Beginning her career back in 2001 with a guest appearance on 'Off Centre,' Stern quickly made a name for herself on the small screen. Continuing in that realm, Stern took deaf roles in such mainstream television shows as 'Boston Public,' 'ER,' 'The Division' and 'Threat Matrix,' watching as her career blossomed over the next five years. But it was her turn as Megan on Showtime's 'Weeds' that really helped propel the rising star to recognition status.

There was simply no stopping her. From there, Stern chose to expand her career to non-deaf roles, as she auditioned for, and received the role of Holly in 'Threat Matrix' Bonnie Richmond on CBS's 'Jericho.' The role was a huge advancement for Stern as it was not originally written for a deaf actress, but then rewritten when Stern received the part.

"When I was starting out in the business, I was able to audition right away without much professional experience for deaf roles," Stern says. "I felt very lucky to have such a specific niche as a new actor."

But Stern doesn't want to be remembered or ever seen as a deaf actor. Instead, she hopes that people will see her as an actor first and deaf second, a task that will be difficult to achieve in the critical world of Hollywood.

"I'm trying to get in for roles that aren't necessarily deaf," Stern reveals. "And that is where the struggle happens."

Not to worry, the rising star has a thought process that is so plain and simple that it is no wonder that I myself haven't thought of it.

"An African-American can go in and read for a role that wasn't written for that ethnicity," she explains. "But after they book it, the audience will see the character as African American. It is, and always will be, the same with me."

And it should come as no surprise; the actress really struck it big when she landed one of the many leads on CBS's 'Jericho.' Playing the rugged Bonnie Richmond, Stern brought a character that was struggling to prove herself as a woman away from the backdrop and into the forefront. But it wasn't the character that Stern enjoyed so much about the show, but rather its ability to be both big and small at the same time.

Stern revealed that when she pulled up to the set to shoot the finale of season one, she was taken aback as she felt that she had driven onto a military base. But then, during the finale of season one in season two, there was the lonely scene at the graves with Stanley, Bonnie and Mimi, and all the big machinery in the background.

"It was huge without being overwhelming because it always had heart."

It was the heart that ultimately took fans on a three week roller-coaster ride through an unexpected cancellation, an even more unexpected re-birth and then another cancellation one year later. However, even with the constant change of emotions, Stern says that just getting to do the second season was a true blessing.

"The first cancellation was horrible, the pick-up was unbelievable and the second cancellation sucked," Stern sums up. "To have the fans actually get it brought back was amazing, but we all went in it knowing we were a long shot and that we got this second chance that came out of nowhere."

And luckily for the fans, the show delivered on all its first season promises and more as it created a stellar second season full of betrayal, loyalty and a death that literally took my breath away – a decision that the star never second guessed...okay maybe once.

"I only second guessed it when the episode aired and people felt the need to tell me how sorry they were that I didn't have a job anymore. Then I felt like I'd just gotten fired!" Stern laughs. "But it wasn't like that at all. If anything, I felt as if I'd gotten a promotion because they were telling me that I had proved myself capable of shouldering the weight that would change the trajectory of the entire show."

And change the trajectory of the show it surely did. Within a matter of minutes, the confident and talented star had stripped the stereotype that surrounds so many deaf characters and showed the world that no matter the situation, anyone can rise to the occasion.

"Bonnie ended up taking out three mercenaries with a shotgun from inside her house," Stern recaps. "That's a pretty bad-ass thing to do from where I'm standing! The thing I loved about that was that she didn't wait to be rescued, and that destroyed a huge stereotype in itself."

Going into the show, Stern was playing a character that had a complicated history with an excess of emotional baggage. Having lost her parents in a car wreck years before, Richmond had been cared for by her brother, Stanley. It was through this sincere yet complicated relationship that I became a fan of Stern and her amazing body of work.

However, Stern says that it was the combined efforts of both actors that really allowed the written relationship to grow into a real-life portrayal.

