Marlee Beth Matlin (born August 24, 1965) is an American actress. She began acting on stage at the age of seven, and her film début brought her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama and an Academy Award for Best Actress (at 21, the youngest person ever to receive the award) — an achievement even more remarkable because she is almost completely deaf.

Born in Morton Grove, Illinois, Matlin lost most of her hearing at the age of 18 months, following a bout of measles. (She lost all hearing in her right ear, and 80% of hearing in her left ear.)

She 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.

As an adult, she appeared in a supporting role in the play Children of a Lesser God, which led to her being cast in the lead for the film version of the play in 1986. It was this role for which she got her Golden Globe and Academy Awards.

Other films followed, as well as television work. She played the lead female role in the television series Reasonable Doubts (1991–1993), and won an Emmy Award for an appearance in Picket Fences. She had recurring roles in The West Wing and Blue's Clues.

She is actively involved with a number of charitable organisations, including the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation , the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Starlight Foundation , and the Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet .

Matlin married Kevin Grandalski on August 29, 1993 (in Henry Winkler's back yard). They have a daughter (Sarah Rose, born 1996) and two sons (Brandon, born 2000; Tyler, born 2002).

In 2002, she published her first novel, Deaf Child Crossing, which is loosely based on her own childhood.

She was nominated for a 2004 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for a performance on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2004, she starred in the film What the #$*! Do We know!? as Amanda.

External links

• Official website