Louise Fletcher

Born: July 22, 1934 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Learned sign language at a very young age, as both of her parents were deaf. When Fletcher neared the end of her (spoken) Best Actress Oscar acceptance speech for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), she finished with a unique (unspoken) touch in American Sign Language: “For my mother and my father, I want to say thank you for teaching me to have a dream. You are seeing my dream come true. Thank you.” (29 March 1976).

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest 1975 dir. by Milos Foreman starring Nicholson Louise Fletcher

Cruel Intentions 1999 dir. by Roger Kumble starring Ryan Phillippe Reece Witherspoon SHAMELESS Review of the television show