Troy Kotsur Biography

Troy Kotsur is the first deaf actor to win an Oscar since Marlee Matlin won for best actress in 1987.

Kotsur won the award for his supporting role in 2021’s CODA (Matlin plays his wife in the film).

Raised in Arizona, he’s been active in the theater in the Los Angeles area for most of his career, teaching workshops and appearing in stage productions, and occasionally getting roles on TV shows.

(Kotsur’s wife, Deanne Bray is also a deaf actor, with many TV credits.)

Kotsur got national attention in 2019 for creating a form of sign language to be used in the series The Mandalorian.

Kotsur’s other credits include the Broadway play Big River (2003), the TV series Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye (2002-05, starring his wife, Bray) and the Jim Carrey film, The Number 23 (2007).