Latest news with #Matlin
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Marlee Matlin tells her story in an intimate and groundbreaking documentary
When American Masters approached Marlee Matlin about doing a documentary, Matlin had one name in mind to direct: Shoshanna Stern. Like Matlin, Stern is deaf. She also hadn't directed before. But Matlin, who herself became the first deaf person in the Directors Guild of America just a few years ago, was certain she was up to the task. The resulting film, 'Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore' is an intimate look at her life: Growing up in a hearing family; winning the best actress Oscar at 21 for her first movie role in 'Children of a Lesser God,' which film critic Rex Reed at the time called a 'pity vote'; what she's described as an abusive romantic relationship with her co-star, the late William Hurt, which he denied; getting sober; and her experiences in an industry not equipped to accommodate deaf actors. It's also an evocative portal into the world of the deaf community that uses groundbreaking techniques and sound design to put American Sign Language (ASL) and visual communication first. The film opens in select theaters Friday. While Matlin told much of her story in the memoir 'I'll Scream Later,' on some level it wasn't a completely satisfactory experience. Before the #MeToo movement, its revelations were not treated entirely seriously in the media. But a documentary also provided an opportunity. 'We communicate visually,' she said. Matlin and Stern spoke though translators to The Associated Press about the 'CODA' effect, making the doc on their terms, and why they hope Reed sees this film. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: Shoshanna, what was your approach? STERN: I had never seen a deaf person direct an episode of TV or film. Never. I thought, what does that even look like? I didn't realize until I took the job that really the whole form of documentary as we know it is really rooted in sound, in the assumption that people will be speaking and they can speak. I thought, what are we going to do when we're using American Sign Language? I have to reframe a whole form of documentary. We have to be able to see what a visually-based documentary is going to look like. We wouldn't do justice to Marlee's life if I had forced this form that really wasn't rooted in the way that she experienced this life. And that was exciting to do. Scary for some people out there, but I never felt scared in making this documentary because she believed in me. MATLIN: If I had had a hearing director approach me to do this project, we could have done a very good job, but that person would not have seen me in the same way. They would not have the same lens as a deaf person. AP: What were some techniques you used to spotlight the deaf experience? STERN: I did want to film with captions in mind, so I made sure that we did have a wider frame. We figured out visual voiceover with a split screen that we added. We did this little surgery with words and syllables in one of the scenes where we mixed them all around to be able to bring people into how Marlee experiences conversations and the world. We wanted to make this documentary an immersive experience for the audience members, a sensory experience to help them understand. AP: 'CODA' felt like a big moment, but in the years since it won the Oscar, have you seen things change? MATLIN: 'CODA' certainly was a milestone and respected by so many people in the industry. It tackled a lot of things that both deaf and hearing people or audiences can identify with. I love the fact that they burnt in the captions. That you can't just turn it off. And I hoped that all the love we received and the three Academy Awards that we got would make a difference. It was honored on so many other levels too as well, whether we're talking about (director) Sian (Heder) or you're talking about Troy (Kotsur) or the SAG award which was just a dream come true, specifically of mine. I took that opportunity to specifically address that that we 'exist,' that we want to be actors just like you, we want to be directors, we want be producers, we want to be hair and wardrobe stylists. We want to work in all levels of production. So 'CODA' really elevated that conversation about how much we wanted to be part of the industry. But for some reason it didn't really break open the door as wide as I would have thought. Yet we just don't give up. We are persistent. Because it is what it is. We are working on our own levels to make changes. STERN: Marlee said something really brave when we were at Sundance. She said, 'It won't last.' The moment, yes, in the moment. But I don't know if we have movement. MATLIN: There's so many stories that we can tell, so many stories that you can put up on screen, so many stories that we can put on stage. I'd like to see action because I've been hearing that, 'Yes, we have to do this' or 'I will do this,' but it's been 40 years. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. I just want to make sure that we put our money where our mouth is. I go back to that comment about Rex Reed. I wonder if he would ever see this film. I'd love to see if he has the balls to make a comment and say, "Oh look, I realize I might have said something wrong." That's just one example of the things I'd like to see happen. And maybe the people who interviewed me over the years. I don't want you to misunderstand me, I have a great deal of respect for them. But specifically, I am calling out Rex Reed. So, you know, sorry but not sorry.
