While everyone was talking about Lady Gaga singing the National Anthem at Sunday's Super Bowl, it's equally important who was signing it. Standing on the football field, Marlee Matlin performed "America the Beautiful" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" in American Sign Language. "America The Beautiful" was a beautiful tribute to the country performed by 50 members of the Armed Forces Chorus. So, who is Matlin? For those unfamiliar, she's an Academy Award-winning actor — and the only deaf actor to take home a Best Actress trophy. She won an Oscar for Children of a Lesser God in 1987. She also earned a Golden Globe for the role.
Beyond that, Matlin's acting résumé is incredibly impressive. Over the course of her career, she's had cameos in everything from Family Guy to Law & Order: SVU. The 50-year-old also had recurring roles on Switched at Birth, The L Word, and The West Wing. All of her work on TV earned her four Emmy nominations. In 2015, Matlin made her Broadway debut in Spring Awakening.
In case that's not enough, Matlin has published four books, including a memoir called I'll Scream Later. She's also an activist for the deaf community. On top of all that, Matlin is a mom of four. Honestly, I don't know how she finds time to do it all — but she does, and it's beyond inspiring.
Before the Super Bowl started, Matlin shared a photo from the field:
Of course, she tweeted a photo after the performance too. You can even see a glimpse of Gaga behind her.
Plus, she got to meet Jay Z at the Super Bowl and shared a photo beforehand:
Now that makes the major milestone even more memorable.
For more of Bustle's Super Bowl coverage, check out the video below!
