There are so many people, deaf or otherwise abled, who are so talented but overlooked or not given a chance to even get their foot in the door.

Watch me when people say deaf and dumb, or deaf mute, and I give them a look like you might get if you called Denzel Washington the wrong name.

When it comes down to it, it's about who you know, and who's a fan. It's about whether you're the right age, whether you're hot or not, whether the studio is into you or not.

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.

When you're up for an award at the Oscars, try as you might, it's hard to concentrate on the show.

It was my father who instilled the “never say no” attitude I carry around with me today, and who instilled in me a sense of wonder, always taking us on adventures in the car, never telling us the destination.

The hearing aids are very helpful for speech reading. Without the hearing aids, my voice becomes very loud, and I cannot control the quality of my voice.