Marlee Matlin Celebrates First Grandchild Arrival With Overflowing Love
Marlee Matlin, the celebrated actress, is now a proud grandmother as her daughter Sarah Rose Grandalski welcomes her first baby, Brooklyn Rose Garriola.
Sharing her joy with PEOPLE, Matlin, 58, expressed the overwhelming love she feels for her granddaughter. “There’s no way to describe the feeling of becoming a grandparent for the first time. The love for the child truly overwhelms you in the best way,” she shared.
In a heartwarming Instagram video posted last December, Marlee announced Sarah’s pregnancy. The video captured the tender moment when Matlin signed “It’s a girl” in American Sign Language as she lovingly rubbed her daughter’s growing belly.
Married to retired Burbank police officer Kevin Grandalski since 1993, Marlee met her husband on the set of the police drama Reasonable Doubts. Together, they have four children: Brandon Joseph, Tyler Daniel, Isabelle Jane, and Sarah.
Aside from her family joys, Marlee is a vocal advocate for the deaf community’s inclusion in Hollywood. Reflecting on her journey as the first deaf actor to win an Oscar for her role in Children of a Lesser God at the age of 21, she emphasizes the importance of representation.
Marlee’s commitment to diversity extends beyond awards. When cast in the film CODA, she insisted on casting a deaf actor for the main role. “I said I would walk off if they hired a hearing actor to play the deaf father. That’s not something that I take for granted any longer. I was actually surprised that they listened,” she shared.
“I was really proud to be part of this very beautiful film. We want people to know there’s a culture out there other than what the [hearing community] experiences, and it deserves respect and attention,” she added.
During an interview with PEOPLE in March, the actress said that she “will continue to fight on behalf of what I think is necessary for my community and beyond.”
“What keeps her going? “I love to bitch,” she said through her interpreter, Jack Jason.
