Marlee Matlin: A Deaf Trailblazer in Hollywood and Human Rights

Marlee Matlin is more than a celebrated actress—she’s a passionate activist, bestselling author, and an unrelenting voice for the Deaf community. With a career spanning over four decades, Matlin has redefined what it means to succeed in Hollywood as a deaf performer, breaking barriers and reshaping representation.

Marlee Matlin Early Life and Hearing Loss

Marlee Matlin was born on August 24, 1965, in Morton Grove, Illinois, to Libby and Donald Matlin. At just 18 months old, she lost all hearing in her right ear and 80% in her left due to illness and fever. In her memoir I’ll Scream Later, she suggests it may have been caused by a genetically malformed cochlea.

Despite being the only deaf member of her family, she was raised in a supportive Jewish household and even learned her Torah portion phonetically for her Bat Mitzvah. Marlee also developed a sharp sense of humor about her deafness, once joking, “I can hear on Wednesdays.”

Discovering Her Talent

Matlin made her stage debut at age 7, playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz with the International Center on Deafness and the Arts (ICODA). Her performance caught the attention of actor Henry Winkler, who helped her land her breakthrough role in Children of a Lesser God (1986).

History-Making Oscar Win

At just 21 years old, Marlee won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Children of a Lesser God, becoming:

• The first deaf performer to win an Oscar.
• The youngest recipient in the Best Actress category.
• One of only four women to win an Oscar for their film debut.

She also won the Golden Globe Award for the same role and earned a BAFTA nomination.

Television Career and Emmy Nominations

With fewer opportunities for deaf actors in film, Matlin shifted to television—where she thrived.

She’s appeared in:

• Reasonable Doubts (1991–1993) – 2 Golden Globe nominations
• Picket Fences, The Practice, Law & Order: SVU – 3 Emmy nominations
• Seinfeld (“The Lip Reader”) – Emmy-nominated guest role
• The West Wing (2000–2006) – recurring role as Joey Lucas
• The L Word, Switched at Birth, Quantico, The Magicians, Family Guy

She also performed the National Anthem in ASL at Super Bowl XLI (2007) and Super Bowl 50 (2016).

Broadway and Film Revival

In 2015, Marlee made her Broadway debut in the revival of Spring Awakening, a groundbreaking production that integrated American Sign Language into its performance.

Her next landmark role came in 2021 with the Oscar-winning film CODA, where she portrayed a deaf mother in a hearing-dominant world. CODA’s cast won the SAG Award for Best Ensemble, and co-star Troy Kotsur became the second deaf actor to win an Oscar.

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Advocacy and Activism

Marlee is a vocal activist for the Deaf community, fighting for:

• Closed captioning on TV and streaming
• Authentic deaf representation in media
• Employment opportunities for deaf professionals
• Accessible technology and interpretation services

She has worked with organizations such as:

• National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
• Easter Seals
• Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet
• VSA arts
• Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

She has testified before the U.S. Senate and was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service by President Bill Clinton.

Honors and Awards

Marlee has received numerous recognitions, including:

• ⭐ Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2009)
• 🏆 Academy Award and Golden Globe
• 🎓 Honorary Doctorate from Gallaudet University (1987)
• 🕊️ Jefferson Award for Public Service (1988)
• 🖋️ Bernard Bragg Young Artists Award (1991)

Personal Life

Marlee Matlin married a police officer named Kevin Grandalski on August 29, 1993.
They got married at the home of actor Henry Winkler, Marlee’s good friend.
Marlee met Kevin while she was filming her TV show Reasonable Doubts.
Kevin was working as a police officer to keep the area safe.

They have four children:

• Sarah, born in 1996
• Brandon, born in 2000
• Tyler, born in 2002
• Isabelle, born in 2003

Books by Marlee Matlin

In 2002, Marlee wrote her first novel called Deaf Child Crossing.
It was based on her own life as a child.

She also wrote a second book called Nobody’s Perfect.
It was later made into a stage play in 2007 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

In 2009, Marlee published her life story in a book called I’ll Scream Later.
In the book, she shared many tough moments from her life.

She talked about using drugs and how she got help at the Betty Ford Center.
She also wrote about her past relationship with actor William Hurt.
She said he hurt her physically and even abused her.

Marlee also shared a sad part from her childhood.
She was sexually abused by a female babysitter when she was a little girl.

Final Thoughts

Marlee Matlin’s legacy is a powerful reminder that disability is not a limitation—it’s a perspective. Her talent, voice, and advocacy have transformed the entertainment industry, creating space for more authentic stories and inclusive opportunities.

“Silence is the last thing the world will ever hear from me.”
— Marlee Matlin