Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1968-07-24
- Born Place: Mesa, Arizona, USA
Troy Kotsur
Troy Michael Kotsur (born July 24, 1968) is a pioneering American actor and director who made history in 2022 as the first deaf male actor to win an Academy Award, earning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Frank Rossi in the acclaimed film CODA. Born in Mesa, Arizona, Kotsur discovered his passion for acting at a young age despite being deaf from birth; he attended Gallaudet University to study theater and later spent over two decades as a mainstay of the Deaf West Theatre in Los Angeles. Throughout his stage career, he garnered critical praise for his performances in productions such as Big River on Broadway, Cyrano, and Of Mice and Men. He gained further mainstream recognition for his work in the Star Wars universe, appearing as a Tusken Raider in The Mandalorian—a role for which he personally developed a unique form of sign language to fit the culture of the characters. In 2026, Kotsur took on a significant leading role in the natural horror film Primate, playing Adam, a father and high-tech homeowner in Hawaii whose life is upended when the family's pet chimpanzee contracts rabies. His performance in the film is noted for its emotional depth and the unique use of American Sign Language (ASL) as a survival tool within the thriller’s plot. Beyond his work in Primate, Kotsur has appeared in the third season of the Apple TV+ series Foundation and the TV show Flash Before the Bang. He is married to fellow deaf actress Deanne Bray, and together they are prominent advocates for the inclusion and representation of the deaf and disabled communities in Hollywood.
Person History
Primate 2026
2026