Troy Kotsur

Troy Michael Kotsur (born July 24, 1968) is an American actor and director. He gained recognition for his supporting role in the film CODA (2021), which earned him an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Critics' Choice Movie Award. Kotsur is the first deaf actor to win these prestigious awards. He also directed the feature film No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie (2013). Born in Mesa, Arizona, Kotsur was diagnosed as deaf at nine months old. He attended the Phoenix Day School for the Deaf, where his interest in acting was sparked. Kotsur's talent and achievements have made him a trailblazer in the industry for deaf performers.