By Ramona Saviss By Ramona Saviss | February 16, 2022 | Lifestyle, Movies,
PHOTO COURTESY OF APPLE
HAVING ACTED AND DIRECTED FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, TROY KOTSUR’S LATEST ROLE IN APPLE’S 'CODA' IS GARNERING MUCH-DESERVED ACCLAIM. DEAF SINCE BIRTH, THE ACTOR TALKS REPRESENTATION, INCLUSION AND PARALLELS THAT HE DREW FROM HIS PERSONAL LIFE FOR HIS TOUR DE FORCE PERFORMANCE.
How has CODA impacted the deaf community?
So few deaf stories have been told over the years that the whole community was very excited about CODA before it even came out—and even more excited once it did. For deaf people and CODAs [children of deaf adults], it had so many relatable moments—to finally show an honest and accurate portrayal of a deaf family on such a major film release means the world to us. We feel like the hearing world is finally able to get a glimpse from a deaf family’s perspective. … It’s also a great family story, deafness aside. As a father, I really connected to that story alone. For actors, that’s the ultimate goal: to be able to do your part in telling a great story that can hopefully change the world for the better. CODA is that type of movie.
There’s a very touching moment in the film between your character, Frank, and his daughter, Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones). Tell me about that beautiful scene where she sings for him, and he touches her neck to feel her singing.
This was such a powerful moment because it was so relatable. As every parent knows, when your child has a passion and a talent for something, you want to learn more about that thing. Sometimes it’s something you know nothing about. This is an extreme example where Frank has never experienced music. I mean, hearing people seem to love it, but what’s the big deal? Not something he’d even put much thought into. And then he’s seeing the effect that his daughter’s singing is having on the entire audience. People clapping, smiling and even crying. He wants so desperately to experience it with her, but he can’t. However, on the bed of the truck he is finally able to find a way to share that with her.
Like your character, Frank, you have a hearing daughter. How was your role in the film similar to your personal life?
[My daughter] is my world. There are so many similarities. Emilia truly reminded me of my own daughter. The scene where I touch Ruby’s neck to experience her singing, I did something similar with my daughter, Kyra. She plays guitar, so I insisted on buying her an electric guitar with an amp, that way I can feel the vibrations when she plays. As a parent, you want to connect with your child, but you also want them to live their lives. It’s so hard when they grow up and there’s a disconnect as they go to school, make new friends and carve their own path. This is true of all parents, but I would say there are more unique circumstances with CODAs and their parents.
PHOTO BY MATT STASI
“TO FINALLY SHOW AN HONEST AND ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF A DEAF FAMILY ON SUCH A MAJOR FILM RELEASE MEANS THE WORLD TO US.” –TROY KOTSUR
Tell us how Hollywood could be more inclusive.
More than anything, Hollywood can tell more deaf stories and incorporate more deaf characters into the stories being told. CODA was such a huge step, but there is so much more to delve into. In many ways, we are all the same, but in other ways, [we’re] so very different. There is much to explore, including deaf historical figures that many hearing people may not even know about. And we saw with CODA that it isn’t just the deaf world that is interested— everyone loves a great story, and there is such a growing interest in new cultures, which has been very encouraging to see.
What do you hope this film accomplishes?
I have so many hopes for what CODA can accomplish. I want to see it open doors for more deaf actors. That is personal to me, of course, because I know how hard that road is. I can see CODA helping deaf people in all sorts of occupations because it forces you to think about our perspective. That is the first step in opening new doors. I also want this movie to show people how interested the world is in cultures that maybe they didn’t think about before. This is a different kind of movie, and it shows what can be done with great storytelling.
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