me" with enough raw power to shake the rafters of any theater. In the 2017 blockbuster film, The Greatest Showman bearded lady, known as Lettie Lutz, serves as the emotional heartbeat of P.T. Barnum’s ragtag group of performers. She is the symbol of defiance. She is the face of self-acceptance.
But here’s the thing: Lettie Lutz didn't exist. Not exactly.
Hollywood has a funny way of sanding down the sharp edges of history to make a better melody. While the character of Lettie is a fictional creation designed to carry the movie's message of empowerment, she is heavily based on a real person who lived a life far more complex—and arguably more interesting—than what you saw on the big screen. Her name was Annie Jones.
The Reality Behind the Greatest Showman Bearded Lady
Annie Jones was the "real" Greatest Showman bearded lady. Unlike the movie where Lettie is discovered as a grown woman hiding in a laundry, Annie was just a baby when she started her career with P.T. Barnum. We're talking nine months old.
Think about that for a second.
Her parents were paid a weekly salary of $150 in the 1860s, which was a massive amount of money at the time, to let Barnum exhibit their daughter as the "Infant Esau." By the time she was five, she had a mustache and sideburns. By her teens, she was a household name.
While the movie portrays the performers as a group of outcasts who found their only family within the circus walls, Annie Jones was actually one of the most successful and well-traveled women of her era. She wasn't just "the bearded lady." She was a musician. She was a linguist. She was a woman who navigated a world that viewed her as a "freak" with a level of business savvy that would make a modern influencer blush.
Keala Settle's portrayal captures the spirit of the performer's struggle, but the real-life Annie had to deal with things the movie ignores. For instance, the constant medical scrutiny. In the 19th century, people didn't just want to see the beard; they wanted to know why it was there. This led to endless "examinations" by doctors who were obsessed with determining her femininity. It was invasive. It was clinical. It was nothing like a catchy pop anthem.
Why Lettie Lutz Hits Different
Despite the historical inaccuracies, the character of the Greatest Showman bearded lady resonates because she represents the universal fear of being seen. Keala Settle famously almost didn't take the role. She was terrified. She spent most of the early rehearsals hiding behind a music stand.
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That fear is what makes "This Is Me" work.
When you watch that scene, you aren't just watching a character in a movie; you're watching an actress confront her own insecurities in real-time. The song, written by Pasek and Paul, was specifically tailored to Settle's range and her personal history of feeling like an outsider. It’s why the performance feels so visceral. It isn't just acting.
The movie makes a choice to name her Lettie Lutz, perhaps to distance itself from the more tragic elements of Annie Jones’ life. Annie died young—only 37 years old—from tuberculosis. She spent the final years of her life trying to get the word "freak" removed from the circus industry's lexicon. She was an activist before we really had a name for it.
The Evolution of the "Bearded Lady" Aesthetic
The visual design for the Greatest Showman bearded lady was a massive undertaking. The makeup team had to find a balance between something that looked realistic and something that felt "theatrical" enough for a musical.
- The beard itself was made of fine lace and human hair.
- It had to be applied daily, taking hours to blend into Settle's skin.
- The costume design used heavy fabrics to give her a "regal" presence, contradicting the idea that she should be ashamed.
Interestingly, the movie's version of the character leans into a high-fashion, Victorian-punk aesthetic. In reality, Annie Jones often dressed in very conventional, high-end Victorian clothing to emphasize her womanhood. She wanted to show that the beard didn't negate her femininity. She wore the latest fashions, styled her hair meticulously, and carried herself with the grace of a socialite.
The Controversy: Empowerment or Exploitation?
If you talk to historians like Jackie Wood or those who study the history of "Side Shows," there is a massive debate about P.T. Barnum. The movie paints him as a lovable dreamer who gave people a home.
In reality? Barnum was a complicated man.
He certainly provided a living for people who would have otherwise been institutionalized or left in poverty. But he also exploited them. The Greatest Showman bearded lady in the film eventually forgives Barnum for his mistakes, but the real-life performers often had much more transactional relationships with him. Annie Jones, for example, once left Barnum’s show to tour on her own because she knew her worth. She was her own manager in many ways.
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The film simplifies this into a narrative of "found family." While that's a beautiful sentiment, it glosses over the fact that these performers were professional entertainers making a living in a very harsh world. They weren't just "waifs and strays." They were stars.
Keala Settle’s Impact Beyond the Screen
It's impossible to talk about the Greatest Showman bearded lady without talking about Keala Settle’s voice. "This Is Me" didn't just win a Golden Globe; it became an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community, for people with disabilities, and for anyone who has ever felt "less than."
Settle has spoken openly about the "shame" she felt during the filming process and how the character helped her heal. This is where the movie succeeds even where it fails historically. It creates a space for a specific kind of emotional truth.
When Lettie Lutz steps forward in the movie to confront the protesters, she isn't just defending her job. She's defending her right to exist in a public space. That's a powerful image, especially considering the real Annie Jones spent her life being stared at, poked, and prodded.
Technical Mastery in the Performance
If you're a singer, you know that "This Is Me" is a nightmare to perform live. It requires a massive amount of belt and emotional control.
- The song starts in a low, breathy register, representing Lettie's initial shame.
- It transitions into a powerful mid-range "shout-singing" style.
- The climax requires sustained high notes while the performer is physically moving.
Keala Settle did most of this live during the workshop sessions. The famous "fountain" video—where she's singing in a rehearsal room and eventually grabs the hand of a fellow performer—has more views than many actual music videos. That was the moment the producers knew they had a hit. They didn't need a "star" name for the Greatest Showman bearded lady. They needed Keala.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Beard
There is a common misconception that bearded women in history were all "fakes." While there were certainly some performers who used theatrical hair, most of the famous bearded ladies, including Annie Jones and the later Clementine Delait, had actual hormonal conditions.
Today, we would likely identify many of these women as having Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or other endocrine disorders.
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By portraying Lettie Lutz with dignity, The Greatest Showman actually helped de-stigmatize facial hair on women in a way that few other pieces of media have. It moved the conversation away from "What is wrong with her?" to "Look how incredible she is."
Actionable Takeaways from the Story of Lettie Lutz
If you’re fascinated by the history and the performance of the Greatest Showman bearded lady, there are a few ways to dive deeper into the reality of this world without losing the magic of the movie.
Look up Annie Jones' letters. If you can find archives of 19th-century circus history, Annie’s correspondence shows a woman who was incredibly sharp and frustrated by the "freak" label. It adds a layer of grit to the story that the movie misses.
Watch the "Behind the Scenes" of the workshop. To truly appreciate the performance, you have to see the raw footage of the actors before the costumes and CGI. It shows the human effort behind the character.
Support modern performers. The legacy of the "side show" lives on in modern burlesque and "sideshow" arts. Many performers today use these stages to reclaim their bodies and their narratives, much like the character of Lettie Lutz does on screen.
Understand the medical context. Reading about PCOS and how it affects women today can provide a bridge between the 1800s and now. It turns a "movie character" into a real-world conversation about body diversity.
The Greatest Showman bearded lady is more than just a character in a purple dress. She is a bridge between a difficult, exploitative past and a future where we hopefully don't need a song to remind us that we are worthy of being seen. Whether you love the movie for the music or the message, the real "Lettie" was a woman who stood her ground long before the cameras started rolling.