- "So imagine sitting in the theater not being able to hear anything. But the visuals of this film were amazing. I saw the lights moving back and forth from their guns, the battleships. I went back to the theater and saw it 28 times and that was the first film that inspired me. I was fascinated by the fantasy and all of the characters and that really sparked my interest in film and led me here to this day."
- ―Troy Kotsur, describing his childhood experience viewing Star Wars
Troy Kotsur is a deaf American actor[1] who created Tusken Sign Language for the Disney+ live-action TV series The Mandalorian and later The Book of Boba Fett.
He played a Tusken Raider in the fifth episode of The Mandalorian.[3] He was initially hired just to develop the language. They did not know he was also an actor, and he did not tell them because it would seem like brown-nosing. Upon learning from his manager that Kotsur was an actor as well, they cast him as the lead Tusken Raider.[4]
In 2022, Kotsur won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Frank Rossi in the film CODA.[1]
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Series | Contribution(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger" | The Mandalorian | Tusken Raider[3] |
| 2021 | "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land" | The Book of Boba Fett | Created Tusken Sign Language[5] |
Sources[]
The Mandalorian — "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger" (Tusken Raider Scout #1)
"Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season One Companion" — Star Wars Insider 201
The Book of Boba Fett — "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land"- "Troy Kotsur: Tusken Translator" — Star Wars Insider 215
5 Star Wars Scenes That Made a Big Impact on StarWars.com (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Troy Kotsur 1st Deaf Man to Nab Acting Oscar, Winning Best Supporting Actor in 'CODA' on WNBC (March 27, 2022) (archived from the original on March 30, 2022)
- ↑
CODA on CBS Saturday Morning on the Fountain Theatre YouTube channel (February 5, 2022) (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Mandalorian — "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger"
- ↑ Troy Kotsur interviewed by Melissa Miller on the Nerdist YouTube channel (April 29, 2022) (backup link)
- ↑ The Book of Boba Fett — "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land"
External links[]
Troy Kotsur (@TroyKotsur) on Twitter
In other languages