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Why Marlee Matlin Calls Longtime Friend Henry Winkler Her ‘Fairy Godfather’ (Exclusive)
Neilson Barnard/Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty
Marlee Matlin, Henry Winkler.
Marlee Matlin has counted Henry Winkler as a close friend for decades, as a new documentary about the Oscar-winning actress attests.
In director Shoshannah Stern’s new project, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 23, Matlin, 59, and Winkler, 79, reflect together, and in individual on-camera interviews, on their close friendship — which began when the Happy Days star saw a 12-year-old Matlin onstage in a Chicago variety show.
Speaking at PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly’s Shutterstock Official Sundance Film Festival Portrait Studio on Friday, Jan. 24, the Children of a Lesser God star recalls living with Winkler and wife Stacey Weitzman for two years after getting sober.
“I’m always so very grateful for that family who took me in at one of the worst times of my life, who helped me heal, who helped me learn to start all over again, who gave me the courage to be able to stand on my own two feet,” she tells PEOPLE via interpreter Jack Jason.
“He gave me the courage to say, ‘I can do it,’ as he would do with his own children and people he cares about,” Matlin adds. “If it were not for Henry, I don’t know where I’d be. Really. Henry Winkler and Stacey Winkler, his wife, are just godsends.”
Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty
Henry Winkler and Marlee Matlin at Matlin’s Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2009
Not Alone Anymore chronicles Matlin’s journey from her breakout as the youngest and first deaf best actress Academy Award winner, to the years following, when she fought for cultural representation of the deaf community onscreen. (The documentary’s title refers to a comment Matlin made after 2021 hit CODA and its deaf star Troy Kotsur earned Oscars 35 years after her historic win.)
In the doc, Winkler recalls his first encounter with the precocious Matlin and how their friendship evolved to the point of roommates. Included is footage from Matlin’s wedding in 1993 to husband Kevin Grandalski — which took place in Winkler and Weitzman’s backyard.
Related: Marlee Matlin Announces She’s Going to Be a Grandma in Cute Video — See the Clip!
“That was great,” says Matlin with a smile. “A fun fact, to talk to people about how I got married at the Fonz‘s house. But actually I don’t see him as the Fonz. I see him as my family friend, a second father.”
“I have often seen [Matlin’s] story be compared to a Cinderella story,” Stern, 44, tells PEOPLE. “She was plucked from obscurity and sent to the Oscars. I always felt like that’s doing Marlee a disservice because Marlee has worked so hard.”
But, she quips, “Henry Winkler is definitely the fairy godmother.”
“Fairy godfather!” agrees Matlin.
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Winkler is so integral to Matlin’s life that he’s already bonded with her daughter’s baby Brooklyn, who made Matlin a grandmother for the first time.
“That really gave me so much pleasure, to see the two of them meet,” she says. “It just gave me chills.”
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore does not yet have a theatrical release date.
Read the original article on People
Marlee Matlin and Henry Winkler have been friends for decades, and their bond goes beyond just a typical Hollywood friendship. In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight, Matlin opened up about why she affectionately refers to Winkler as her “Fairy Godfather.”
The Oscar-winning actress explained that Winkler has been a constant source of support and guidance throughout her career, always offering words of wisdom and encouragement. She credits him with helping her navigate the ups and downs of the industry and providing invaluable advice on everything from acting to life in general.
“He’s always been there for me, in good times and bad. He’s like a guardian angel, looking out for me and cheering me on every step of the way,” Matlin shared. “He truly is my Fairy Godfather.”
Matlin and Winkler first met in the early 1980s when they were both rising stars in Hollywood, and their friendship has only grown stronger over the years. Winkler has been a mentor to Matlin, offering her guidance and support as she navigates the challenges of being a deaf actress in a predominantly hearing industry.
“He’s always believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. He’s been a constant source of inspiration and encouragement, and I am so grateful to have him in my life,” Matlin said.
As for Winkler, he is equally effusive in his praise for Matlin, calling her a “true talent and a dear friend.” He is proud to be able to support her in any way he can and has no doubt that she will continue to achieve great things in her career.
The bond between Matlin and Winkler is a testament to the power of friendship and the importance of having someone in your corner who believes in you unconditionally. As Matlin continues to make her mark in Hollywood, she knows that she can always count on her “Fairy Godfather” to be there, cheering her on every step of the way.
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