Marlee Matlin - Deaf Actress, Cultural Icon - 1249 Words

Perry Miles Professor Parker English 1010 Composition 1 24 June 2009 Paper I: Marlee Matlin - Deaf Actress, Cultural Icon Marlee Beth Matlin was born on August 24, 1965 in Morton Grove, Illinois to Libby and Donald Matlin. She is the youngest and the only female of three children. She is an Academy Award winning actress and a world renowned spokesperson for various organizations. Marlee lives in the greater Los Angeles area with her husband, law enforcement officer Kevin Grandalski, and their four children, Sarah, Brandon, Tyler and Isabelle. These facts are not very different from millions of other Americans across the country. The one fact about Marlee that makes me admire her is that at the tender age of 18 months, she had a†¦show more content†¦It was here that Marlee auditioned for and was cast into their production of the Wizard of Oz as the only character suitable for her personality, Dorothy. She later attended college and got a degree in Criminal Justice, preparing for a real world career but continuing to perform throughout the Midw est in pursuit of her dream of becoming an actress. After one of her performances, Marlee got an opportunity to meet Henry Winkler, who would eventually become her mentor. Unashamed and not intimidated by this famous actor, Marlee approached him and told him that she wanted to be an actor as well. He encouraged her that she could be whatever she wanted to in life. All she had to do was imagine it in her heart and her dreams would come true. I am sure that the ‘Fonz’ had no idea how big of an impact his words of encouragement would have on Marlee’s life. That this young lady would be the first Deaf actress to win an Academy Award for Best Actress at the age of 21. Not only did Marlee become the first Deaf actress to win an Oscar for her performance of ‘Sarah’ along side actor William Hurt in the 1986 movie â€Å"Children of a Lesser God†, but she was also the youngest actresses to win an Oscar and one of only four actresses to win an Oscar in h er debut role. Marlee Matlin not only deserved the attention of the