a day ago
- Entertainment
Marlee Matlin tells her story in an intimate and groundbreaking documentary
When American Masters approached Marlee Matlin about doing a documentary, Matlin had one name in mind to direct: Shoshanna Stern. Like Matlin, Stern is deaf. She also hadn't directed before. But Matlin, who herself became the first deaf person in the Directors Guild of America just a few years ago, was certain she was up to the task. The resulting film, 'Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore' is an intimate look at her life: Growing up in a hearing family; winning the best actress Oscar at 21 for her first movie role in 'Children of a Lesser God,' which film critic Rex Reed at the time called a 'pity vote'; what she's described as an abusive romantic relationship with her co-star, the late William Hurt, which he denied; getting sober; and her experiences in an industry not equipped to accommodate deaf actors. It's also an evocative portal into the world of the deaf community that uses groundbreaking techniques and sound design to put American Sign Language (ASL) and visual communication first. The film opens in select theaters Friday. While Matlin told much of her story in the memoir 'I'll Scream Later,' on some level it wasn't a completely satisfactory experience. Before the #MeToo movement, its revelations were not treated entirely seriously in the media. But a documentary also provided an opportunity. 'We communicate visually,' she said. Matlin and Stern spoke though translators to The Associated Press about the 'CODA' effect, making the doc on their terms, and why they hope Reed sees this film. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity. STERN: I had never seen a deaf person direct an episode of TV or film. Never. I thought, what does that even look like? I didn't realize until I took the job that really the whole form of documentary as we know it is really rooted in sound, in the assumption that people will be speaking and they can speak. I thought, what are we going to do when we're using American Sign Language? I have to reframe a whole form of documentary. We have to be able to see what a visually-based documentary is going to look like. We wouldn't do justice to Marlee's life if I had forced this form that really wasn't rooted in the way that she experienced this life. And that was exciting to do. Scary for some people out there, but I never felt scared in making this documentary because she believed in me. MATLIN: If I had had a hearing director approach me to do this project, we could have done a very good job, but that person would not have seen me in the same way. They would not have the same lens as a deaf person. STERN: I did want to film with captions in mind, so I made sure that we did have a wider frame. We figured out visual voiceover with a split screen that we added. We did this little surgery with words and syllables in one of the scenes where we mixed them all around to be able to bring people into how Marlee experiences conversations and the world. We wanted to make this documentary an immersive experience for the audience members, a sensory experience to help them understand. MATLIN: 'CODA' certainly was a milestone and respected by so many people in the industry. It tackled a lot of things that both deaf and hearing people or audiences can identify with. I love the fact that they burnt in the captions. That you can't just turn it off. And I hoped that all the love we received and the three Academy Awards that we got would make a difference. It was honored on so many other levels too as well, whether we're talking about (director) Sian (Heder) or you're talking about Troy (Kotsur) or the SAG award which was just a dream come true, specifically of mine. I took that opportunity to specifically address that that we 'exist,' that we want to be actors just like you, we want to be directors, we want be producers, we want to be hair and wardrobe stylists. We want to work in all levels of production. So 'CODA' really elevated that conversation about how much we wanted to be part of the industry. But for some reason it didn't really break open the door as wide as I would have thought. Yet we just don't give up. We are persistent. Because it is what it is. We are working on our own levels to make changes. STERN: Marlee said something really brave when we were at Sundance. She said, 'It won't last.' The moment, yes, in the moment. But I don't know if we have movement. MATLIN: There's so many stories that we can tell, so many stories that you can put up on screen, so many stories that we can put on stage. I'd like to see action because I've been hearing that, 'Yes, we have to do this' or 'I will do this,' but it's been 40 years. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. I just want to make sure that we put our money where our mouth is. I go back to that comment about Rex Reed. I wonder if he would ever see this film. I'd love to see if he has the balls to make a comment and say, "Oh look, I realize I might have said something wrong." That's just one example of the things I'd like to see happen. And maybe the people who interviewed me over the years. I don't want you to misunderstand me, I have a great deal of respect for them. But specifically, I am calling out Rex Reed. So, you know, sorry but not sorry.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Marlee Matlin tells her story in an intimate and groundbreaking documentary
