Troy Kotsur
Troy Kotsur | |
|---|---|
| Born | Troy Michael Kotsur July 24, 1968 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 1 |
Troy Michael Kotsur (born July 24, 1968) is a deaf American actor best known for his supporting role in the 2021 film CODA, for which he earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also won the Gotham Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance.
Kotsur also directed the feature film No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie (2013).
Early life and education[]
Kotsur was born in Mesa, Arizona on July 24, 1968 to Jodee and Leonard Stephen "Len" Kotsur, who was Mesa's police chief.[1] When Kotsur was nine months old, his parents discovered that he was deaf, and they learned American Sign Language so the family could communicate. The parents encouraged Kotsur to play sports and to make friends with hearing children in their neighborhood. Kotsur attended the Phoenix Day School for the Deaf, where he first became interested in acting. He graduated from Westwood High School. In high school, his drama teacher encouraged him to participate in the senior variety show, and he performed a pantomime skit that was positively received and motivated him to pursue theater.[2]
After Kotsur graduated from high school, he interned at KTSP-TV (now KSAZ-TV). While he had aspired to direct films, at the internship he assisted an editor and did not feel connected with people, recalling, "My directing dream poofed after I accepted the fact that I lived in a world that did not use my language."[3] He then attended Gallaudet University from 1987 to 1989 and studied theater, television, and film.
Career[]
When Kotsur received an acting job offer from the National Theatre of the Deaf, he accepted it and left Gallaudet to tour with NTD for two years, performing in two plays. In 1994, he started working for the Deaf West Theatre in Los Angeles, California, acting in and directing several productions.[4] On stage, his roles included Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire, Lenny in Of Mice and Men, and Prince Hamlet in Ophelia.
In 2001, Kotsur and hearing actor Lyle Kanouse were cast together in a Deaf West Theatre production of the 1985 musical Big River. Kotsur and Kanouse both played Huckleberry Fin's father Pap, with Kotsur signing and Kanouse speaking and singing. Big River's success led to the play being performed at the Mark Taper Forum, then to a Broadway revival under Roundabout Theater Company and Deaf West at the American Airlines Theater in New York City.[5] He also had a recurring role on Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, also working as an ASL specialist for the show. Since then he has had television and film roles.
In 2012, Kotsur starred in the play Cyrano, based on Cyrano de Bergerac and a co-production of Deaf West Theatre and The Fountain Theatre. The play, directed by Stephen Sachs, premiered in April 2012.[4] Following Cyrano, Kotsur directed the feature film No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie, which premiered at the Heartland Film Festival in 2013.[6]
In 2021, Kotsur appeared in the feature film CODA in a supporting role as the deaf father to a hearing teenage daughter. Director Sian Heder first saw his performances in Deaf West productions of Our Town and Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo and cast him as part of the ensemble. NPR reported that Kotsur's performance in CODA "awed both audiences and critics".[7]
Kotsur is set to start in Flash Before the Bang, a sports drama television show with an all-deaf cast.[8]
Personal life[]
Kotsur is married to actress Deanne Bray.
