Marlee Bethany Matlin (born August 24 1965) is an American television and movie actress. She is also deaf. Deaf means she cannot hear. She is the only deaf person to win an Academy Award for Best Actress. At the age of 21, she was also the youngest woman in history to win. She won for her part in "Children of a Lesser God". In addition to her acting work, she also works with the National Association of the Deaf. She is known for her work on television shows such as "Reasonable Doubts", "Desperate Housewives", "The West Wing", and "Switched at Birth".