Marlee Matlin stepped into the spotlight when she received the 1986 Oscar for her brilliant performance in the film Children of a Lesser God.
I never let disability stop me from what I do and from what I love doing. I was told at a young age never to let others tell you otherwise – what you are and who you are, what you want, and what to dream for. To never accept the word 'no' for an answer.
'No' is not in my vocabulary – she once said in an interview with the International Labour Organization (ILO).
'No' is not in my vocabulary – she once said in an interview with the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Never before had a deaf person made this kind of splash in Hollywood, and, to top it off, she was the youngest actress to ever receive an Oscar in that category. In an industry that places such a premium on glamour, Marlee has today evolved into a performer par excellence. With a remarkable career as an award-wining actress, she has also appeared in many TV programs and sitcoms. Her sharp performance as a political pollster/consultant on NBC's highly acclaimed West Wing presents a fresh role model for all young deaf and hard of hearing kids.
In an interview to Hands and Voices, she dedicated her childhood to her parents and the unconditional support she received from them,My parents just opened the door every day and let me explore the world on my own. I roamed the neighborhood by myself. I met new kids by myself. It was all about intention. Admittedly, I was 'different' but my parents and family had answers for everything says Marlee.
Parenting a deaf child did not seem difficult to them, they gracefully took on all the challenges that the disability brought in. Once, her father had a Deaf Child sign installed on her street, and she learned to see it as an opportunity.
Being an actor was not the only badge she carried. In 2002, Marlee published her first novel, Deaf Child Crossing, which was loosely based on her own childhood. She later wrote and published a sequel titled 'Nobody's Perfect', which was produced on stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in partnership with VSA Arts in October 2007.
Her active involvement in making the World a better place includes working with organisations like; Blue Alert, Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Feeding America, Hillsides, Jason Taylor Foundation, Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, Red Cross, Stand Up To Cancer, Starkey Hearing Foundation, and Starlight Children's Foundation.
Marlee is today a happily married woman with four beautiful children. Though her work and her family have kept her on her toes, she has found ways to gracefully toggle between them, playing different, one each at a time. During the same interview, she mentioned how her family has remained to be the source of her success.
Source and Credit : https://yourstory.com/2016/05/marlee-matlin/
In an interview to Hands and Voices, she dedicated her childhood to her parents and the unconditional support she received from them,My parents just opened the door every day and let me explore the world on my own. I roamed the neighborhood by myself. I met new kids by myself. It was all about intention. Admittedly, I was 'different' but my parents and family had answers for everything says Marlee.
Parenting a deaf child did not seem difficult to them, they gracefully took on all the challenges that the disability brought in. Once, her father had a Deaf Child sign installed on her street, and she learned to see it as an opportunity.
Being an actor was not the only badge she carried. In 2002, Marlee published her first novel, Deaf Child Crossing, which was loosely based on her own childhood. She later wrote and published a sequel titled 'Nobody's Perfect', which was produced on stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in partnership with VSA Arts in October 2007.
Her active involvement in making the World a better place includes working with organisations like; Blue Alert, Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Feeding America, Hillsides, Jason Taylor Foundation, Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, Red Cross, Stand Up To Cancer, Starkey Hearing Foundation, and Starlight Children's Foundation.
Marlee is today a happily married woman with four beautiful children. Though her work and her family have kept her on her toes, she has found ways to gracefully toggle between them, playing different, one each at a time. During the same interview, she mentioned how her family has remained to be the source of her success.
Source and Credit : https://yourstory.com/2016/05/marlee-matlin/