Shoshannah Stern

Shoshannah Stern (born July 3, 1980) is an American actress and writer. She was born in Walnut Creek, California, into an observant Jewish and fourth-generation deaf family, the daughter of Ron Stern and Hedy Marilyn Stern (née Udkovich), and the sister of writer and artist Louise Stern and former Gallaudet Men's Basketball Coach and current political scientist Brendan Stern. Both of her grandmothers are Holocaust survivors. Her hometown is Fremont, California, where she attended the California School for the Deaf, Fremont. Stern's first language is American Sign Language. She is also able to read lips and speak English without an interpreter. She attended Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts college for the deaf in the world. She married her husband, Ricky Mitchell, on June 3, 2012, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their daughter was born in February 2015. She currently resides with him in Hollywood, California. Stern got her first regular series role as Holly Brodeen, a member of an elite government anti-terrorist task force in ABC's Threat Matrix. The role was created for her by the show's producers after a director who had worked with her on The Division recommended her. She had a recurring role in Showtime's Weeds (as Megan Beals-Botwin) and was also on ER, Providence and Cold Case. She played Bonnie Richmond in the CBS post-apocalyptic drama Jericho. She had a recurring role in Season 3 of Fox's Lie to Me. Stern appeared with Matthew Broderick in the film The Last Shot and starred in the film Adventures of Power. She also appeared in the popular music video "Yes We Can", written by will.i.am for the Barack Obama campaign. Her 2020 role on Grey's Anatomy is the first recurring deaf doctor role on a prime time television network show. She also played the recurring character Eileen Leahy on the CW show Supernatural. She is also set to write the episode "Tuklo" of the Hawkeye spin-off series Echo, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe starring Alaqua Cox. In 2025, Stern made her directorial debut with Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, a documentary revolving around actress Marlee Matlin, which will have its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Works

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore

In 1987, Marlee Matlin became the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award and was thrust into the spotlight at 21 years old. Reflecting on her life in her primary language of American Sign Language, Marlee explores the complexities of what it means to be a trailblazer.

Release Date: 2025-06-20

Department: Directing

Job: Director

Echo

Pursued by Wilson Fisk's criminal empire, Maya's journey brings her home and she must confront her own family and legacy.

Release Date: 2024-01-09

Department: Writing

Job: Story

Episode Count: 1

Vote Count: 506

Under the Boardwalk

Two crabs embark on an epic journey to get home after a storm sweeps them away. Their courage soon unites their families, paving the way for great summers to come.

Release Date: 2023-10-27

Character: Shelly (voice)

Vote Count: 87

The Magnificent Meyersons

A complicated New York City family as they discover on one extraordinary day that although life-and family-can sometimes shock you - it can also lead to miraculous new places.

Release Date: 2023-08-20

Character: Susie Meyerson

Vote Count: 3

Voices

A telepathic intelligence operative is interrogated by her handler for connecting with the minds of unsanctioned targets.

Release Date: 2021-06-23

This Close

BFFs Kate and Michael, who are both deaf and live in Los Angeles, are about to face new challenges - including a bad breakup, being tokenized at work and a troubling secret - all of which test their bond in surprising ways.

Release Date: 2018-02-14

Department: Production

Job: Executive Producer

Character: Kate

Episode Count: 6

Vote Count: 10

Another Period

Set at the turn of the century, “Another Period” follows the misadventures of the Bellacourts, Newport, RI’s first family, who have absolutely nothing to offer to the world, but who have so much money it doesn’t matter. The series focuses on sisters “Lillian” and “Beatrice”, who care only about how they look, what parties they attend and becoming famous, which is a lot harder in 1902.

Release Date: 2015-06-23

Character: Helen Keller

Episode Count: 2

Vote Count: 62

The Hammer

A coming of age drama following the life of Matt Hamill, the first deaf wrestler to win a National Collegiate Wrestling Championship.