When American Masters approached Marlee Matlin about doing a documentary, Matlin had one name in mind to direct: Shoshanna Stern. Like Matlin, Stern is deaf. She also hadn't directed before. But Matlin, who herself became the first deaf person in the Directors Guild of America just a few years ago, was certain she was up to the task. The resulting film, 'Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore' is an intimate look at her life: Growing up in a hearing family; winning the best actress Oscar at 21 for her first movie role in 'Children of a Lesser God,' which film critic Rex Reed at the time called a 'pity vote'; what she's described as an abusive romantic relationship with her co-star, the late William Hurt, which he denied; getting sober; and her experiences in an industry not equipped to accommodate deaf actors. It's also an evocative portal into the world of the deaf community that uses groundbreaking techniques and sound design to put American Sign Language (ASL) and visual communication first. The film opens in select theaters Friday. While Matlin told much of her story in the memoir 'I'll Scream Later,' on some level it wasn't a completely satisfactory experience. Before the #MeToo movement, its revelations were not treated entirely seriously in the media. But a documentary also provided an opportunity. 'We communicate visually,' she said. Matlin and Stern spoke though translators to The Associated Press about the 'CODA' effect, making the doc on their terms, and why they hope Reed sees this film. Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity. AP: Shoshanna, what was your approach? STERN: I had never seen a deaf person direct an episode of TV or film. Never. I thought, what does that even look like? I didn't realize until I took the job that really the whole form of documentary as we know it is really rooted in sound, in the assumption that people will be speaking and they can speak. I thought, what are we going to do when we're using American Sign Language? I have to reframe a whole form of documentary. We have to be able to see what a visually-based documentary is going to look like. We wouldn't do justice to Marlee's life if I had forced this form that really wasn't rooted in the way that she experienced this life. And that was exciting to do. Scary for some people out there, but I never felt scared in making this documentary because she believed in me. MATLIN: If I had had a hearing director approach me to do this project, we could have done a very good job, but that person would not have seen me in the same way. They would not have the same lens as a deaf person. AP: What were some techniques you used to spotlight the deaf experience? STERN: I did want to film with captions in mind, so I made sure that we did have a wider frame. We figured out visual voiceover with a split screen that we added. We did this little surgery with words and syllables in one of the scenes where we mixed them all around to be able to bring people into how Marlee experiences conversations and the world. We wanted to make this documentary an immersive experience for the audience members, a sensory experience to help them understand. AP: 'CODA' felt like a big moment, but in the years since it won the Oscar, have you seen things change? MATLIN: 'CODA' certainly was a milestone and respected by so many people in the industry. It tackled a lot of things that both deaf and hearing people or audiences can identify with. I love the fact that they burnt in the captions. That you can't just turn it off. And I hoped that all the love we received and the three Academy Awards that we got would make a difference. It was honored on so many other levels too as well, whether we're talking about (director) Sian (Heder) or you're talking about Troy (Kotsur) or the SAG award which was just a dream come true, specifically of mine. I took that opportunity to specifically address that that we 'exist,' that we want to be actors just like you, we want to be directors, we want be producers, we want to be hair and wardrobe stylists. We want to work in all levels of production. So 'CODA' really elevated that conversation about how much we wanted to be part of the industry. But for some reason it didn't really break open the door as wide as I would have thought. Yet we just don't give up. We are persistent. Because it is what it is. We are working on our own levels to make changes. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. STERN: Marlee said something really brave when we were at Sundance. She said, 'It won't last.' The moment, yes, in the moment. But I don't know if we have movement. MATLIN: There's so many stories that we can tell, so many stories that you can put up on screen, so many stories that we can put on stage. I'd like to see action because I've been hearing that, 'Yes, we have to do this' or 'I will do this,' but it's been 40 years. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. I just want to make sure that we put our money where our mouth is. I go back to that comment about Rex Reed. I wonder if he would ever see this film. I'd love to see if he has the balls to make a comment and say, 'Oh look, I realize I might have said something wrong.' That's just one example of the things I'd like to see happen. And maybe the people who interviewed me over the years. I don't want you to misunderstand me, I have a great deal of respect for them. But specifically, I am calling out Rex Reed. So, you know, sorry but not sorry.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Henry Winkler took in Marlee Matlin after she left her tumultuous relationship with William Hurt
