Leanne Morgan’s Daughter Tess Lucille Morgan: From College Struggles and Cancer to Makeup Artist Stardom Beside Her Famous Mom
She’s the daughter of one of America’s funniest women — but Tess Lucille Morgan’s story is one of courage, resilience, and self-discovery.
At just 27, the youngest child of comedian Leanne Morgan and her husband Chuck Morgan has faced more than her share of challenges — from learning disabilities and academic setbacks to a life-changing cancer diagnosis. Yet, against all odds, Tess has transformed her struggles into strength, building a thriving career as a professional makeup artist and creative partner to her mother.
The Youngest Morgan Finds Her Own Path
Born on January 20, 1998, Tess grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, as the youngest of Leanne and Chuck’s three children.
With a quick wit and creative eye, she shared her mother’s sense of humor but followed a very different path.
After graduating high school, Tess enrolled at the University of Tennessee, eager to find her place in the world. But college life quickly became a struggle.
In a September 2024 episode of the What I Know So Far podcast, Tess spoke candidly about her experience with dyslexia and learning disabilities — challenges that made the traditional classroom environment especially difficult.
“I tried several different majors, but none felt right to me,” she explained. “I just couldn’t make it work.”
After a year of frustration, Tess decided to take time off. It was a decision that would unexpectedly change the course of her life.
A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
During her break from college, Tess was dealt a devastating blow — a diagnosis of thyroid cancer.
The news forced her to face mortality in a way few 20-year-olds ever do.
“It made me really think,” she shared on the podcast. “Life can do anything. Anything can happen in life, and I thought, ‘Why am I doing something that I hate?’”
In that moment, Tess decided she would no longer live by other people’s expectations. She wanted to follow passion, not obligation.
Her parents, Leanne and Chuck, supported her unconditionally.
“I cried about it,” Tess recalled. “And then I finally sat down with my parents and said, ‘I just don’t think school is for me. I think I need to go another route.’ And my parents were unbelievably supportive.”
For Leanne, who has often spoken about her Southern roots and family-first values, the decision wasn’t easy to hear — but it was right.
A Mother’s Fear, A Family’s Strength
In January 2020, Leanne Morgan publicly opened up about her daughter’s cancer journey in a moving Facebook post celebrating Tess’s birthday.
“She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last summer and finished her treatment plan in October. She is cancer free and we are so unbelievably thankful,” Leanne wrote.
She continued:
“No matter what the severity is, there is no feeling like finding out your child is sick. She moved to New York and is thriving. We are all so proud. Her 22nd year will be the best one yet.”
It was a rare glimpse into the comedian’s private life — and a testament to her deep love for her daughter.
Tess went through her treatment with quiet determination and, by the end of 2019, was declared cancer-free. It was a new beginning — one she embraced with creativity, independence, and purpose.
Finding Beauty in the Art of Makeup
After her recovery, Tess made a bold decision: she would move to New York City and study at the Make-up Designory, one of the country’s top cosmetology schools.
There, she found her calling.
Blending artistry and empathy, Tess began building a career as a makeup artist, specializing in beauty that enhances confidence rather than masks imperfection.
“She has such an eye,” Leanne once said proudly. “She can make anyone feel beautiful.”
Over the years, Tess has done her mother’s makeup for tours, photoshoots, and red carpet events — including Leanne’s appearance at Killer Women in Comedy in Los Angeles in November 2024, where mother and daughter walked the carpet side by side, glowing with pride.
Their creative collaboration became an extension of their close bond — two women in different stages of life, united by humor, strength, and shared dreams.
From Tennessee to Tinseltown
Today, Tess is based between New York and Los Angeles, joining her mother on set as Leanne films her upcoming self-titled Netflix sitcom.
While Leanne steps in front of the camera, Tess works behind the scenes — as the on-set makeup artist, ensuring her mom looks flawless under the lights.
On What I Know So Far, Tess shared how surreal it feels to now work alongside the woman she once watched perform from the audience.
“It’s crazy,” she said with a laugh. “I used to sit and watch her do her thing, and now I’m literally part of it. I get to be there every day, helping her feel her best. It’s full circle.”
Leanne, for her part, often gushes about Tess on social media, posting selfies of the two mid-glam with captions like, “My sweet Tess — she makes me look alive!”
Turning Pain Into Purpose
For Tess, makeup artistry became more than just a career — it became a way to reclaim her story.
Where once she struggled with words and tests, she now communicates through color, texture, and creativity.
Every face she works on is a canvas, every client an opportunity to spread confidence — a reflection of her own hard-won self-assurance.
Her journey also mirrors her mother’s brand of humor — finding light in dark moments. Leanne has often said that laughter got their family through the hardest times, and Tess embodies that resilience.
“She’s funny like her mama,” Leanne joked in an interview earlier this year. “And she’s tougher than all of us.”
A Family Built on Faith and Love
Despite the fame surrounding Leanne Morgan’s career — from sold-out comedy tours to her Netflix special I’m Every Woman — her family remains at the heart of everything she does.
Leanne and Chuck Morgan raised their three children in Knoxville with small-town values and big dreams.
Tess, their youngest, is proof that success isn’t about taking the traditional route — it’s about finding meaning in the mess and light in the dark.
“She’s been through so much,” Leanne reflected. “But she’s turned it all into something beautiful. She’s thriving.”
A Bright Future Ahead
Now cancer-free, confident, and building a thriving career, Tess Morgan is a name beginning to stand on its own.
Her journey from struggling student to successful artist has inspired thousands of fans who’ve followed her mother’s rise — and who now see a new kind of role model emerging in Tess.
Her message to others facing adversity is simple but profound:
“You don’t have to follow the same path as everyone else. You just have to follow what makes you feel alive.”
It’s a philosophy that echoes her mother’s comedic mantra — finding joy in the chaos of real life.
As Leanne Morgan continues to light up Hollywood with laughter, Tess is right beside her — brush in hand, smile on her face, and a story of resilience written across her own.
A New Chapter, Together
In a world where fame often overshadows family, the Morgans are rewriting the script.
Through humor, hardship, and healing, Leanne and Tess have found not just success — but each other.
And as the cameras roll on Leanne’s new Netflix show, one thing is certain:
The brightest glow in the room isn’t just the studio lights — it’s the quiet pride between a mother and daughter who’ve both learned how to turn life’s toughest battles into something truly beautiful.
