Marlee Matlin

"Everybody's got a job to do, and I do mine as best I can."

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

"I hope I inspire people who hear. Hearing people have the ability to remove barriers that prevent deaf people from achieving their dreams."

"I want roles without anger and feistiness. I want to show weakness and sadness, some love, some happiness."

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

"I'm the only one in my family who is deaf, and there are still conversations that go around me that I miss out on. And I ask what's going on, and I have to ask to be included. But I'm not going to be sad about it. I don't live in sad isolation. It's just a situation I'm used to."

"There are many deaf people who couldn't imagine living in a marriage without someone who doesn't speak their language. For me, I believe that hearing or deaf is fine as long as both parties are willing to communicate in each other's language. But if there's no communication, then the marriage, I believe, will be difficult if not doomed."

"You can do anything if you set your mind to it. Look out for kids, help them dream and be inspired. We teach calculus in schools, but I believe the most important formula is courage plus dreams equals success."