Marlee Matlin Reflects On Watching Daniel Durant in DWTS

Marlee Matlin is a proud movie mom. 

The CODA actress is reflecting on attending Week 2 of Dancing With the Stars to support costar Daniel Durant—an experience, she says, that made her feel almost maternal. 

 “Troy Kotsur and were just bursting with pride to see him on the dance stage,” she told E! News exclusively at the New York Women in Communications 52nd Annual Matrix Awards Oct. 26. “I almost leapt over the table and hugged him. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m so happy for Daniel. Our baby is dancing on stage!'”

Matlin—who became the first deaf person to appear on Dancing With the Stars in season six—added that “deaf or not,” it takes courage to appear on the show. 

“It takes a lot of balls—I hope you can say that—to get up on the stage,” she explained, “And put on your dancing shoes and dance outfit and do a dance in front of millions of people.”