Biography
Who is Marlee Matlin?
Early life and family
Marlee Matlin was born in Morton Grove, Illinois. Her parents were Donald and Libby Matlin. She grew up in a Reform Jewish home with two brothers named Eric and Marc. Her family has roots in Russia and Poland.
Marlee lost most of her hearing at 18 months old. This happened due to fevers and illness. She is the only deaf person in her family. She studied Hebrew phonetically to learn her Torah portion for her Bat Mitzvah.
Rise to fame in film
Marlee started acting at age seven. She played Dorothy in a production of The Wizard of Oz. Henry Winkler discovered her during one of these theater shows. This led to her first movie role in 1986.
She played Sarah Norman in Children of a Lesser God. For this role, she won a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. She was the youngest person to win the Oscar for Best Actress. She was also the first deaf actor to win an Academy Award.
Television and stage career
Television provided more roles for deaf performers. Marlee played a district attorney in Reasonable Doubts from 1991 to 1993. She received two Golden Globe nominations for this part. She also appeared in Seinfeld and Picket Fences.
Other well-known TV roles include Joey Lucas on The West Wing. She was in The L Word and Switched at Birth. She also voiced the character Stella on Family Guy. She received Emmy nominations for her guest work on The Practice and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Activism and personal life
Marlee Matlin is a member of the National Association of the Deaf. She works as an activist for deaf people in various industries. She has written four books. A documentary about her life called Not Alone Anymore came out in 2025.
She has received several honors. These include a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood and a Crystal Award. She also holds an honorary doctorate.
Birthday and age
Marlee Matlin was born on August 24, 1965, which makes Marlee 61 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Marlee shares the date with 36 other famous people.
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