Troy Kotsur Says He’s Seeing ‘Hollywood Begin to Open Their Doors’ to Deaf Actors and Filmmakers (Exclusive)

Troy Kotsur says he’s seen an improvement in deaf representation in Hollywood since starring in the Oscar-winning film Code.

At PEOPLE’s 2024 SAG Awards Red Carpet Pre-Show on Saturday, Kotsur (who took home a 2022 SAG Award for his role as deaf fisherman Frank Rossi) said he’s seen Hollywood “start opening its doors” since Code first time in cinemas.

“Overall, you know, I’ve really seen some improvements and some doors are starting to open, like [the Marvel series] Echo. And some people told me that there is a big production coming up with a deaf director, deaf producers and deaf actors,” Kotsur, 55, told PEOPLE.

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“I see more and more projects coming in and I’ve really seen a lot of change,” he continued. “It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time.”

Troy Kotsur and Deanne Bray at the 2024 SAG Awards.

David Fisher/Shutterstock

Kotsur also said that “we all have to work together and understand how to work together,” adding, “There is nothing about us without us.”

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The Oscar-winning actor, who is scheduled to perform at the SAG Awards, attended the ceremony with his wife, actress Deanne Bray, who also joined the conversation about deaf representation.

“You know, I’ve been on TV shows in the past and I feel like we’ve had to educate Hollywood and now I see more and more opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing, deafblind and deaf+ people to be included in Hollywood,” Bray, 52, told PEOPLE.

“So I’m really grateful for that,” she added.

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Troy Kotsur at the 2022 SAG Awards Rich Fury/Getty

At the 2022 SAG Awards, Kotsur didn’t just take home his own award Code role, but also became the first deaf actor to win a solo SAG Award.

Ahead of the 2022 Oscars, where Code won Best Picture, Kotsur told PEOPLE that those who recognize his work are “wonderful people” who see him “not as a deaf person, but as an artist who happens to be deaf.”

“So I really appreciate this cultural change and people who are willing to change their perspective,” he added.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education