At the 94th Academy Awards, Troy Kotsur won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in CODA, available on Apple TV+. He is first deaf man, and second deaf performer after Marlee Matlin, to win an Academy Award.
However, long before this historic accomplishment, Kotsur already had a successful career on stage, particularly in Deaf West Theatre productions. He also has appeared in movies and on TV, including joining George Lucas’ Star Wars universe as a Tusken Raider in Disney’s The Mandalorian, created by Jon Favreau and currently streaming on Disney+.
Kotsur visited Austin, Texas in June to collaborate with Dad Saves America on an upcoming documentary about his story, with a focus on the impact of dads on the flourishing of their children. Kotsur’s visit culminated in a live event at Texas School for the Deaf, during which he taught an acting workshop for students and, later in the evening, gave a speech that drew a packed audience.
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Troy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troykotsur/?hl=en
Troy's Twitter: https://twitter.com/TroyKotsur?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author
Texas School for the Deaf: https://www.tsd.state.tx.us/
Deaf West Theatre: https://www.deafwest.org/
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Outline:
[0:00] Intro
[1:43] The impact of “CODA”
[12:35] Choosing roles as an actor
[15:15] Educating the public about ASL
[17:00] Troy’s dad is his hero
[27:19] Rejecting victimhood
[30:27] Growing up deaf
[35:04] Cochlear implants aren’t for everyone
[42:42] The public school experience as a deaf teenager
[55:40] Troy’s dad was pillar of the community
[58:38] Advice for parents of deaf children
[1:01:17] Sending your children out into the world
[1:07:25] Acting is a tough job
[1:12:03] Bringing together deaf and hearing audiences
[1:17:34] What it means to be a hero
[1:20:09] The role of dad in the American story
[1:24:21] Troy’s plans for the future
[1:25:24] Outro
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Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wNm28M8Fsl8
Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?
Visit our website: https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/
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Dad Saves America is a channel dedicated to celebrating heroic fatherhood while teaching the next generation of fathers strategies they can utilize in parenting their children. We believe strong children come from a strong family. We’ve had many experts in the studio, including Jonathan Haidt, Mike Yates, Lenore Skenazy, Warren Farrell, Matt Ridley, Martin Gurri, and Michael Strong.
'CODA' Oscar Winner Troy Kotsur Discusses Career, Family, And Heroes | The Show