Shoshannah Stern & Marlee Matlin: Director & Deaf Actor Story
From Actor to Auteur: Shoshannah Stern’s Unexpected Journey Behind the Camera
Table of Contents
Published August 20, 2025
A Late-Night proposition
The seed of a remarkable directorial debut was planted during a quite moment on the set of the Sundance series This close. Shoshannah Stern, already a cocreator and executive producer of the show, found herself chatting with her costar, the Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin, while waiting for filming to resume.The conversation, though the specifics are now hazy, took an unexpected turn when Matlin turned to Stern and simply stated, “You need to direct.”
Matlin explained that observing Stern’s creative process and dedication sparked the idea. “She doesn’t give up easily when it comes to writing.She doesn’t give up easily when it comes to acting. She sets her mind to it. So why not go beyond that, and go up beyond to direct?” Matlin recalled.
A Documentary is Born
At the time, producers where approaching Matlin with offers to create a documentary about her life. However, Matlin made a bold stipulation: she would only participate if shoshannah Stern, who had never directed before, took the helm. years later, that leap of faith resulted in Marlee Matlin: not Alone Anymore, a critically acclaimed and award-winning film now available in select theaters and for digital rental or purchase. The documentary is lauded for its nuanced portrayal of a Hollywood icon, achieved through Stern’s distinctive directorial style and narrative choices.
Overcoming Self-Doubt
Stern initially resisted the idea, confessing she didn’t feel prepared for such a significant undertaking. having built a career as an actor, with roles in series like Weeds and Gray’s Anatomy, she had recently found her voice as a screenwriter. “I literally had never thought about [directing] before,” Stern shared, communicating in American Sign Language with an interpreter. ”I didn’t think I could. I didn’t think I would be allowed to.”
This admission struck a nerve with Matlin, who revealed a deeply personal connection to Stern’s initial hesitation. “I’m basically experiencing PTSD as an inevitable result of those words being used,” Matlin said, explaining that many deaf individuals internalize similar feelings of being discouraged or deemed incapable. “A lot of kids who are deaf experience those same words. I’m glad that she was able to change her mind about feeling ‘not allowed’ to say, ‘Fuck off. Fuck off.'”
A Lifelong Journey to storytelling
Stern’s path to filmmaking was shaped by her upbringing in the Bay Area within a fourth-generation deaf family. Her mother was a stage actor, instilling in Stern a love for performance from a young age.Though, growing up before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 presented significant barriers. “There were almost no captions on TV-so you’re hungry for facts, you’re hungry for stories. That makes you vrey curious,” stern explained. ”I’m always asking my friends who can hear, ‘What’s the other table talking about?’ They’re usually like, ‘I don’t know, I’m not listening.’ I would never stop listening, if I could.”
Stern’s pursuit of her artistic ambitions wasn’t without obstacles. While aiming to study theater in college, she faced resistance from the vocational Rehabilitation program, which provided financial support for her education. The program deemed a theater degree ”not a reasonable major,” arguing it wouldn’t lead to a “contributing member of society.” She was steered towards English instead, continuing to participate in plays at Gallaudet University whenever possible.
Ironically, just as she considered abandoning her acting dreams, an opportunity arose. A secretary at Gallaudet recommended Stern to the casting directors of the sitcom Off Center, created by the Weitz brothers (known for American Pie). Despite lacking an agent, Stern secured an audition and landed the part, launching her Hollywood career.
Breaking the Mold and Redefining ”Groundbreaking”
even as she began auditioning for roles throughout the 2000s, Stern often found herself the sole deaf actor in the room. This experience occurred decades after Children of a Lesser God (1986), starring Marlee Matlin, which made Matlin the first deaf actor to win an Oscar. More recently,Troy Kotsur won an Oscar for his role in CODA (2022),also alongside Matlin. Stern challenges the label of “groundbreaking” when applied to these milestones,arguing that true progress lies in stories that “push perspective,push the form,push understanding,they push the nuance.”