Marlee Matlin Credits Henry Winkler for Saving Her After Abusive Relationship With William Hurt
Marlee Matlin is crediting Henry Winkler with saving her.
The 59-year-old actress and activist has a documentary called Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore coming out on June 20, in which she revisits her tumultuous relationship with late actor William Hurt, whom she claims had a “habit of abuse.” The actor died at 71 in 2022.
In the documentary, she credits the 79-year-old Happy Days star with helping her during her recovery after the relationship.
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Marlee met William on the set of their 1986 film Children of a Lesser God when she was just 19 and he was 35.
While she says William encouraged her to enter rehab, she revealed that post-rehab, she knew she couldn’t return.
“I walked out of that house and never went back,” Marlee says in the documentary, via Decider.
And so, she turned to Henry.
“He didn’t make it hard for me to reach out to him,” she explained to Fox News. “He was always available. It was like an open door – an open door to his heart and my heart.”
Henry recalled the moment the actress appeared at his door.
“‘I just broke up with my boyfriend. Can I stay with you just for the weekend?’ … Two years later, she finally moved out!” he laughed.
Henry and his wife Stacey Weitzman welcomed her like family.
“He knows that he’s done that to a lot of people. But to have that close relationship, I was just very, very fortunate. And I knew that both he and his wife were gold to me. I don’t think if I had Henry in my life, I would be here. I don’t think I would’ve made it this far. I don’t think so.”
In 1993, Marlee married police officer Kevin Grandalski in Henry‘s backyard.
“There was no other place for her to get married, except in our yard, in her home away from home,” Henry said.
The documentary also addresses past trauma, and Marlee coming forward before the #MeToo movement.
“I didn’t know that you could ask for help,” she said. “While I was screaming… no one came.”
Director Shoshannah Stern noted: “She didn’t know that abuse was abuse at the time. And that’s what happens to so many deaf people in the world.”
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore premieres June 20. She also revealed the stunning thing her ex said to her after she won her Oscar.