A lithographic apparatus having: a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a substrate surface actuator including a fluid opening for fluid flow therethrough from/onto a facing surface facing the substrate surface actuator to generate a force between the substrate surface actuator and the facing surface, the facing surface being a top surface of the substrate or a surface substantially co-planar with the substrate; and a position controller to control the position and/or orientation of a part of the facing surface by varying fluid flow through the fluid opening to displace the part of the facing surface relative to the projection system.