This story is the third in a three-part Spotlight on Deaf Actors
When deaf actress Deanne Bray was auditioning for the PAX crime series “Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye” to portray a real-life deaf FBI agent, she was alarmed to encounter more hearing actresses auditioning for the part of a deaf character than actresses like herself.
“I remember showing up and waiting in the lobby witnessing voice coaches working with hearing actors to sound more deaf-like. To find places to lessen their speech skills,” Bray told TheWrap. “I was disappointed seeing that. Growing up for 18 years learning to pronounce parts of speech in school in speech sessions and not being able to speak like a hearing person.