Marlee Matlin needed somewhere to go after she got out of rehab and ended her turbulent relationship with William Hurt. Happy Days star Henry Winkler, who first met Matlin when she was a teenager, opened his home up to her. Matlin ended up becoming a part of the Winkler family and considering their house her home away from Matlin ended up having plenty of happy day thanks to Henry Winkler. The Oscar-winning actress, who at 21 became the first deaf performer to win an Academy Award, tells her story in the new documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore. And part of that story is the key role Winkler has played in her life as an inspiration and a friend. The two first met when Winkler was touring the country as a member of the Happy Days cast and Matlin was just a teenager with big dreams. They kept in touch, and Winkler was Matlin's soft place to land during a difficult time in her life. Matlin had a tumultuous two-year romantic relationship in the 1980s with her Children of a Lesser God costar William Hurt, recalling in her 2009 memoir that he was often abusive toward her. However, Hurt did encourage her to go to rehab for her alcohol and drug addiction, and it was there that she realized the unhealthy nature of their situation. "There were a lot of things I learned in rehab," Matlin says in the documentary, "that pointed to things not being right. The physical abuse and verbal abuse, the mental and emotional abuse was not right. I learned that there." Matlin says the experience made her and Hurt realize their relationship was never going to be the same after rehab. "I decided I had it," she says. "I walked out of that house and I never went back." Instead, she went to Winkler in search of help after he invited her to come to his home in California and talk. Winkler remembers that moment clearly. "Knock on the door. Marlee," he recalls in the doc. "'I have no place to stay. I just broke up with my boyfriend. Can I stay with you just for the weekend?'" Naturally, the actor said it was no problem. Then, "two years later, she finally moved out," he deadpans, before breaking out into a wide grin. "That family took me in as if I were one of their own," Matlin adds. "I''ll never forget that." Winkler also notes, "She was not completely whole at that time, so I told her, 'If you know what you want without ambivalence, if you're clear about what you want, everything else will fall into place.'" His words rang true, and Matlin found her footing in Los Angeles, as she booked the TV show Reasonable Doubts and met her husband, police officer Kevin Grandalski. The two married Aug. 29, 1993, in the backyard of Winkler's home. Home video footage of the ceremony is also included in the film. "There was no other thing to do," Winkler says in the doc. "There was no other place for her to get married except in our yard, in her home away from home." Winkler and Matlin remain close to this day. While doing press for the film at its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Matlin told PEOPLE that she considers Winkler her "fairy godfather." Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore hits theaters Friday. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Marlee Matlin is still the youngest best actress Oscar winner: How old was she?
With the Oscars less than one month away, film fanatics are gearing up for who will take home the golden statuettes. Others are recalling their first time walking across the award ceremony stage. Marlee Matlin is the youngest woman to ever receive the Oscar for best actress. The Illinois native, who is now 59 years old, won the award in 1987 for her role as Sarah Norman in the 1986 romantic drama, "Children of a Lesser God." She has maintained the record for 38 years. "To tell you the truth, I didn't prepare for this speech, but I definitely want to thank the Academy and it's members, and I want to thank all those special people in the film and I can name them: Randa Haines, Patrick Palmer, the entire cast and crew and particularly William Hurt for his great support and love in this film," Matlin said during her acceptance speech. "And I just want to thank all of you. I love you." Haines and Palmer co-directed "Children of a Lesser God" and Hurt served as Matlin's co-star, James Leed. Matlin was also the first deaf performer to win an Academy Award. She would remain the sole winner until Troy Kotsur won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2022 for his role in "CODA," which Matlin also starred in. More: 'We are not costumes': Why Marlee Matlin put her foot down, insisting 'CODA' cast deaf actors Marlee Matlin was 21 years old when she won the Best Actress Oscar at the 59th Academy Awards on March 30, 1987. This year, Mikey Madison is the youngest best actress nominee for her role as Ani in "Anora." Madison is 25 years old. Cynthia Erivo for "Wicked" Karla Sofía Gascón for "Emilia Pérez" Mikey Madison for "Anora" Demi Moore for "Substance" Fernanda Torres for "I'm Still Here." The 97th Academy Awards are Sunday, March 2. The 2025 Oscars will air from 7-10 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 2. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Academy Awards: Marlee Matlin is the youngest best actress Oscar winner
