Marlee Matlin Shares Her Two-Year Stay with Henry Winkler

After ending her tumultuous relationship with her abusive former boyfriend, William Hurt, Marlee Matlin was just out of rehab and without a place to stay when she found refuge with actor Henry Winkler and his family. What was meant to be just a weekend visit turned into a two-year stay in the late 1980s.

Winkler and his wife, Stacey, welcomed Matlin as part of their family, encouraging her to help around the house and including her in family meals with their children, Jed, Max, and Zoe.

Matlin describes Winkler as a mentor and affectionately calls him her second father. She met him when she was around 12 during a stage performance, and their relationship grew stronger over the years. Their bond was so deep that she had her wedding at his home to her husband, Kevin Grandalski, with whom she shares four children and a granddaughter.

Her friendship with Winkler blossomed long after her initial stay, and she remains grateful for his mentorship. Hurt, her co-star in her breakthrough film, passed away at age 71 in 2022. Hurt’s influence was complex; he inspired her to seek help through rehab, recognizing the importance of addressing addiction and abuse.

Matlin overcame many challenges, including being the first deaf person to seek treatment at the Betty Ford Center, often paying out of pocket for interpretation services. Her experiences with media insensitivity have been chronicled in her new documentary, directed by fellow deaf actress Shoshannah Stern, who aims to evoke discomfort to foster understanding and change.

Throughout her career, Matlin has faced exclusion and prejudice but continues to advocate for awareness and empathy toward the deaf community. She hopes her story encourages greater inclusion and respect. Her recent work includes returning to the Oscars for the film “CODA,” which won Best Picture and Best Actor, celebrating deaf talent on a historic stage.