May 29, 2025: Marlee Matlin is baring her soul in a raw and emotional new documentary that captures the essence of her groundbreaking career and lifelong advocacy.
The Oscar-winning actress stars in Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and is headed to the Tribeca Film Festival before hitting theaters in New York on June 20 and Los Angeles on June 27.
Directed by Shoshannah Stern, the film explores Matlin’s extraordinary journey — from her historic Best Actress Oscar win at age 21 for Children of a Lesser God, to becoming a fierce advocate for Deaf representation in Hollywood and beyond.
“I’m so excited to have audiences share in my journey and get it directly from my hands!” says Matlin, now 59. “It’s real and it’s raw, and despite the barriers out there, anyone watching — Deaf or hearing — can identify.”
The documentary’s title refers to Matlin’s emotional reaction when CODA and its star Troy Kotsur won Oscars in 2021, 35 years after her own historic moment. The trailer revisits her trailblazing rise in Hollywood, featuring personal reflections and never-before-seen footage.
“Okay, so you never saw a Deaf actor win an Oscar? I’ll prove to you that I belong in Hollywood,” Matlin boldly declares in the trailer.
Director Stern says she aimed to immerse audiences in Matlin’s visual and sensory world, stating:
“To do justice to Marlee’s legacy, I needed to make this film immersive. I’m telling her story — and in doing so, I’m telling the story of so many Deaf people.”
The film includes interviews with Matlin’s collaborators and close friends, including Aaron Sorkin, Troy Kotsur, Sian Heder, John Maucere, and Henry Winkler, who all reflect on her impact in the industry.
Kotsur recalls: “I felt like there was an earthquake booming through Hollywood” when Matlin won her Oscar.
The documentary also highlights her pivotal role in championing closed captioning on television in the 1980s, a move that forever changed access to media for the Deaf community. Matlin herself admits:
“I became an advocate without knowing it at first.”
Produced by Robyn Kopp, Justine Nagan, Bonni Cohen, and Shoshannah Stern, Not Alone Anymore reclaims Matlin’s narrative beyond the Cinderella story — one that’s about perseverance, voice, and visibility.