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Number 23 | Barnaby | |
| 2008 | Universal Signs | Chris | |
| 2009 | See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary | Self | Documentary |
| 2013 | No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie | Matt | Also director |
| 2016 | Wild Prairie Rose | James Hansen | |
| 2021 | CODA | Frank Rossi |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Strong Medicine | Lars | Episode: Fix" |
| 2002–2005 | Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye | Troy Myers | 5 episodes |
| 2003 | Doc | Troy | Episode: "Rules of Engagement" |
| 2006 | CSI: NY | Dennis Mitchum | Episode: "Silent Night" |
| 2007 | Scrubs | Mr. Frances | Episode: "My Words of Wisdom" |
| 2012 | Criminal Minds | John Myers | Episode: "The Silencer" |
| 2019 | The Mandalorian | Tusken Raider Scout #1 | Episode: "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger" |
Theatre credits[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | In a Room Somewhere | Play by , directed by Victor Brown | [9] | |
| 1991–1992 | Treasure Island | Based on Treasure Island; tour under National Theatre of the Deaf | [9] | |
| 1992–1993 | Ophelia | Hamlet | Based on Hamlet's character Ophelia; tour under National Theatre of the Deaf | [9] |
| 1993 | 25 Cents | Harry | New York Deaf Theatre production | [10] |
| 2001 | Big River | Pap | Deaf West Theatre; Kotsur shared role with Lyle Kanouse | [11] |
| 2002 | Big River | Pap | Performed at Mark Taper Forum; Kotsur shared role with Lyle Kanouse | [11] |
| 2003 | Big River | Pap | Broadway revival under Deaf West Theatre and Roundabout Theatre Company; Kotsur shared role with Lyle Kanouse | [12] |
| 2012 | Cyrano | Cyrano | Based on Cyrano de Bergerac; produced under Deaf West Theatre | [9] |
| 2014 | Spring Awakening | Adult Men | Produced under Deaf West Theatre | [13] |
Accolades[]
| Year | Title | Award | Ceremony | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Cyrano | Ovation Award for Best Lead Actor in a Play | 2012 ceremony | Nominated | [9] |
| 2021 | CODA | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor | 94th ceremony | Pending | |
| BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role | 75th ceremony | Pending | [14] | ||
| Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor | 27th ceremony | Pending | [15] | ||
| Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | 79th ceremony | Nominated | [16] | ||
| Gotham Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance | 31st ceremony | Won | [17] | ||
| Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male | 37th ceremony | Pending | [18] | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | 28th ceremony | Pending | [19] | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role | Pending |
References[]
- ^ https://www.12news.com/article/entertainment/mesa-born-deaf-actor-troy-kotsur-makes-film-history-with-oscar-nomination/75-e91fd69b-0438-447e-a25d-494c2fca1785
- ^ Potkonjak, Marija (August 14, 2003). "Sound, fury and success on stage". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Polletta, Maria (December 1, 2014). "Deaf actor from Mesa directs first movie". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b "Deaf Person of the Month: Troy Kotsur". deafpeople.com. MSM Productions Ltd. November 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Mandell, Jonathan (July 20, 2003). "Theater; 'Big River' Sings (and Signs) on Broadway". The New York Times. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Staff (August 27, 2014). "No Ordinary Hero Returns To Big Screen". Canyon News. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Del Barco, Mandalit (August 8, 2021). "How Troy Kotsur of 'CODA' broke barriers as a deaf actor, on stage and on screen". npr.org. NPR. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ "Pearl Street Films Boards Deaf Sports Drama 'Flash Before the Bang' With Troy Kotsur". TheWrap. 2021-08-16. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
- ^ a b c d e "Deaf Person of the Month: Troy Kotsur". deafpeople.com. MSM Productions Ltd. November 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ "14th Anniversary Season" (PDF). New York Deaf Theatre, Ltd. December 1993. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Mandell, Jonathan (July 20, 2003). "Theater; 'Big River' Sings (and Signs) on Broadway". The New York Times. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2009). Broadway Plays and Musicals: Descriptions and Essential Facts of More Than 14,000 Shows Through 2007. McFarland. p. 462. ISBN 978-0-7864-5309-2.
- ^ "Deaf West Theatre's Immersive Spring Awakening, Directed by Michael Arden, Extends". Playbill. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
- ^ Ravindran, Manori (February 3, 2022). "BAFTA Awards Nominations Unveiled: 'Dune,' 'Power of the Dog' Lead Field, Will Smith Earns First BAFTA Nod". Variety. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Staff (December 13, 2021). "Film Nominations Announced for the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards". criticschoice.com. Critics Choice Association. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Buchanan, Kyle (December 13, 2021). "Golden Globes Nominations 2022: The Complete List". The New York Times. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Mandinach, Zach (November 29, 2021). "31st Annual Gotham Awards Winners Announced". thegotham.org. The Gotham Film & Media Institute. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Staff (December 14, 2021). "2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations Announced". filmindependent.org. Film Independent. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Staff. "The 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards: Nominees & Recipients". sagawards.org. SAG-AFTRA. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
External links[]
- Troy Kotsur at IMDb
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- Living people
- 1968 births
- 21st-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male deaf actors
- People from Mesa, Arizona
- Male actors from Phoenix, Arizona
- Deafness stubs
- American actor stubs