Overcoming Adversity

Kevin Bright on Bright/Kauffman/Crane developing shows for Warner Bros., and the challenge of networks wanting Dream On for network (which was impossible)

Michael Chiklis on playing John Belushi in the film "Wired" and getting blackballed

Ann Curry on being hired as a reporter at KTVL in Medford, Oregon, a station that had never before had a female reporter, and on the sexism she faced on the job

Nanette Fabray on her difficulty with her hearing, and on her participation in issues involving the deaf community

Edie Falco on being diagnosed with breast cancer during the run of The Sopranos

Felicity Huffman on two stories of being fired: one, in a Neil Simon play (by Simon himself) and again on a TV show which was recast after they had shot the pilot

Geri Jewell on how she does not see herself as being "courageous" for doing stand-up comedy, but instead attributes it to "the theory of the bumblebee"

Geri Jewell on having to perform a dance number on the first The Facts of Life episode on which she appeared ("Cousin Geri")

Geri Jewell on being made a recurring character on The Facts of Life, then her role being downsized, and her challenges navigating the entertainment industry and her own sexuality and identity

Geri Jewell on the difficulty she faced while filming a scene with Peter DeLuise on 21 Jump Street

Geri Jewell on filming a particularly challenging scene on Deadwood where she had to dance

Kim Kimble on being underestimated as a Black woman working as a hair stylist in the entertainment industry, especially early in her career

Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Gary David Goldberg helping her with a contract dispute with Warner Bros. and the valuable lesson she learned from him

Barry Manilow on playing the Bijou Theater in Philadelphia with Andy Kaufman as his opening act

Rose Marie on being convinced to stay on The Dick Van Dyke Show after the death of her husband

David Milch on "leading a double life" while writing for Hill Street Blues  and his duties as Story Editor

Pat Morita on his family being placed in an internment camp during World War II

NIna Shaw on her involvement in The Hollywood Reporter Women In Entertainment Mentorship Program and the importance of mentorship

Yeardley Smith on the challenges of show business: "It made me care about things that don't matter"

Yeardley Smith on creating balance in her life, starting her shoe line, and creating her development company

J. Michael Straczynski on being a big believer in failure

Mike Wallace on being hospitalized for exhaustion, and on dealing with depression

Malcolm-Jamal Warner on being cast as "Theo Huxtable" on The Cosby Show

Jeff Zucker on being diagnosed with colon cancer