Growing up in Russia, I was always fascinated with California and especially Los Angeles - the land of the American dream coming true, of shattered illusions, of Hollywood stardom and betrayal, lucky draws in the lottery of life, and the rise and fame of the stars.
I also saw film as a way to depict people with disabilities in a positive way. ER was perhaps the first TV series broadcast in Russia that depicted characters with disabilities objectively, realistically, and without feigning pity or tear-jerking. One of the scenes I remember best depicted a deaf person giving birth to a child; I know that for quite a few people in Russia, this was an eye-opener and made them look at deaf people from a different perspective, and to realize the daily challenges they may face.
In 1997 I was lucky enough to spend the first month of my exchange year at a cultural orientation program in Los Angeles, and before I left, I also got to know Very Special Arts, an organisation that promotes arts by people with disabilities. In 1999, when I returned to Los Angeles, I took the position of a guest-organizer for the group's festival called "Art & Soul," and was put in charge of a combination Deaf Russian art exhibit and solo pianist. I was able to attend and take part because I received a Soros foundation grant for travel.
While working on the festival, I found out that Anthony Edwards and Marlee Matlin would be part of the festival's opening ceremony, and I instantly jumped at the chance to meet them for an interview.
At the time, Anthony Edwards was working with a theatre group made up of people with disabilities, and I thought it would be exciting to talk to him about his work with these actors and specifically about his work in "ER". I'd also been fascinated by Marlee, who is well known in Russia because of her film career, roles and awards. I decided it would be unforgivable for me as a journalism student to miss such an opportunity, especially when there was a common issue to discuss: how a person can become successful and find outlet for self-expression with (or despite) a disability.
Approaching the celebrities meant a long correspondence with the festival organizers who then passed me on to Marlee Matlin's press-secretary. I exchanged even more emails with her to try to organise a moment to talk. If my memory serves, I believe I was told I could ask only 3 questions of Marlee. No more.
Finally, the interviews were arranged. In LA, after the opening ceremony and striking performances by artists with disabilities from all over the world, Ms. Matlin's press-secretary led me to the object of my fascination herself. Marlee was talking in a circle of her colleagues and laughing.
She turned around. Her manner and aura of confidence impressed me instantly:
greetings, a warm and firm handshake (later I learned that Hollywood executives think her handshake is the best in Hollywood), and all her gestures and behaviour projected magnetism and energy.
"A tough woman," I thought, "who will never let anyone stand in her way...charming, vulnerable and strong at the same time."
I presented to Marlee a painted Russian-style egg as a gift from the Russian deaf artists, and she was happy to accept it. I was just about to quickly ask my three questions, when Marlee herself started a vivid discussion with me, and questioned me with a dash of humour.
"You are from Russia! Where from?" she said, looking genuinely interested, as if I were an honourable Deaf representative of my country. I was a bit confused by the attention. "And do you know this man?" she pointed at a tall good-naturedly looking man. I shook my head. "Oh," she said, "How come you don't know him?" she said, jokingly prodding the two of us. In this way, I got to talk to other Deaf theatre and movie actors in Hollywood. (As you can see, to my shame, I still cannot remember the man's name, but remember Marlee joking about him...). I told Marlee about the deaf theatre in Moscow and groups of Russian deaf artists who work on lots of enthusiasm and little or no support, and about the challenges they have to face.
I asked Marlee about her decision to become an actress, what it took her to overcome all the obstacles, and her plans for the future. My question about how Marlee achieved success had an obvious answer. Just from looking her, you really understand the meaning of the expression, "where there's a will, there's a way." As Marlee told me, "If a deaf actor really wants to act and do this for the rest of his life, I tell him that he should go ahead; but, if he is questioning or has a doubt, he'd better step away."
I have heard both praise and criticism for Marlee; that the decision to award her an Oscar was mere political correctness, that there is too much focus on Marlee's disability and not enough on her acting talents, that Marlee does not give enough support to young deaf artists, etc. But, in many countries Marlee Matlin remains an example of determination for deaf people. As an actress who is still in demand by the studios, has appeared in several television shows over the last year-including "West Wing," "Sesame Street," and "Blues Clues"-has played a variety of roles and starred in the independent film "What the Bleep Do You Know?" (2004), Marlee cannot be called a star only because she is different from others or because she has a disability. Even as a woman, she is fascinating because few could handle being a mother of four, an author, running a studio, as well as acting in movies at the same time.
Hollywood is less alluring to me now than it was when I was a teenager, and I also see the different sides of Marlee Matlin's success. Yes, I know that speaking about Marlee as an "over-achiever despite her hearing loss" would be a cliché in the U.S. But in the U.S. it is not as devilishly hard for a person with disability to become an actor in demand as it is in most European and other countries. And we need deaf role models like Marlee in Europe, too. We need them for people to realize the potential of talented deaf artists.
When will they come?
Despite this, I know for sure that Marlee is one person who significantly increased my belief in the perseverance of deaf people, my own motivation, and my will to work on hearing loss issues. Since then, I've not been as shy as before in my attempts to make the impossible possible.
© Copyrighted material, used by permission. This article can not be copied, reproduced, or redistributed without the express written consent of the author. Author's views not necessarily those of i711.com.
