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| Birth Name(s) : Marlee Beth Matlin |
Date of Birth: N/A |
| Status:
Single
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Partner:
Kevin Grandalski (1993-) |
| Profession:
N/A |
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Full Marlee Matlin Biography
Marlee Beth Matlin (born August 24, 1965) is an Academy Award-winning American actress who is almost completely deaf.
Matlin was born in Morton Grove, Illinois to Libby and Donald Matlin, an automobile dealer. She was raised in a Jewish family in Morton Grove, Illinois. Matlin graduated from John Hersey High School in nearby Arlington Heights and attended Harper College She lost all hearing in her right ear, and 80% of hearing in her left ear at the age of eighteen months.
Matlin made her stage debut at the age of seven, as Dorothy in a children's theatre version of The Wizard of Oz, and continued to appear with the same children's theatre group throughout her childhood. Her film debut, 1986's Children of a Lesser God, brought her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama and an Academy Award for Best Actress (at 21, the youngest ever to win in that category). Matlin was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her work as the lead female role in the television series Reasonable Doubts (1991–1993) and was nominated for an Emmy Award for a guest appearance in Picket Fences. She became a regular on the series during its final season.
Matlin had recurring roles in The West Wing and Blue's Clues. Other television appearances include Seinfeld ("The Lip Reader"),The Outer Limits ("The Message"), ER, Desperate Housewives, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for her guest appearances in Seinfield, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Practice.
In 2002, Matlin published her first novel, Deaf Child Crossing, which is loosely based on her own childhood. In 2004, she starred in the movie What the Bleep Do We Know as Amanda. Matlin joined the cast of The L Word for their fourth season, playing Jodi Lerner, the new love interest of Jennifer Beals' character, Bette.
In 2006, Matlin was honored at AOL's Second Annual Chief Everything Officer Awards. She also joined the cast of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on Sunday, September 17, 2006. In the episode featuring a blind autistic boy with deaf parents, she was the guest host. She also published a sequel to "Deaf Child Crossing." "Nobody's Perfect," in play form, was produced at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing arts in partnership with VSA arts in October 2007. Also in 2006, she played a deaf parent in Desperate Housewives, a public defender in My Name Is Earl, and the mother of one of the victims in an episode of CSI: NY. She also starred in the Baby Einstein videos "Baby's Favorite Places: First Words-Around Town", and "Baby Wordsworth: First Words Around the House" which introduce sign language as a form of non-verbal communication.
On February 4, 2007, Matlin performed the Star Spangled Banner in American Sign Language at Super Bowl XLI in Miami, Florida. She again starred in Baby Einstein in March 2007 with "My First Signs," which introduces sign language using common words such as "mommy" and "milk". She also appeared in Hollywood Squares, with Tom Bergeron as emcee. Though she could not hear or speak, an interpreter accompanied her on the panel and she handled questions and answers with his assistance--including offering some humorous quips (in ASL) in her own right.
Matlin is actively involved with a number of charitable organizations, including the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, VSA arts (www.vsarts.org) and the Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet. She was appointed by President Clinton in 1994 to the Corporation for National Service and served as chair of National Volunteer Week.
Matlin received an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree from Gallaudet in 1987. In Ocotober 2007, she was appointed to the Gallaudet Board of Trustees.
Matlin married law enforcement officer Kevin Grandalski on August 29, 1993 (in Henry Winkler's back yard). They have four children: Sarah Rose, born 1996; Brandon, born 2000; Tyler, born 2002; and Isabella Jane, born 2003. |
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