Troy Kotsur, an American actor, became the first deaf actor to win an award at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards on February 27. For his role as Frank Rossi in CODA, the 53-year-old actor got a mention in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. He reminisced on his career in his acceptance speech (as provided via an ASL translator). Troy Kotsur started his remarks by thanking all SAG members and said that, after being a member since 2001, he now “finally” feels like a family member.
“I know you’re all artists, and I know you’ve all experienced what it’s like to be a struggling actor. I used to sleep in my vehicle back then. I slept in my dressing room backstage, couch-surfed, and did all of that, do you understand? So, once again, thank you very much. “I’m eternally thankful to SAG for defending us performers.”
Troy Kotsur told the journalists backstage that he was “overwhelmed” and had no idea how big the trophy was.
“This is my first time touching anything like this, and I’m thinking about sleeping with it tonight.”
Kotsur said that his father referred to him as a “risk-taker,” and he stated that his “difficult road” had now paid off. Other finalists were Ben Affleck for The Tender Bar, Bradley Cooper for Licorice Pizza, Jared Leto for House of Gucci, and Kodi Smit-McPhee for The Power of the Dog, in addition to Troy Kotsur.
Troy Kotsur’s wife, Deanne Bray
Deanne Bray was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 14, 1971. She graduated with honors from California State University, Northridge, with a bachelor of arts in biology. She earned a master’s degree in sign language education from Gallaudet University (linguistics). She is deaf and deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deaf. She is completely deaf in her right ear and uses a hearing aid in her left.
She got noticed when she was dancing with the deaf dance ensemble Prism West. Her debut came in 1996 with the television series The Pretender, in which she portrayed a deaf lady. She played Juliet in Elle in 1997 and Jan Curran in Diagonist: Murder the following year. She showed Dr. Gilbert in an episode of CSI titled Sounds of Silence in 2000, and she was the main character on Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye from 2001 to 2005. In 2004, she starred in the episode Rescue Amy and Me in The L Word. She also played Joanne Mors in the film Two Broke Girls.
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Troy Kotsur’s wife has also worked at the National Theater of the Deaf and the Deaf West Theater in California. She is also a literacy champion who founded the Little Bookworm Club. She also co-wrote a book called Grow with Your Child with a colleague. The book contains enjoyable, engaging games and activities for parents of deaf children.