Release Date: 2010-10-26

Character: Kristi

Vote Count: 35

See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary

This inspirational documentary follows four deaf entertainers: a comic, drummer, actor and a singer as they attempt to cross over to mainstream audiences. These uniquely talented entertainers overcome great challenges to celebrate success.

Release Date: 2010-03-19

Character: Self

Vote Count: 7

Adventures of Power

In his quest to become the world's greatest air-drummer, a small-town dreamer must overcome obstacles and ridicule to save the day.

Release Date: 2008-01-20

Character: Annie

Vote Count: 22

Jericho

Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States.

Release Date: 2006-09-20

Character: Bonnie Richmond

Episode Count: 29

Vote Count: 489

Supernatural

When they were boys, Sam and Dean Winchester lost their mother to a mysterious and demonic supernatural force. Subsequently, their father raised them to be soldiers. He taught them about the paranormal evil that lives in the dark corners and on the back roads of America ... and he taught them how to kill it. Now, the Winchester brothers crisscross the country in their '67 Chevy Impala, battling every kind of supernatural threat they encounter along the way.

Release Date: 2005-09-13

Character: Eileen Leahy

Episode Count: 7

Vote Count: 7802

Weeds

After the unexpected death of her husband, a suburban mom resorts to selling weed to support her family.

Release Date: 2005-08-07

Character: Megan Graves

Episode Count: 25

Vote Count: 900

Grey's Anatomy

Follows the personal and professional lives of a group of doctors at Seattle’s Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Release Date: 2005-03-27

Character: Lauren Riley

Episode Count: 2

Vote Count: 10493

The Last Shot

A movie director-screenwriter finds a man to finance his latest project but soon discovers that the producer is actually an undercover FBI agent working on a mob sting operation.

Release Date: 2004-09-24

Character: Steven's Girlfriend

Vote Count: 87

Cold Case

The Philadelphia homicide squad's lone female detective finds her calling when she is assigned cases that have never been solved. Detective Lilly Rush combines her natural instincts with the updated technology available today to bring about justice for all the victims she can.

Release Date: 2003-09-28

Character: Leah O'Rafferty

Episode Count: 1

Vote Count: 402

Threat Matrix

Against the rising threat, the Homeland Security Agency has created a highly specialized, elite task force trained and equipped to counter anyone or anything that threatens our nation. The head of this super-secret team is Special Agent John Kilmer. He reports only to the President and has authority to call upon the technical skills, firepower and the specialist agents of the FBI, CIA and NSA.

Release Date: 2003-09-18

Character: Holly Brodeen

Episode Count: 6

Vote Count: 6

Off Centre

Off Centre is an American sitcom that aired on The WB network from October 14, 2001 to October 31, 2002. Created by Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, and Danny Zuker, the series was heavily promoted as "from the guys who brought you American Pie".

Release Date: 2001-10-14

Episode Count: 1

Vote Count: 13

The Division

The Division is an American crime drama television series created by Deborah Joy LeVine and starring Bonnie Bedelia. The series focused on a team of women police officers in the San Francisco Police Department. The series premiered on Lifetime on January 7, 2001 and ended on June 28, 2004 after 88 episodes.

Release Date: 2001-01-07

Episode Count: 1

Vote Count: 13

Boston Public

Principal Steven Harper runs Winslow High School as best as he can while dealing with the demands of the faculty, the students and their parents.

Release Date: 2000-10-23

Episode Count: 1

Vote Count: 45

The Auteur Theory

At an absurdly self-indulgent student film festival, the directors of the (mostly terrible) short films start getting killed off one by one and a budding British documentary filmmaker decides to investigate.

Release Date: 1999-11-03

Character: Founders' Day Girl

Vote Count: 3

Providence

Providence is an American television drama series.

Release Date: 1999-01-08

Character: Renee

Episode Count: 1

Vote Count: 24

ER

ER explores the inner workings of an urban teaching hospital and the critical issues faced by the dedicated physicians and staff of its overburdened emergency room.

Release Date: 1994-09-19

Character: Rosemary

Episode Count: 1

Vote Count: 852