Marlee Matlin was just 21 when she earned an Academy Award for starring opposite William Hurt in the 1986 drama Children of a Lesser God, becoming the first deaf person to win an Oscar and the youngest best actress recipient.

Did Marlee Matlin win best actress?

Marlee Matlin wins Best Actress | 59th Oscars (1987)

Who is the youngest deaf actress to win an Oscar?

Recent News. Marlee Matlin, (born August 24, 1965, Morton Grove, Illinois, U.S.), American actress and activist who was the first deaf performer to win an Academy Award, for best actress for her debut film performance, in Children of a Lesser God (1986).

Can Marlee Matlin hear at all?

Matlin lost all hearing in her right ear and 80% of the hearing in her left ear at the age of 18 months due to illness and fevers. In her autobiography I'll Scream Later, she suggests that her hearing loss may have been due to a genetically malformed cochlea. She is the only member of her family who is deaf.

Which actress is deaf?

Marlee Matlin is, to date, the only deaf performer to have won an Academy Award. Her career has spanned nearly five decades, including acclaim for her lead role in Children of a Lesser God in 1986, which earned her an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

Marlee Matlin Wins Best Actress | 59th Oscars (1987)

Who is the most famous deaf actor?

Marlee Matlin is probably one of the most well-known Deaf celebrities out there, but not everyone may know she is deaf.

Is Halle Berry deaf in One ear?

In 2004, Halle Berry disclosed that she had lost almost all hearing in her right ear due to domestic violence from an ex-partner. This Oscar winner's brave admission has raised awareness about domestic abuse, and she has gone on to have an impressive career while being an advocate for women everywhere.

What is Marlee Matlin doing now?

While she has continued acting in films — most recently “CODA,” which won best picture last year — Matlin has also become a TV regular on shows like “Reasonable Doubt,” “Picket Fences,” “The West Wing,” “The L Word,” and “Switched at Birth,” earning four Emmy nominations along the way.

What are some fun facts about Marlee Matlin?

Is Marlee Matlin deaf in both ears?

She lost almost all hearing at 18 months old

Matlin was born Aug. 24 1965, Morton Grove, Illinois. She was only 18 months old when all hearing in her right ear was destroyed and 8 percent of the hearing in her left ear. In her 40s, a doctor told her the cause of her hearing loss was probably a genetic condition.

What is Marlee Matlin most famous for?

Marlee Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her film debut in Paramount Pictures' Children of a Lesser God, for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 21, she became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar and only one of four actresses to receive the honor for a film debut.

What are some famous quotes of Marlee Matlin?

Who presented Marlee Matlin with her Oscar?

As Matlin recalls in the Academy's "Behind the Oscars Speech" series, she knew all eyes would be on her. She counted down as it got closer and closer to her category, until presenter William Hurt took the stage.

What did Marlee Matlin major in?

When Marlee Matlin came to Harper College to study Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, her dream was to become a police officer. But the acting bug bit, leading her all the way to the Oscars when she won an Academy Award for her work as Sarah in 1986's Children of a Lesser God.

How did Marlee Matlin grow up?

While growing up, Marlee was encouraged to use her voice as well as sign language. With strong support from her family, Marlee's childhood world was unlimited. "My parents just opened the door every day and let me explore the world on my own. I roamed the neighborhood by myself.

What did Marlee Matlin overcome?

She spoke of overcoming challenges in life, including being diagnosed as deaf at 18 months, an addiction to drugs that began in her teens, and her journey to become an actress. Matlin noted that she was in a rehab facility when she learned of her Oscar nomination for “Children of a Lesser God” in 1986.

Who is the deaf white actress?

Marlee Beth Matlin was born Aug. 24, 1965, in Morton Grove, IL. At the age of 18 months, she lost all hearing in her right ear and 80 percent of the hearing in her left ear after suffering measles and high fevers.

How did Whoopi Goldberg go deaf?

In the exclusive interview, Goldberg said that she attributes her hearing loss to years of listening to music using headphones at high sound volume.

How did Whoopi Goldberg lose her hearing?

Whoopi Goldberg

She attributes her hearing loss to listening to loud music when she was younger and hopes to help prevent young people from making the same mistake.

Why is Rob Lowe deaf?

Rob Lowe. This star of TV's The West Wing and Parks and Recreation has been deaf in one ear since he was an infant. Lowe says the most likely cause was undiagnosed mumps, a viral infection that in rare cases can lead to hearing problems.

Which singer is deaf?

Mandy Harvey

Harvey has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic disorder, and hearing loss as a result of the syndrome. Harvey went to Colorado State University to pursue a degree in vocal music education. It was during this time that she lost the rest of her hearing.

Who is the deaf black actor?

Keivonn Woodard is just 10 years old, but the Bowie resident is already making history: He is the first Black deaf actor and second-youngest ever to be nominated for an Emmy Award.