"I think you can only write so much," she begins. "The relationship between Stanley and Bonnie was established in the beginning, but I think the synergy between Brad [Beyer] and I really added a lot to it."

Stern went on to reveal how comfortable she was around Beyer, to the extent that she felt like she already knew him when they first met. However, Stern does admit that the relationship between her and her TV brother was important to the both of them.

"We both cared a lot about the relationship and we wanted to invest it in. We went off the script and then the writers went off what they saw happening between us. I was really a great collaboration."

As for the future of one of the most-popular cancelled shows in network history, Stern says she is game for some more!

"Of course I would come back," Stern answers quickly when asked if she would be willing to return for a third season or possibly a feature film. "I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't. I only recently heard about the movie, so I don't know anything official! I miss everything about the show."

Stern went on to divulge that she would always be the happiest when she was at work. In fact, she even said that she would try to find reasons to go on set, even when she wasn't shooting.

"My mom was an extra in one scene and she took it very seriously," Stern remembers. "Then they accidentally cut her part out and they were so upset with themselves! I was like, what? My scenes get cut all the time, why aren't you as upset then!"

As Stern's part on 'Jericho' reached its dead end on primetime television, the newly unemployed actress had a very difficult decision to make: Where should she take her career from here?

For now, she is set to star in the upcoming film Adventures of Power opposite Adrian Grenier of 'Entourage' fame. When asked about the filming process, compared to that of television, Stern reveals that she noticed a dynamic difference between the two.

"It's a lot easier to make acting choices when you do a movie because you know where the beginning, middle and end is," she says. "For television, you have a lot of individual journeys that happen every week, but they all add up to one big journey. Things change for your character along the way, so it's hard to figure out where to hold back and when to just give it your all."

But after that film is released, is seems as if the quirky and loveable actress is just as confused about her future as we are about ours.

"I have no idea [what I will do next]. I just want to keep going," she replies. "With every role that I've taken, I feel like I've changed some minds about what deaf people can and can't do, and that's the most rewarding thing I can imagine."

Yet, with her growing popularity within the entertainment industry, Stern can't help but realize that she is becoming the face of the deaf community, a role that she embraces with extreme caution.

"Being the spokesperson for an entire community is a dangerous thing," Stern states. "Being deaf is a very individual experience, and deaf people have such different personal experiences in their lives."

Stern also mentioned that in the course of her career, she has been fortunate enough to play characters that have cochlear implants and others that use speech rather than sign language. Because of this inconsistent portrayal, many of her fans have been disappointed to find that she doesn't have an implant and that American Sign Language is her native language. Yet, at the same time, many people have reacted the complete opposite way and been engaged by the differences she holds to the characters that she plays. So Stern has done what any young person can do, "I've just tried to remain true to myself and my own particular experience in hopes that people will see me as an example and not a mold in which all deaf people should fit."

Regardless, Stern has made it a point to offer her time and energy to help bring smiles to those within the deaf community. In fact, she has been able to successfully use her stardom to bring awareness and education to those who are not familiar with the condition. And it is through this work that Stern says that she was able to personally touch a young girl who wanted to see her show but couldn't. She was able to use her connections and comp the girl and her parents tickets, after which, the girl came backstage and revealed that after seeing her on stage, she too wanted to go to college and become an actress.

"I'll never forget that. It was the best thing."

But the one unfortunate thing is that Stern, like all of us, is human. Barred by the projection of time, she will one day pass on, leaving behind a legacy of characters and roles that will surely entertain for years to come. And when posed with the thought of how people would remember her years from now, Stern didn't hesitate a second with her response.

"I hope they'll remember me as I was, not what I'll probably become. People tend to be canonized after they die and be seen as angels or saints. I may have had my share of angelic or saintly moments, but I also have moments where I behave like a total idiot and say the more ridiculous things. I think it's the small moments that happen in-between the big ones that really define a person."