Oscar®-winning actress Marlee Matlin–whose lifetime advocacy for the deaf and hearing impaired is reflected in the highly acclaimed film CODA on Apple TV+–will receive the Humanitarian Award from the Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) at the 8th Annual LMGI Awards themed “Celebrate the Where.” The 2021 Awards will honor the exemplary humanitarian commitment that Matlin has made to spotlight the deaf and hearing impaired throughout her award-winning career in the motion picture and television worlds. Actor Isaiah Mustafa will host the online LMGI Awards ceremony on Saturday, October 23, at 2 p.m. PDT (Pre-Show at 1:30 p.m.), during a virtual ceremony.
LMGI president John Rakich stated, “The LMGI proudly salutes Marlee Matlin for her dedication, talent and the impact that she has had on enlightening the world to the deaf and hearing-impaired community. Her powerful performances in both motion pictures and television demonstrates her understanding, compassion and support for this special group, and we honor her enthusiasm, commitment and amazing achievements as a true humanitarian and an artist.”
Matlin recently starred in the Sundance Film Festival darling Apple Original Film CODA, which follows a hearing teenage girl who is a child of deaf adults. The film won four Sundance awards, including the Grand Jury Prize. Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her motion picture debut in Children of a Lesser God, a performance celebrated with the Academy Award® for Best Actress. At age 21, she became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar. Marlee is also an executive producer of the Oscar-nominated short film Feeling Through, the first film to feature a deaf blind actor in a leading role.
In addition to her acclaimed film career, Matlin has received four Emmy®-nominations in her television projects including her performances on Seinfeld, Picket Fences, The Practice and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Additional notable TV performances include The West Wing, Bridge to Silence, and Reasonable Doubt.
Matlin’s talents extend to her writing as well, with her autobiography “I’ll Scream Later” becoming a New York Times Best Seller. Matlin also published a novel for children titled “Deaf Child Crossing” which was loosely based on her own childhood. She later wrote and published a sequel titled “Nobody’s Perfect,” produced on stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in partnership with VSA Arts in October 2007.
Matlin has been instrumental in many activities that are aiding the deaf and hard of hearing communities. Thanks in part to her efforts, all Academy screeners have closed captions. She helped pass legislation that mandated ASL interpreters be present at all COVID-19 press conferences. She also organized a PSA on how to vote that included leaders in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, aiding the millions of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Americans in accessing resources.
The 8th Annual LMGI Awards breaks will be presented on a digital platform, streaming to a worldwide and more inclusive audience. This year’s show will be produced by Erick Weiss, Honeysweet Creative and IngleDodd Media, and written by Shelly Goldstein. The awards celebration will be free to stream, but registration is required here.
