Deaf actress Marlee Matlin honored with Screen Actors Guild Harold Russell Award

From Variety:

Marlee Matlin (pictured) has received the Screen Actors Guild Harold Russell Award, which honors performers with disabilities.

The kudo -- which came as a surprise to Matlin -- was presented Oct. 6 at the Media Access Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel while Matlin was hosting the breakfast event.

Matlin said in her acceptance speech that that her colleagues need to seek more recognition of actors with disabilities.

"We're not done yet and we're going to continue to make noise, to make things happen, and to make it equal for each and every one of us," Matlin said.

Matlin, who is deaf, won the Best Actress Oscar for "Children of a Lesser God." Other credits include "The L Word," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Law & Order: SVU," "Seinfeld," "The West Wing" and "Dancing With the Stars."

Robert David Hall ("CSI: Crime Scene Investigation") presented the award to Matlin. Other winners at the Media Access Awards include:

AFTRA Disability Awareness Award – Geri Jewell ("The Facts of Life")

Casting Society of America Award – Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas ("Breaking Bad")

Producers Guild of America George Sunga Award – Paul Stupin ("Switched at Birth")

Writers Guild of America West Evan Somers Memorial Award – Jason Katims ("Parenthood")

Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Scholarship – Teal Sherer ("Warm Springs")

RJ Mitte Diversity Award – Abbey Umali ("Lucky")