Marlee Matlin Joins ABC Family's 'Switched at Birth'

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Oscar winner Marlee Matlin has been cast in ABC Family’s Switched at Birth.

In addition, Sean Berdy has been upped to series regular status. Berdy, a deaf actor, plays Emmett, Daphne’s (Katie Leclerc) best friend from school.

Matlin, who has appeared on The West Wing and The L Word, will guest star as Melody, the mother to Emmett (Berdy) and best friend to Regina.

“I’m so proud to be a part of this show,” Matlin said “It’s incredibly inspiring to see a television drama embrace a storyline that portrays diverse families from both the hearing and the deaf and hard of hearing worlds.”

Switched at Birth centers on two teenage girls who find out they were switched at birth as newborns in the hospital. Vanessa Marano, Lea Thompson, D.W. Moffett, Lucas Grabeel and Constance Marie also star.