SoCal actress guest stars on 'The Good Doctor,' proudly spreads motto of acceptance, inclusion

HOLLYWOOD -- Caley Versfelt spreads acceptance and inclusion wherever she goes. It's high on her list. So is acting.

The resident of Southern California's Manhattan Beach, who has Down syndrome, took a trip to Vancouver recently to guest star on the ABC drama series "The Good Doctor".

Versfelt plays a young woman in need of a liver transplant.

"My favorite is drama, honestly, because I'm very dramatic all the time," said Versfelt. "At first it was intense. It felt weird. But after that, I blossomed and I had fun doing it."

Versfelt had to tap into a wide range of emotions. But she had plenty of support close by. "The Good Doctor" star, Freddie Highmore, was also her director. He gave her high marks for her performance and for her professionalism.

"He did a fabulous job with the episode and I love how he directed me because it helped me, well, professionally in my acting career and he gave me a great compliment about myself," said Versfelt.

Caley stays busy. She's a swimmer for Special Olympics Southern California, a Global Ambassador for the Best Buddies program, which creates opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She's also in a job program with the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

Versfelt says there is more to come. It's part of her personal motto.

"It's called 'Never give up and dream big' because I go for it. I actually live it!" said Versfelt. "So my dream is to be my own TV host."

"The Good Doctor" airs on Monday nights on ABC.