DASH MIHOK

In the years when teenagers really need to be connected to somebody, they aren't; especially in small towns where kids are bored and look for something to get them going.

Here's the thing: I had never been to Boston, my whole life. Probably because I'm a Yankee fan.

People believe that if you can shut your Tourette's off for a period of time, then you can always shut it off. I try to explain to people that if I spent my whole life trying to control my tics, that's all I would have time for.

There's moments when you have to make a split-second decision that will form you for the rest of your life.

My first tic was to shake my head violently. I was in karate class, and I was shaking violently. All of a sudden, I just started to notice that the teacher was looking at me, and all the kids were wondering what I was doing. I suddenly felt really strange.

It's challenging to take on something else that is not you and make it very real and have others be able to associate with it. It's wonderful to provoke thought.

I had this tic where I touch my mouth to my knee, and I'm always screwing up my back. I've had two shoulder surgeries. My doctor just smiles and laughs at me.

I've have a number of violent tics. With Tourette syndrome, there's not just compulsive actions, but compulsive thoughts as well. That used to scare my mother a lot.

I don't think I've ever done a real mini-series, but I love doing film first and foremost.

I think that the reason I became an actor, probably, underneath it, was that I spent my life acting normal.

With Tourette's, there's this element of vulnerability and compassion and empathy that you innately possess because of the affliction.

Acting is a stressful environment to put yourself into, and stress triggers Tourette's, but I think it's partly an outlet because when I'm acting, I'm putting my mind, body, and soul into something, and that's one of the times during the day when I don't tic.

When I'm acting and I have to remember my lines and put my mind in concert with my body, I don't tic.

Tourette's is involuntary in that it is impossible not to do. And it's torture to know what you're doing and not be able to stop it.

Auditioning is one of the most nerve-racking things you could ever do, but you have to be so focused that you don't tic.

I spent my life figuring out ways to make the room OK with me.

I've seen a shift in general about the literacy of the public to what Tourette's is. And that's a testament to local kids and parents having the courage to share their experience.

I've been to some Hollywood parties where things have happened, and people have probably needed to get a good lawyer.

If I can just accept it and tic when I want to and have my passion project - what I'm mentally, physically, emotionally invested in something - where you're fully focused, and your body parts and mind are all moving toward this one goal, you're focused, and you can shut it off, but only for a certain period of time. Then, you have to let loose.

I want to go play a villain or an action hero or a nice, light, romantic comedy or something. That would be good.

The greatest acting really is spoken without words, or at least I like to think that.

A lot of us have done bullying and didn't even realize we did it.

School was very difficult. I was conscious of how I looked.

I would absolutely love to do another Baz Luhrmann film, especially a 'Moulin Rouge' type picture.

I have been making hip-hop since I was a kid growing up in New York in the '80s and '90s. It's always been a hobby of mine - I've been making beats and writing songs for as long or longer than I've been acting.