When it comes to Hollywood , it’s safe to say that historically, diversity hasn’t been a strength. But as the demand for representation in film increases, so do the chances of marginalized creatives receiving the recognition that they deserve.
Recently, CODA actor, Troy Kotsur, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, making him the first deaf man to be nominated in that category.
Arguably, Hollywood has not always been as diverse and inclusive as it is now.
While there is still a long way to go, movies and TV shows have recently been offering more inclusive character representation, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and those with disabilities.
Unfortunately, not many disabled actors have received Oscar nominations.
Other than Marlee Matlin, a deaf actress who won an Oscar for Best Actress in 1987 for Children of a Lesser God and who also stars in CODA , the Academy has primarily awarded non-disabled actors for playing disabled roles.
For instance, in 2014 Eddie Redmayne won Best Actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in “The Theory Of Everything”.
In fact, there has only been one disabled actor to ever win an Oscar.
Harold Russell, a Canadian World War II veteran who tragically lost both of his hands in an explosion won an honorary Oscar for the film, “The Best Years Of Our Lives”.
And that was all the way back in 1946 . So, needless to say, we’re long overdue for increased recognition of disabled actors.
Recently, Troy Katsur was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the film “CODA” making him the first deaf man to ever be Oscar-nominated.
The 53-year-old plays the role of Frank — the father of Ruby, played by Emilia Jones. Ruby is a CODA, which stands for “child of a deaf adults”.
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Ruby’s mother, Jackie, is played by the aforementioned Marlee Matlin — the first deaf actress to ever win an Oscar, back in 1987.
The film follows the ebbs and flows of the family’s business.
The film, which is available to stream on Apple TV+ and is based on the French movie “La Famille Bélier”, landed Troy more than one nomination.
Landing just an Oscar nomination is something to hang his hat on, but thankfully, his talent was also recognized by a SAG nomination as well.
Both Troy and his castmate, Marlee Matlin, received SAG nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
In 1987, Marlee was also the youngest female actor to ever win an Oscar, so there is a lot of history being made by these two, no matter who wins.
In an interview with The Daily Moth, Troy opened up about his journey translating a script into ASL and how he incorporated his facial reactions into scenes.
“Before I read the script, it’s always important to understand the story before I understand the characters,” he explained. “I explore and read through the story. I imagine that I’m not deaf.”
“I always like to challenge scripts in English print. I try to visualize, understand, and get in the hearing person’s shoes,” he continued.
Congratulations to Troy Kotsur on his Oscar nomination for his role in the film CODA !