On Sunday evening, Troy Kotsur became the first deaf man to receive an Academy Award for acting, accepting the award for best actor in a supporting role.
In Sian Heder's 'CODA,' Kotsur played Frank Rossi, and his acceptance speech was delivered in sign language, with a translator sharing his words with the audience.
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| Troy Kotsur collects his Oscar.Robyn BeckGetty Images |
"It's incredible to be here on this adventure; I can't believe I'm here," he expressed his delight.
"I am grateful to all of the Academy members for recognising my work."
He went on to emphasise the importance of this occasion for the deaf and disadvantaged communities.
In American Sign Language, Kotsur added, "This is dedicated to the deaf community, the CODA community, and the disabled community."
"This is our chance to shine."
Oscar winners who are deaf
Marlee Matlin won the best actress Oscar for 'Children of a Lesser God' in 1987, making Kotsur the second deaf actor to win an Academy Award.
'CODA' is a comedy-drama about Ruby, a young girl who is the only one of her deaf family who can hear.
For many years, Kotsur has been a pioneering star in theatre and film, perfecting his art in an industry that did not always recognise his abilities.
Troy Kotsur's deafness was caused by a variety of factors.
He was born deaf in 1968 and went to Gallaudet University in Washington, DC to study acting.
In terms of theatre work, Kotsur was a part of the Tony Award-winning production Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
He has been in a variety of popular television shows, including 'Criminal Minds,' 'CSI: NY,' and 'Scrubs.'
Kotsur also starred as a Tuscan Raider in the 2019 Star Wars series 'The Mandalorian,' in which he devised a fake sign language for a tribe of nomads on the planet Tatooine.