By Nova M Bajamonti

Copyright hellomagazine

Academy Award winning actor Troy Kotsur stars in Netflix’s newest series, Black Rabbit alongside Jason Bateman and Jude Law. The star-studded cast walked the red carpet as the energy was high at the SVA Theatre on September 16 in New York City. HELLO! exclusively talked with Troy about what it was really like working with Jason and Jude behind the scenes. Troy recalled: “You know, I’ll never forget the first day when I sat down at a rehearsal with them for the first time, and I was a little nervous and I was wondering what they would be like and what, and you know, me being an actor who happens to be deaf. And after that first meeting, I found that they were really fun.” Check out the interview below.

The movie star gushed about the duo reminding him of a childhood pastime. He continued: “They really reminded me of when you sit on the beach and you see two little kids playing on the beach and building sand castles.” Troy also emphasized the actors’ unique collaborative style. He added: “They’re both so creative and the way they brainstorm and give each other feedback. Just imagine that vibe. And so it was really fun to really develop this character and, and to work with them both.”

The CODA star proudly shared: “They were very open-minded and they were sensitive with deaf culture and sign language and how to approach it. And so I’m really glad [with what] we accomplished and it was such an honor to be a part of this.” Troy made history as being the first deaf male actor to win an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category for his breathtaking performance in CODA in 2021.

CODA is an acronym for Children of Deaf Adults, and the comedy-drama was directed and written by Sian Heder. It follows 17-year-old Ruby Rossi, played by Emilia Jones, the only hearing member of her family. Troy plays her father Frank Rossi (alongside fellow deaf actors Marlee Matlin as mom Jackie and Daniel Durant as brother Leo). The family has a struggling fishing business, while Ruby dreams of becoming a singer.

The groundbreaking moment was no small feat, as the industry still has a ways to go when it comes to embracing disabled actors. The performer transparently shared with HELLO! in what ways Hollywood can change moving forward. Troy expressed: “I have seen some slow transformation and I’ve had a lot of meetings and really have taught various productions on how to work with actors who happen to be deaf and ASL consultants, dialogue coaches, and ASL interpreters.”

He added: “Change doesn’t happen overnight, but I feel like it’s less oppressive than it was in the past, and it’s continuing to change.” The actor hopes to serve as a form of inspiration for aspiring deaf actors and he believes that art can be a transformative experience for young deaf kids.

Troy continued: “American Sign Language saved my life and it’s so important to me and it led me into the creative arts and really, of course, I depend on American Sign Language for communication and look at where I am today. So I think it’s so important to really teach the arts to deaf kids. There’s no rules in art, and so it’s so fun to create these characters and really it’s art.”