Marlee Matlin Credits 'Mentor' Whoopi Goldberg For Inspiring Her: 'She Set An Example'

Marlee Matlin is paying tribute to the stars who have helped define her acting career.

The 56-year-old actress — who became the first deaf performer to win an Academy Award after taking home the best actress trophy in 1986 for her debut film performance in "Children of a Lesser God" — attended the 33rd Producers Guild of America Awards Saturday where she opened up to People about two of her mentors, Whoopi Goldberg and Henry Winkler.

"I've had great mentors in my life," Matlin said through an interpreter.

The "CODA" star credited Goldberg for inspiring her, saying, "She's gone through a great deal of breaking barriers. And she set an example for me as well. I have good friends and most especially I have family who supports me, who have my back."

Goldberg and Matlin previously appeared together in the 1992 movie "The Player." The two reunited recently when Matlin appeared last month on an episode of "The View," which Goldberg co-hosts alongside Joy Behar, Sara Haines and Sunny Hostin.

Meanwhile, Matlin praised Winkler for teaching her "to not let anyone define me, not let anyone tell me no," adding: "And just like anybody who has a dream or a goal or a desire, I shouldn't let my deafness stop me. And so I never let my deafness define me."

Matlin has received critical acclaim for her role in "CODA," a remake of the 2014 French film "La Famille Bélier." Her movie won outstanding producer of theatrical motion pictures at Saturday's Producers Guild of America Awards.

In "CODA," which is nominated for three Academy Awards, including best picture, Matlin plays Jackie, the matriarch of the Rossi family, all of whom are deaf with the exception of 17-year-old daughter Ruby (Emilia Jones).

Matlin said she is happy and excited over being able to experience another awards season, this time with co-stars and fellow deaf actors Troy Kotsur and Daniel Durant. Kotsur is nominated for best supporting actor at this year's Oscars.

"Today, what I'm excited about is the fact that people are really getting involved. They're expressing their opinions. They're having conversations," she told People. "And it's more exciting that I'm not the only one anymore. There are costars now with me who are experiencing this, that never have experienced in their depth. And so it's nice to be with them and to be part of their journey."

In addition to being the Oscars' youngest best actress winner and the only deaf recipient of an Academy Award, Matlin has picked up four Emmy nominations, including one for her role in the "Seinfeld" episode "The Lip Reader" and one for "The West Wing," where she played pollster Joey Lucas, according to Irish Times.