Marlee Matlin Opens Up About William Hurt’s ‘Habit of Abuse’ in New Documentary

PARK CITY, Utah — Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin is reflecting on her tumultuous relationship with late actor William Hurt, describing it as marked by his “habit of abuse,” in a new documentary premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.

Matlin, 59, met Hurt while filming the 1986 movie *Children of a Lesser God*, in which she played Sarah, a deaf woman who falls in love with her speech teacher, portrayed by Hurt. The role earned Matlin an Oscar for Best Actress, making her the first deaf performer to win the award. However, her triumph was overshadowed by Hurt’s alleged behavior.

In *Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore*, the actress recalls feeling fear as she approached the stage to accept her Oscar. “I was afraid because I knew in my gut that he wasn’t happy,” Matlin said. “I saw the look on his face, and my thought was, ‘s—!’”

Matlin described hesitating to take the award from Hurt, who was presenting that night. “I wish it were different,” she admitted. “I wish I had shown my joy. But I was afraid because he was standing right there.”

This isn’t the first time Matlin has spoken about Hurt’s dismissive attitude toward her achievement. In Dave Karger’s 2024 book, *50 Oscar Nights*, she recounted Hurt minimizing her win, saying, “So you have that little man there next to you. What makes you think you deserve it?”

The documentary also features Matlin’s sign language interpreter, Jack Jason, who recalled an incident on a private plane where Matlin emerged from a room with Hurt sporting a black eye. *Children of a Lesser God* director Randa Haines also noted seeing bruises on Matlin during filming. “I could see that they were having arguments, fights,” Haines said. “I remember once noticing a bruise.”

Haines added that Hurt would often exclude Matlin by telling jokes and turning his back so she couldn’t see his lips. “I tried to understand what was going on,” Haines said. “But I saw that she was suffering from it.”

Before his death in 2022, Hurt addressed the allegations in a 2009 statement, saying, “My own recollection is that we both apologized and both did a great deal to heal our lives. Of course, I did and do apologize for any pain I caused. And I know we have both grown. I wish Marlee and her family nothing but good.”

Matlin’s documentary sheds new light on her struggles during and after her relationship with Hurt, offering a candid look at her journey to overcome adversity and reclaim her voice.