Shoshannah Stern
Biography
Shoshannah Stern 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 as Megan Beals-Botwin in Showtime's Weeds and was also on ER, Providence, and Cold Case. She played Bonnie Richmond in the CBS post-apocalyptic drama Jericho, Eileen Leahy on the CW show Supernatural, and had a recurring role in Fox's Lie to Me. Her 2020 role on Grey's Anatomy is the first recurring deaf doctor role on a prime time television network show. 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.
Known For & Full Filmography21 Titles
Drama Series - 2005, 16 episodes • as Lauren Riley
Follows the personal and professional lives of a group of doctors at Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
Drama Series - 2005, 16 episodes • as Eileen Leahy
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.
Drama Series - 1994, 16 episodes • as Rosemary
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.
Drama Series - 2003, 16 episodes • as Leah O'Rafferty
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.
Drama Series - 2005, 16 episodes • as Megan Graves
After the unexpected death of her husband, a suburban mom resorts to selling weed to support her family.
Drama Series - 2009, 16 episodes • as Sarah
The world's leading deception researcher, Dr. Cal Lightman, studies facial expression, body language and tone of voice to determine when a person is lying and why, which helps law enforcement and government agencies uncover the truth. But his skills also make it easier for him to deceive others.
Drama Series - 2001, 16 episodes • Main Cast Role
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.
Drama Series - 2000, 16 episodes • Main Cast Role
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.
Drama Series - 1999, 16 episodes • as Renee
Providence is an American television drama series.
Drama Series - 2006, 16 episodes • as Bonnie Richmond
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.
Drama Series - 2015, 16 episodes • as Helen Keller
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.
Drama Series - 2003, 16 episodes • as Holly Brodeen
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.
Drama Series - 2001, 16 episodes • Main Cast Role
A British stud and an American doofus share an apartment in Manhattan.
Movie - 2023, 2h 15m • as Shelly (voice)
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.
Drama Series - 2018, 16 episodes • as Kate
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.
Movie - 2004, 2h 15m • as Steven's Girlfriend
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.
Movie - 2023, 2h 15m • as Susie Meyerson
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.
Movie - 2010, 2h 15m • as Kristi
A coming of age drama following the life of Matt Hamill, the first deaf wrestler to win a National Collegiate Wrestling Championship.
Movie - 1999, 2h 15m • as Founders' Day Girl
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.
Movie - 2008, 2h 15m • as Annie
In his quest to become the world's greatest air-drummer, a small-town dreamer must overcome obstacles and ridicule to save the day.
Movie - 2010, 2h 15m • as Self
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.