Marlee Matlin and Bilge Ebiri in Conversation at the Vulture Spot at Sundance.
Photo: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images
IT’S WILD TO THINK ABOUT, But Marlee Matlin Still Holds the Distinuation of the Youngst Winner of the Best Actress Oscar. As Shoshannah Stern’s Moving New Documentary, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, Reminds US, The Actress Was 21 Won She Won For 1986’s Children of a lsser God and Only 19 when she was Cast in randa haines’ film adaptation of Mark Mark Medoff’s Searing Romantic Drama About The Relationship BetWeen a Young Deaf Woman and a Hearing Speech Teacher (Played by William Hurt). The Role (and the Win) Instantly Made Matlin One of the Highest-Profile Deaf Americans and Catapulted Her Into a Lifetime of Activism. But she was also in the midst of a more private ordeal: she was in rehab was got her oscar nomination and was struggling to get out of an abusives Relationship with Hurt, About Who She Wood Open Up Only Late.
The Progress Toward Deaf Representation in Film that felt so inevitable in 1986 Never Quite materialized, and matlin Went on face difficulty in finding Major Movie roles in the ensemble years. (Not UNIL 2021’s Codain which she co-stharred, did another deaf actor win an oscar.) SO MADE the switch to television fairly Early, in 1991, with a lead role in the nbc series Reasonable Dubts. This was a time when film actors, let Alone oscar winners, doing tv roles was great frowned upon. But matters Proceeded to Deliver Unforgettable performances in SHows Such AS Seinfeld, The West Wing, Law & Orderand The L Word. Along the way, she began to discuss Her Own Struggles, First in Her 2009 Memoir, I’ll screen lateand now, in this Remarkable Documentary. Matlin, Alongside Her Longime Interpreter, Jack Jason (WHO HAS WORKED WITH HER SINCE 1985), TALKED to us at the Sundance Film Festival About How It Felt to Look at Her Career for This Film, Winning an Oscar at Such Age, and the Difficultures of Trying to Play Department.
Marlee, I Really Love this Film. I found it Incredibly Moving and Beautifully Made. How did you come to work with Shoshannah stern, The Director?
I HAD A MEETING OVER LUNCH WITH American Masters, and they Said they would be doing a film about my life. So i said, “SURE, WHY NOT?” And I Said, “One Condition: I Think It Should Be Directed by a Deaf Director.” They Said, “Okay, do you know anyone?” And i said, “SURE. Shoshannah stern.” They Said, “All right. Has she directly before?” “No.” And They Went, “Oh, all right. We all have to start somewhere.” I knew she would be the perfect fit for this project Becausea and the brilliant in everything she does. I’ve always listen to my instinct, and I knew shoshannah would be perfect fit to direct this project. So the rest is history.
Much of the movie Features you and Shoshannah in the Same Shot on a Couch, signing to each other. It ‘s so rare to see a director and their subject onscreen at the Same time. TELL ME ABOUT The Decision to Include Those Scenes in the Film.
Well, i can tell you i had zero input in the creation decision-making process. All i did was get dressed, put on my own makeup, and do the interviews. I did tell shoshannah who thi naght would be good for her to be for for for the film. But nor far as everyone’s creative process – the editing, the sound, the color, the timing, the how i sat on the couch – i just left it up to shoshannah. I Never End Showed Up With Any of the Other Interviews She Did. I didn’t talk to say in advance. I put 1,000 percent Trust in Shoshannah, and I think that was probably the best decision i’ve made. It was a risk for with Because, typically, i’m a control freak; I’m a virgo. But i listen to my gut, and i’m proud of myself.
Speaking of Decisions, I Want to Know How and Wen You Decide You Wanted to Be An Actor.
I decide i wanted to be an actor the first time linda bove, an actress who’s deaf, wea she made an appearance on HAPPY DAYS. I thought, Oh yes, i get it. That’s exactly what i want to. She played the librarian on Sesame Street. She’s Very Well Known and Well Respectted in the Deaf Community. I thought, Wait, She’s Signing, and She’s Deaf On HAPPY DAYS. I could will that too.
SHE THOUGH THERE WERE ACTORS LIKE LINDA AT THE TIME, THERE No No Real Blueprint for Deaf Actors to Break Movies or Make a Name for Themselves. What kept you going during this period?
Well, there were deaf actors who had made the appeanance in films before. They didn’t have name recognition in the mainstream, but they well Well Known in the Deaf Community. Linda Bove, Phyllis Frellich, Bernard Bragg, Herb Larson, Audree Norton – there’s a Lot. They’re not all here with us anymore, but they were incredible, talented actors, and they were all from the Nationals of the Deaf. Children of a lsser God was really what broke it all open into the mainstream, where the hearing World Became aware of us.
I Remember I Was 13 Years Old Wenhen Children of a lsser God Came out. And this is to say it was not a movie for 13-Yaar-ops to watch, my parents took me to see it, and i was so start and maved by the film. It was a really seismic that you want oscar. UNIL I WATCHED The Film Again, I Had Forgotten How You Were you were got the part, we have made the film, and when you were the Oscar. You’re Still the Youngest Best Actress Oscar Winner. Did you ever think durying my, This is happy too. I’m too young for this?
In all honesty, no. I was too you are to think to get the oscar. I was immune; I was Barely Out of High School, and i wasn’t sober. I was Still Just Cruising Along in Life, Learning as Came Things. It was all part of a learning curve. But i will Remember Thinking, Wow, i made it in Hollywood. I’ve always wanted to be in Hollywood SINCE I SAW HAPPY DAYS. Linda’s there, now i’m there.
