CODA's Troy Kotsur Makes History at Oscars 2022 as First Deaf Male Actor to Win - Watch His Inspiring Speech

Troy Kotsur has made Oscars history.

The 53-year-old CODA actor won the award for Best Supporting Actor at the 2022 Academy Awards on Sunday (March 27) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Troy is now the first deaf actor and the second deaf person to ever win an Oscar. Marlee Matlin, who plays his on-screen wife in CODA, was the first deaf person to ever win an Oscar when she won Best Actress for Children of a Lesser God in 1987.

Click inside to check out his inspiring speech…

“This is dedicated to the deaf community, the CODA (Child of Deaf Adult) community and the disabled community,” Troy said during his inspiring speech. “This is our moment.”

He added, “I really want to thank all the wonderful deaf theater stages where I was allowed and given the opportunity to develop my craft as an actor.”

Read the full speech below:

“This is amazing to be here on this journey. I cannot believe i’m here. Thank you so much to all the
members of the Academy for recognizing my work.

It’s really amazing that our film “CODA” has reached out worldwide. It even reached all the way to the White House and they invited the cast of “CODA” to visit and have a tour of the White House. We met President Joe and Dr. Jill and I was planning on teaching them some dirty sign language but Marlee Matlin told me to behave myself.

So don’t worry, Marlee, I won’t drop any “f” bombs in my speech today. Instead i want to thank all the wonderful deaf theater stages where I was allowed and given the opportunity to develop my craft as an actor.
Thank you.

I read one of Spielberg’s books recently and he said that the best director, the definition of the best director was a skilled communicator. Sean Hader, you are the best communicator. The reason why is you brought the deaf world and the hearing world together and you are our bridge. And your name will forever be on that bridge, Sean Hader Bridge here in Hollywood, that was supported by Apple, Sundance, our cast, crew, producers, and the community of Gloucester, Massachusetts. I want to say hey, fishermen, hey, popeyes, don’t forget to eat your spinach.

My dad, he was the best signer in our family but he was in a car accident and he became paralyzed from the neck down and he no longer was able to sign.

Dad, i learned so much from you I’ll always love you. You are my hero.

Thank you to my biggest fans, my wife and my daughter kyra and my hometown of mesa, arizona, and Mark Findley, my manager and my team.

I just wanted to say that this is dedicated to the deaf community, the C.O.D.A. community and the disabled
community. This is our moment.

To my mom, my dad, and my brother Mark. They’re not here today, but look at me now, I did it.

I love you.

Thank you.”

Click through the gallery for more photos of Troy Kotsur winning the Oscar…