LOS ANGELES — Troy Kotsur became the second Deaf actor to win an Oscar, for his role as the head of a Gloucester fishing family whose daughter is torn between her dream to study singing at Berklee College of Music and remaining in the family business to be the interpreter for her father, mother and brother who are deaf, in “CODA.”
Youn Yuh-jung presented Kotsur with the award, then took it back so he sign his acceptance speech.
Kotsur gave thanks to the “community of Gloucester, hey fishermen, hey Popeye, don’t forget to eat your spinach.”
He also thanked “CODA” director Sian Heder, a Cape Ann resident, for being a bridge between the Deaf and hearing communities.
The Gloucester-based film was nominated for two other awards, but none had been announced by the Times press time. Please see gloucestertimes.com or Wednesday’s print edition for more.
Heder was nominated for best adapted screenplay, for her writing of “CODA.” A heartfelt drama centering on a child of Deaf adults, “CODA” was considered among the favorites for best picture at the The 94th Academy Award. It already took top honors at Screen Actors Guild Awards and Producers Guild of America Awards.
On the red carpet before the show, “ Heder, asked whether the Oscar-nominated movie will get a sequel, told Variety: “I will always work with these actors again, so I’ll figure out how, whether its this or another story.”
Kotsur was follwing in the footsteps of his “CODA” costar Marlee Matlin, the first Deaf actress to win an Oscar — for “Children of a Lesser God,” in 1987.
Besides his Oscar for his work in “CODA,” Kotsur is the first deaf male actor to be nominated and win best supporting actor nods from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), Critics Choice and British Academy Film Award — on the same day, the Gotham Awards, and the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards, founded in 1984, for independent filmmakers.
During the opening, co-host and comedian Amy Schumer said, and signed, “I loved ‘CODA,’ it was my favorite movie.”
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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