Marlee Matlin Quotes

What parent has it easy? I just never make the difficulty of it an obstacle. I just do it.

I hope that through my example, such as my role on ‘The West Wing,’ I can help change attitudes on deafness and prove we can really do everything… except hear.

I have always resisted putting limitations on myself, both professionally and personally.

I’ve always wanted to write a book relating my experiences growing up as a deaf child in Chicago. Contrary to what people might think, it wasn’t all about hearing aids and speech classes or frustrations.

I hope I inspire people who hear. Hearing people have the ability to remove barriers that prevent deaf people from achieving their dreams.

It was my father who instilled the never say no attitude I carry around with me today, and who instilled in me a sense of wonder, always taking us on adventures in the car, never telling us the destination.

I got a good handshake. A lot of executives tell me I have the best handshake in Hollywood.

How many deaf people do you know in real life? Unless they live in a cave, or are 14, which seems to be true for most people in this business, what could I possibly tell them that they don’t already know?

Every one of us is different in some way, but for those of us who are more different, we have to put more effort into convincing the less different that we can do the same thing they can, just differently.

I listen to Billy Joel. He is fabulous. I saw him with Elton John when they toured together, it was so great.

I guess not being able to hear just made me adventurous and daring. And in most cases, that didn’t make my parents very happy with me.

I was 21 years and 218 days old when I received the Academy Award for Best Actress. I had just stepped into an imaginary world that I’d seen at a distance for years.