February 2, 2016<\/p>\n
Academy Award Winner Marlee Matlin to perform National Anthem during pregame festivities at Levi\u2019s Stadium for Super Bowl 50<\/p>\n
SANTA CLARA, February 2, 2016 \u2013 The National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the National Football League, PepsiCo, and CBS are honored to announce that Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin will convey the beauty of American Sign Language (ASL) at Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, California.<\/p>\n
Marlee Matlin Super Bowl XXVII 1993\u201cThe iconic Marlee Matlin will showcase the beauty of American Sign Language at Super Bowl 50,\u201d said NAD CEO Howard A. Rosenblum. \u201cThe National Anthem is a time honored tradition that is accessible to all Americans thanks to the NFL and PepsiCo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are honored to have Marlee Matlin sign the National Anthem,” said NFL SVP of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson. “With American Sign Language as part of the pregame festivities, all fans, including those who are deaf and hard of hearing, can enjoy the Super Bowl experience equally.”<\/p>\n The NAD applauds the NFL for its full support for American Sign Language by ensuring that at every Super Bowl, the National Anthem is signed by ASL artists such as Marlee Matlin.<\/p>\n In addition, the NFL and CBS Sports will provide live streaming of Marlee Matlin and her entire performance in the CBS Sports apps for Xbox One and Windows 10, which will offer viewers alternate camera angles in addition to the broadcast coverage. Further, CBS Sports has ensured that the Super Bowl will be fully captioned including the game as well as all of the exciting national commercials and network promotions. The NAD commends the NFL and CBS Sports for making the Super Bowl an accessible experience.<\/p>\n PepsiCo has been a generous sponsor and partner of the NAD in bringing ASL artists to the Super Bowl, and is proud to be able to bring in Marlee Matlin as the ASL artist at Super Bowl 50. PepsiCo and the NAD have been Super Bowl partners beginning with the broadcast of a :30-second \u201csilent ad\u201d filmed entirely in ASL that debuted during the pre-game show of Super Bowl XLIII in 2008 and has continued with annual sponsorship of the American Sign Language anthem performer including John Maucere (Super Bowl XLVII), Amber Zion (Super Bowl XLVIII), and Treshelle Edmond (Super Bowl XLIX).<\/p>\n The NAD extends its gratitude and appreciation to PepsiCo and its EnAble group for their extraordinary support of the deaf and hard of hearing community. PepsiCo has been a strong partner in transforming how society perceives the community, including enhancing the visibility of American Sign Language.<\/p>\n ###<\/p>\n About the National Association of the Deaf<\/p>\n The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is the nation’s premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America. Established in 1880, the NAD was shaped by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level. These beliefs remain true to this day, with American Sign Language as a core value. The advocacy scope of the NAD is broad, covering a lifetime and impacting future generations in the areas of early intervention, education, employment, health care, technology, telecommunications, youth leadership, and more \u2013 improving the lives of millions of deaf and hard of hearing Americans. The NAD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by the generosity of individual and organizational donors, including corporations and foundations.<\/p>\n About Marlee Matlin About PepsiCo Media Contacts:<\/p>\n NAD PepsiCo NFL CBS Photo: Marlee Matlin performs at the Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007.<\/p>\n SOURCE:<\/p>\n![\"MM\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/MM.jpg\")
<\/a>Earlier today, the National Football League and CBS announced that Matlin will be joining Lady Gaga to perform the National Anthem during the Super Bowl 50 pregame festivities on Sunday, February 7, 2016.<\/p>\n
\nMarlee Matlin received worldwide critical acclaim for her film debut in Paramount Pictures’ “Children of a Lesser God,” for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress. At 21, she became the youngest recipient of the Best Actress Oscar and only one of four actresses to receive the honor for her film debut. In addition to the Oscar, Marlee received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama. Since then, Marlee has starred in numerous features including \u201cWalker,\u201d \u201cThe Player,\u201d \u201cHear No Evil,\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s My Party,\u201d and \u201cWhat the Bleep Do We Know.\u201d She has also starred in TV telefilms such as \u201cBridge to Silence,\u201d \u201cAgainst Her Will: The Carrie Buck Story,\u201d \u201cDead Silence,\u201d \u201cFreak City,\u201d \u201cWhere the Truth Lies,\u201d and Hallmark Hall of Fame\u2019s \u201cSweet Nothing in my Ear.\u201d Marlee also starred in her own NBC series “Reasonable Doubts” opposite Mark Harmon and the Emmy Award winning \u201cPicket Fences.\u201d Marlee was twice nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Television Drama as well as the People’s Choice Awards. She has been nominated for four Emmy awards for her appearances on “Seinfeld, “Picket Fences,” \u201cThe Practice\u201d and \u201cLaw and Order: SVU.\u201d Marlee starred for seven years on the award winning drama, \u201cThe West Wing, \u201d and has made numerous guest appearances including \u201cER,\u201d Desperate Housewives,\u201d CSI: New York,\u201d \u201cExtreme Makeover: Home Edition,\u201c Desperate Housewives,\u201d \u201cNip\/Tuck,\u201d \u201cCSI,\u201d Glee,\u201d and \u201cFamily Guy.\u201d In 2007 Marlee joined \u201cThe L Word\u201d for three seasons. Marlee broke barriers once again when she starred on ABC\u2019s \u201cDancing with the Stars,\u201d and in 2015, she returned to the stage after a 30 year hiatus and made her Broadway debut in the revival of the Tony Award winning musical, \u201cSpring Awakening.\u201d In 2009, Marlee published her New York Times Best Selling autobiography, \u201cI\u2019ll Scream Later\u201d and has authored three novels for children including \u201cDeaf Child Crossing\u201d and \u201cNobody\u2019s Perfect.\u201d In 2015 she developed her first app for teaching American Sign Language, \u201cMarlee Signs.\u201d Marlee currently stars on the Peabody Award winning series, \u201cSwitched at Birth.\u201d Marlee makes her home in the Los Angeles area with her husband, a law enforcement officer, and their four children.<\/p>\n
\nPepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses \u2013 Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola \u2013 make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo\u2019s people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo\u2019s promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate.<\/p>\n
\nLizzie Sorkin
\n301-587-1788
\nlizzie.sorkin@nad.org<\/p>\n
\nAndrea Foote
\n914-253-2628
\nAndrea.foote@pepsico.com<\/p>\n
\nAngela Alfano
\nAngela.Alfano@NFL.com<\/p>\n
\nJennifer Sabatelle
\nJSabatelle@cbs.com<\/p>\n