Tim Cook, Troy Kotsur Honored at the National Association of the Deaf’s Breakthrough Awards
27.10.2023 - 04:03
/ variety.com
Caroline Brew editor “CODA,” starring Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, made history at the 2022 Oscars. The film, written and directed by Sian Heder, became the first featuring a predominantly deaf cast to win best picture. Kotsur’s best supporting actor win made him the first male deaf actor to win an Oscar and the second ever deaf actor to win — with Matlin being the first for her 1987 best actress win for her role in “Children of a Lesser God.” Heder and Kostur were among the honorees at the National Association of the Deaf’s 2023 Breakthrough Awards.
Hosted by Matlin and civil rights attorney Alexis Kashar, at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion on Wednesday night, the event celebrated trailblazers working to advance the Deaf and hard of hearing community in arts, media and technology. The other honorees included Tim Cook, Linda Bove, Howard Gordon, Christine Sun Kim, Chella Man, John Maucere and Lauren Ridloff. Other attendees included “CODA” actor Daniel Durant and “Dancing with the Stars” professional Britt Stewart, among several others.
Kashar was also given a surprise honor, the Entrepreneur Breakthrough Award, at the end of the night. “This is the time where we can come together and … spread the message that we as a community who are deaf and hard of hearing, whether we’re actors or directors or writers, we’re here. We exist, and we want to collaborate with people in the entertainment industry,” Matlin said.
Reflecting on the strides Hollywood has taken to support the Deaf community, Matlin said: “I’ve seen incremental changes when it comes to hiring actors authentically. That means not just hiring hearing people to play deaf people, actually hiring actors who are deaf to play roles where they are written as deaf. I have
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