Quotes By Marlee Matlin

There are so many people, deaf or otherwise abled, who are so talented but overlooked or not given a chance to even get their foot in the door.

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.

The only thing I can't do is hear. I can drive, I have a life with four kids, I work on TV, I do movies, so the deafness question, is it that they want to know because, what? Not sure.

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'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 live my life like everyone else; everyone has their own obstacles. Mine is deafness.

All I can say is I've been reading the lips of bleeped-out words, angry baseball players, and stoned-out rock stars on awards shows for years and it's been hilarious. Everyone is always asking me what the bleeped-out parts are saying.

Living modestly in a suburban neighborhood while trying to support four children through private school is not extravagant or living large.

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

I'm different, and my manner invites questions. I'm never afraid to answer.

There is nothing better than being a parent. It is the most challenging job one could ever ask for. I love being a mom and I love being a friend to my children as well.

The handicap of deafness is not in the ear; it is in the mind.

Hollywood embraced me in the late '80s because there was a good project I was in and it was different. Nowadays, it's about corporate mentality, box office, youth.

It was ability that mattered, not disability, which is a word I'm not crazy about using.

The hearing aids are very helpful for speech reading. Without the hearing aids, my voice becomes very loud, and I cannot control the quality of my voice.

Watch me when people say deaf and dumb, or deaf mute, and I give them a look like you might get if you called Denzel Washington the wrong name.

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

Silence is the last thing the world will ever hear from me.

I have made the choices that work best for me. I know I cannot please everyone, and that's fine.

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.

When I was young I knew I was deaf. I couldn't accept it.

Why are people so interested in other people's relationships? It's like stealing.

It seems we're always in transition and that it's more about trends than it is about what's meaningful.

I learned to speak first, and then to sign. I have never really known what it was like to hear, so I can't compare hearing aids to normal hearing.

The best feeling in the world is when you child just comes up to you and lays their head in your lap, for no other reason but just because.

I'm not broke. Like everybody else, I owe money.

At the end of the day, it's about the best interests of the children.

When it comes down to it, it's about who you know, and who's a fan. It's about whether you're the right age, whether you're hot or not, whether the studio is into you or not.

I can hear you and I can watch your mouth move, and then I put together the sounds and the visual image, and I can understand the words as I integrate the two signals.