When he saw her in a tape of Chicago's production, he asked her to come to New York and audition. She auditioned with the actor William Hurt, who was already cast as the lead male. There was two more auditions in Los Angeles before Matlin got the role. After filming ended in 1985, it was released in 1986. Matlin's stardom skyrocketed. She was one of the year's biggest entertainment stories. Then, on Oscar night in 1987, she made history when she was the first Deaf person to win an Academy Award for Best Actress (“Marlee …show more content…
Also showing off her humor, she got to play a role in Picket Fences. “This role let me put out the funny side of me. There's nothing in it about deafness. It just happens that I am deaf; it's time for me to explore something different,” she told People Magazine. Matlin is widening her versatility. Showing the world she can be a great comedian as well. She received a Emmy nomination for both series. Also, in the same year, she depicted a mentally handicap woman struggling to keep her children in Against Her Will: The Carrie Buck Story. She went on to make more guest appearances in Spin City and ER, as well as getting a supporting role in the drama It's My Party. It wasn't before long that Matlin had another Emmy nomination for her role in the practice in 2000