ROOMMATES

Marlee Matlin Reveals She Lived with Unexpected Star for Years

When Matlin had nowhere else to turn, she showed up on the doorstep of her longtime best friend and “second father” Henry Winkler.

Marlee Matlin knows who to call when she’s hit rock bottom. The Children of a Lesser God star had just left rehab and an abusive relationship when she showed up on the doorstep of Happy Days icon Henry Winkler. She revealed Thursday that Winkler took her under his wing and looked after her like a daughter. He and his wife, Stacey, invited her to eat family meals alongside their kids and even watched out for Matlin like her second parents. Matlin, 59, calls Winkler, 79, her “second dad,” joking that he would even tell her to clean her room every day. “I mean, who gets to say that about Henry Winkler?” she asked, calling him “probably one of the most famous American icons ever. But honestly, he’s very genuine and he’s been a huge mentor in my life.” The CODA star met Winkler when she was only 12 years old, performing on stage at the Chicago Center on Deafness. They hit it off immediately, and the two stayed friends throughout the years. Matlin even got married to her now husband Kevin Grandalski at the Winkler home. The Oscar-winning actress’ new documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore premieres Friday in New York.