'CODA' Wins SAG Award For Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Watching “CODA” pick up the win for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture was a major achievement to everyone in the Deaf community.

“Children of a Lesser God” actress Marlee Matlin won an Academy Award for her performance in 1987, but that was 35 years ago. Although there have been major strides for Deaf actors since that time, there is still a dearth of Deaf actors in major awards categories.

The film “CODA” – which comprises of a mostly Deaf ensemble cast – just scooped up the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, beating out “Belfast,” “Don’t Look Up,” “House of Gucci,” and “King Richard” to score the biggest win of the night.

The acronym CODA stands for Child of a Deaf Adult or Children of Deaf Adults. The film tells the story of Ruby (Emilia Jones) who is a CODA and serves as an interpreter for her family and their fishing business. Her mother Jackie is played by Matlin. Her father Frank is played by Troy Kotsur. Her brother Leo is played by Daniel Durant. Conflict arises when Ruby wants to leave her family to pursue a career in music.

The film first premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where it picked up the coveted Grand Jury Prize, as well as the Audience Award, Directing Award, and U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble. Apple bought the rights to the film for a record-setting $25 million dollars. The critically acclaimed film has been recognized through nominations at all of the major award ceremonies: the BAFTA Awards, the Critics Choice Awards, the Artios Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards, the PGA Awards, and the WGA Awards.

Earlier in the night, Kotsur picked up a win for Outstanding Male Actor in a supporting role, beating out Ben Affleck (“The Tender Bar”), Bradley Cooper (“Licorice Pizza”), Jared Leto (“House of Gucci”), and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”). Kotsur was the first Deaf actor to be nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. Now he is the first Deaf actor to win.

During his acceptance speech, Troy Kotsur said that he felt like he is “finally part of the family” in his signed acceptance speech. An American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter was present to render his ASL into English for viewers unfamiliar with sign language.

“Wow. Thank you so much to all the members of SAG,” the ASL interpreter voiced. “ I am so proud to be a member. I’ve been a member since 2001, and so now I feel like I’m finally part of the family.”

“I know you all are artists, and I know you all know what it’s like to be a starving actor. Back then, I used to sleep in my car. I slept in my dressing room backstage, I couch-surfed and all of that, you feel me, right?” he asked. “So, thank you so much. I’m so grateful to SAG [for protecting] us actors.”

Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin gave the acceptance speech on behalf of the cast at the end of the night. Her speech was also rendered into English through an ASL interpreter.

During her acceptance speech, she thanked the SAG Award committee and Apple TV+ “for trusting us, for believing in us, our movie… you bought it for $25 million dollars at Sundance. Only $25 million,” she joked.

She also thanked writer-director Sian Heder: “Thank you for writing the words that included Deaf culture. We love you.” She also issued her thanks to ASL interpreters and CODAs all over the world, which included her four children.

“You are all our peers. We Deaf actors have come a long way,” Matlin signed through her interpreter. “Thirty-five years… I have been seeing so much work out there all this time. I’ve watched all of your films, and I pay the deepest respect to all of you.”

“This validates the fact that we Deaf actors work just like everyone else,” she continued. “We look forward to more opportunities for Deaf actors and Deaf culture.”

The full list of Sunday night's winners can be found here.