Why Are People So Interested

During A Visit To California, When A Friend Of My Grandmother's Told My Parents That I Must Be Deaf Because I Was Not Responding To Sounds, My Father Was Absolutely Convinced That I Was Simply Being Stubborn.

I Hope That Through My Example, Such As My Role On 'the West Wing,' I Can Help Change Attitudes On Deafness And Prove We Can Really Do Everything... Except Hear.

When I Was Young I Knew I Was Deaf. I Couldn't Accept It.

Hollywood Embraced Me In The Late '80s Because There Was A Good Project I Was In And It Was Different. Nowadays, It's About Corporate Mentality, Box Office, Youth.

I Guess Not Being Able To Hear Just Made Me Adventurous And Daring. And In Most Cases, That Didn't Make My Parents Very Happy With Me.