Lea Thompson appreciates varied fan base 'Switched at Birth' brings

Minnesota-born Thompson, 51, has past credits that include lead roles in the “Back to the Future” film series, the “Jane Doe” Hallmark Channel television movies and the “Caroline in the City” sitcom.

“Switched at Birth,” which airs at 7 p.m. Mondays on ABC Family, and also stars D.W. Moffett and Constance Marie, centers on the blended Kennish and Vasquez families.

Teen daughters Bay Kennish (Vanessa Marano) and Daphne Vasquez (Katie Leclerc) were accidentally swapped after they were born in the hospital. Also, Daphne became deaf after contracting meningitis as a small child. Now, the two families are trying to learn how to live together for the best interest of the girls.

Thompson recently discussed playing mom Kathryn Kennish on “Switched at Birth” during a media conference call and included how she enjoys the expanded fan base she's acquired from the show.

“It's been really exciting connecting with a different demographic ... The network's targeted toward teenage girls and their mothers, but there's also men that really like to watch the show with their families,” she said.

“I think teenage years for girls are so complicated and so hard to navigate, and I feel really proud to be part of a program that in some way helps young women have a voice and deal with issues and think about things in a productive way.”