Deanne Bray
Encyclopedia
Deanne Bray is a Deaf American
actress who is best known for her role as Sue Thomas
in the show Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye
. She is also known for her recurring role as Emma Coolidge on Heroes
.
, Los Angeles
, California
and has spent most of her life in southern California, although she lived in Seattle for a few years with her mother. She is married to Troy Kotsur
, who is also a deaf actor. On 8 September 2005, she gave birth to daughter Kyra Monique Kotsur.
Bray’s parents made certain their daughter was instructed from an early age onward to speak and write English
and learn American Sign Language
as well, sending her through a variety of learning programs and centers to strengthen her language skills. A California native, Bray broke into the entertainment industry after she was discovered performing with a deaf dancing group called "Prism West" at a deaf festival at California State University, Northridge
, where she earned a B.A. degree in Biology
.
Deaf American
A Deaf American is defined as a member of the American Sign Language linguistic minority. Though they are typically medically deaf, they can also include the children of Deaf people and a few hearing people who learn ASL and become adopted into the community...
actress who is best known for her role as Sue Thomas
Sue Thomas (agent)
Sue Thomas is an American woman who became the first deaf person to work as an undercover investigator doing lip-reading of suspects for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.-Early life:...
in the show Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye
Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye
Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye is a Canadian-American television series that premiered in the United States in 2002 and Canada in 2003. The show ended in May 2005 due to PAX's decision to halt the production of original programming. It was one of the two highest rated shows on PAX. In September 2009, Gospel...
. She is also known for her recurring role as Emma Coolidge on Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
.
Personal life
Bray was born in Canoga ParkCanoga Park, Los Angeles, California
Canoga Park is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States about 25 miles northwest of Downtown Los Angeles....
, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and has spent most of her life in southern California, although she lived in Seattle for a few years with her mother. She is married to Troy Kotsur
Troy Kotsur
-Personal life:Kotsur was born and raised in the city of Mesa, Arizona. He has been deaf since his birth. He went to Gallaudet University to major in Theater from 1987-1989...
, who is also a deaf actor. On 8 September 2005, she gave birth to daughter Kyra Monique Kotsur.
Bray’s parents made certain their daughter was instructed from an early age onward to speak and write English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and learn American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
as well, sending her through a variety of learning programs and centers to strengthen her language skills. A California native, Bray broke into the entertainment industry after she was discovered performing with a deaf dancing group called "Prism West" at a deaf festival at California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
, where she earned a B.A. degree in Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
.
Episode roles in TV series
- "HeroesHeroes (TV series)Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
" (2009) playing Emma Coolidge in episodes "Ink" September 28, 2009, "Hysterical Blindness" October 12, 2009, "Tabula Rasa" October 19, 2009, "Shadowboxing" November 9, 2009, "Upon This Rock" January 4, 2010, "Close to You" January 11, 2010, "The Art of Deception" January 25, 2010 - "Curb Your EnthusiasmCurb Your EnthusiasmCurb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
" (2007) playing Jean in episode: "The Rat Dog" October 14, 2007 - "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" (2006)
- "Sue Thomas: F.B.EyeSue Thomas: F.B.EyeSue Thomas: F.B.Eye is a Canadian-American television series that premiered in the United States in 2002 and Canada in 2003. The show ended in May 2005 due to PAX's decision to halt the production of original programming. It was one of the two highest rated shows on PAX. In September 2009, Gospel...
" (2005) - "The L WordThe L WordThe L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
" (2004) playing Amy in episode: "200" - "Rescue MeRescue Me (TV series)Rescue Me is an American television drama series that premiered on the FX Network on July 21, 2004, and concluded on September 7, 2011. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictitious Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse.The show...
" (2004) playing Rosemary in episode: "Hell" March 22, 2004 - "CSI" (2000) playing Dr. Gilbert in episode: "Sounds of Silence" April 19, 2001
- "Strong MedicineStrong MedicineStrong Medicine is a medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict. The television series aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It is distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The series was created and produced in part by comedienne and...
" (2000) playing Sonny in episode: "Fix" January 7, 2001 - "Diagnosis: MurderDiagnosis: MurderDiagnosis: Murder is a mystery/medical/crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son, a homicide detective played by his real-life son Barry Van Dyke. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman...
" (1997) playing Jan Curran in episode: "Murder, Country Style" April 20, 1997 - "EllenEllen (TV series)Ellen is a U.S. television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, producing 109 episodes.The theme song, "So Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas...
" (1997) playing Juliet in episode: "Ellen's Deaf Comedy Jam" April 12, 1997 - "The PretenderThe Pretender (TV series)The Pretender is an American television series that aired on NBC from 1996 to 2000. The series starred Michael T. Weiss as Jarod, a genius and former child prodigy with "the ability to become anyone he wants to be," i.e., to flawlessly impersonate anyone in virtually any line of work...
" (1996) playing deaf woman in episode: "Flyer" October 19, 1996