Academy Award-winning actor Troy Kotsur to speak at UNCSA commencement
Troy Kotsur, whose groundbreaking role in “CODA” (2021) made him the first Deaf male actor to win an Academy Award, will speak at the High School and University Commencements of UNCSA, Chancellor Brian Cole has announced. He will address the University Class of 2024 at 10 a.m. and the High School Class of 2024 at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, in the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem. The commencement ceremony will be livestreamed online.
Kotsur’s role in “CODA” also made him the first Deaf male actor to win the BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild, Critics’ Choice, Independent Spirit and Gotham awards. His first major film role was in “The Number 23” alongside Jim Carrey, followed by his first leading role in the independent feature “Wild Prairie Rose,” directed by UNCSA School of Filmmaking Dean Deborah LaVine, in 2016. In April of 2023, he was appointed by President Joe Biden to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
Troy Kotsur / Photo: Matt Stasi
“We are honored to welcome Troy Kotsur to UNCSA to speak at this year’s Commencement,” said Chancellor Cole. “Troy’s remarkable career embodies the spirit of creativity and perseverance that defines our institution. As we prepare to celebrate the achievements of our graduating class, Troy's remarks will undoubtedly inspire and uplift us all, reminding us of the transformative power of the arts."
Kotsur’s appearance is being made possible with generous support from the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts in honor of its 30th anniversary.
“Troy Kotsur is one of the finest actors of his generation or any for that matter,” said Dean LaVine. “His timing and intuition about making magical moments onstage or on screen are unparalleled. Watching Troy's gifts as an actor are matched only by his dignity and grace as a star who remains loyal to his core values, which include dedication to young people learning to embrace and celebrate their own gifts.”
Prior to “CODA,” Kotsur was most known for his successful and highly prolific theater career, which includes multiple roles in the Tony Award-winning run of “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” on Broadway. In Los Angeles, he performed at the Mark Taper Forum and with Deaf West Theater, where he was the lead in productions including "True West" and “A Streetcar Named Desire,” both directed by Dean LaVine, “Cyrano” and “Our Town,” and appeared in the 2015 LA Drama Critics Circle Award nominee “Spring Awakening.” Kotsur made his directorial debut in 2013 with “No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie,” which brought a positive message to Deaf children. In television, Kotsur gained recognition in the Star Wars universe for creating the Tusken sign language, which was used in both “Book of Boba Fett” and “The Mandalorian,” a series in which he also appeared as an actor. He has also appeared in shows such as “Criminal Minds,” “CSI: NY” and “Scrubs.”
Troy Kotsur / Photo: Matt Stasi
A native of Mesa, Arizona, Kotsur began acting in grade school, with some of his earliest performances including reenacting “Tom and Jerry” cartoon storylines for his classmates. He studied theater, film and television at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and following graduation toured with the National Theatre of the Deaf.
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April 17, 2024