Marlee Matlin calls Henry Winkler her 'fairy godfather'

Marlee Matlin has called his longtime friend Henry Winkler her "fairy godfather."

In a new documentary about her life, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, the iconic actress has reflected on her journey as the first deaf woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress.

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, sees the duo reflecting on their decades-long friendship.

Their bond deepened when Matlin struggled with sobriety and moved in with Winkler and his wife, Stacey Weitzman, for two years.

Speaking with PEOPLE magazine Matlin said, "I'm always so very grateful for that family who took me in at one of the worst times of my life, who helped me heal, who helped me learn to start all over again, who gave me the courage to be able to stand on my own two feet."

She went on to add, "He gave me the courage to say, 'I can do it,' as he would do with his own children and people he cares about. If it were not for Henry, I don't know where I'd be. Really. Henry Winkler and Stacey Winkler, his wife, are just godsends."

Additionally, director Shoshannah Stern also added, "I have often seen [Matlin's] story be compared to a Cinderella story. She was plucked from obscurity and sent to the Oscars. I always felt like that's doing Marlee a disservice because Marlee has worked so hard."

"Henry Winkler is definitely the fairy godmother," she added to which Matlin quickly agreed, "Fairy godfather!"