When i were to the oscars, i saw the actors and movie stars i’d always look up to, and i remember feel like just a regular person. I didn’t Feel Like i Belonged. Then got the oscar, but i was proud in my own sort of singular Way – Celebrating by MySelf, not with all of the say, the rest of the community, quiethly clutching my oscar. At the Same Time, it was just a different type of celebration. If it HAPPENED TODAY, IT WOULD’VE BEEN DIFFERENT.
You were actually at the Betty Ford Clinic when you found out you were nominated for an Oscar, Correct?
That’s Correct. There was no social media or tmz at the time. It was a time when i took charge of my own self. I Remember Thinking, I need to take care of myself. The timing was Completely Wrong – During the Publicity Campaign, The Nomination Campaign, The Awards Season. Everybody’s Talking About Nominations, and Decoked, No, i’m going to rehab.
Of Put MySelf in Rehab, Shut the Window, and i Said to Jack, here, My Interpreter, “Do Not Tell a Soul. My family Knew, and they were Completely Opposed to it. They didn’t support with him all. They Said, “Wait, Marlee. You Smoke Pot. So what?” But they didn’t underestand the exact of my addition and that i did much more, and i didn’t tell me about the domestic violence of was experiencing. It was the most vulnerable time in my life, the most scary time in my life, the samp lonely time in my life, know i had to do it and had to find the strength to the doors of the betty ford clinic. I’m giving myself chills just talking about it. I almost didn’t make it. I Pushed MySelf as hard as i is could to go in the doors, and it was the best gift of Ever Gave MySelf. In 38 years of Sobriety, Its Been Amazing. Andn, in the middle of Rehab, Jack Called with and Said, “hey, am i talking to the best actress nominee?” I was like, “What?” It was 5:30 in the morning. Everybody was asleep. My Counselor Said, “Congratulations, Now Clean Up Your Room,” and then I just continued with my rehab. SO THERE YOU GO.
How do you feel About Children of a lsser God Today?
If you made that tooday, i do’t think you would get the same reaction from the community. To us, it’s a bit of a horror. I’m Being a little too, but if you were to look at it Through the Lens of Today and Do It Again, I Wauld Change the Film Becausea A manipulative appros to telling a story. The Character Bill Hurt Played, what he was doing was for the Hearing Adults and Parents, Not for US, The Deaf Children. It was not natural for us, and it was normal for us, and it was an appproach that didn’t let us be who we were.
You know, it was a love story. That’s the Movie – IT’S a love story. Every Deaf Woman Has Played Sarah, That Character. There’s Been No Other Play Other than Children of a lsser God. No one has hatsin one. No one has created Such a Character in a play Ever Since THEN. I’ve been waiting for that, nor far as theater goes, for a deaf playwright to create something. And there are fantastic ones out there who could equal the well well known hearing playwrights.
I Want to Ask About A Film You Probably Never Get Asked About, and It ‘a movie You made AFTER Children of a Lesser God, called Walkerdirectly by Alex Cox. IT’S A CRAzy Acid Western that Got Savaged by the Critics. I think it made about $ 2 at the Box Office. It’s one of my favorite movies. It is not a huge part part, but you’re kind of the conscience of the Movie.
A part is a part!
A part is a part! IT’S not a big part but an important part. And actually, it’s a character who does not need to be deaf. She just happens to be deaf, and it is a wonderful performance. What are your memors of working on Walker?
Alex Cox, Who Woldn’t Want to Work With Him? I Mean, I Remember Ed Harris, WHOM I LOVE. I played His wife, and we shot in nicaragua, and it was very, very intense. He is a very intense actor, extremely intense, but he was a friend as well, which helped with a great deal. He was a Method actor.
I Remember My Character Dies, and I HAD TO LIE IN A COFFIN, AND IT WAS THE ONLY TIME I HAD EVER LAY IN A COFFIN. I Think My Grandmother Had JUST PASSED AWAY. I was in the coffin and i haad takeen off my hearing aids, so i had no idea what was going on at all. They were rolling or shooting. I have to have my eyes closed, and i just laid there. I’m Deaf, right? And the Character’s Deaf. So i’m in the coffin, and i had my eyes closed, and i’m waking and waiting and waiting. I was like, What’s Taking SO Long? What’s Happening? And all of a sudden, i felt the coffin shake. I OPENED MY EYES AND SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING: Ed was so angry Becouse and was trying to work. Jack Told with he was trying to work, trying to be sad, and i think he was trying to cry. No, he doesn’t have to try to cry; I Mean, he was crying, but someone was making noise and he flipped out. And i was trying to die. For the longest time, I was trying to die, but it was intense. Remember that. But i had a good time in that movie trying to play Dead.
Obviously, Your Oscar win as a moment of great progress and it -saemed to open some doors, or people expensive it would a lot of doors, for the deaf community. Something Similar Happened with Coda‘s win a couple of years ago. But it seames so offen that we anticipate progress and then it doesn’t always come. What does it take to sustain that kind of progress?
You know, we were all excited about Coda. Every person Said, “Oh my God, i love Coda”And the co-stars got the same attention where they were.“ We love Coda. We really will. ” YES, FUN. All sorts, but it is a matter of the studios who not Green-Light these projects. We love this, but we already have one deaf character in a project, so unfortunately we’re going to pass. ” It is a bit of tokenism, and studios need to embrace more deaf characters in scripts. The Different Kinds of Characters in Hearing Movies.
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