Here is an Interview from CBS Saturday Morning with Michelle Miller, Dana Jacobson, and Jeff Glor and their segment with The Director of ‘CODA‘ Sian Heder and Troy Kotsur, who played Ruby Rossi’s father, Frank Rossi in the film. This segment with interviews aired to promote the SAG Awards nominees in February 2022. This segment aired prior to Heder and Kotsur taking home their Oscars. This aired three days before the two of them would be nominated and week’s before they would win their SAG Awards.

Directing a Life Experience…

Sian Heder discusses the overall experience she had making the film. She talks about what that experience meant to her. She expresses what it was like working on a film that is pushing boundaries. Heder discusses what it meant to push the boundary of Deaf Representation in the Film Community. she also talks about what it means for the Deaf Community to have them carry the film. And how that translates into the world of viewers and how they perceive this lived experience that has not often been properly represented in film. She discusses the scene in the film that lets the viewer hear and feel what it’s like to be deaf by taking you inside that experience for just two minutes.

Galactic Representation…

Troy Kotsur discusses the dirty sign language in the film. He wanted the hearing world to see, they use dirty words. They just have a better way of expressing it. Kotsur discusses his career in Film before ‘CODA’. He talks about the First Movie he saw when he was eight. and how he felt that movie connected him to the hearing world. He discusses how that film inspired his future in theater and later in films. Kotsur also talks about how that movie came full circle in his film career. He talks about when he got to appear as an actor in a spin-off part from that movie. And as a Deaf character, most of all. The interview discusses his childhood being born and growing up deaf. It also discusses what it was like wanting to be a deaf actor. And what its like wanting to work in movies before Hollywood was ready for deaf actors. Kotsur talks about what his life is like now that ‘CODA‘ has rocketed him into the stratosphere. And he discusses what it means to represent the deaf community in film.

Supporting Words… 

The segment also helps to support my critique theory. The interview helps color in the gray areas of what I described in the critique about Marlee Matlin joining the cast. It also discusses casting the film and how representation matters in the deaf community. It helps support my critical theory on inclusion of the deaf community in film. While it also supports how it was used in this film to set an example of how to do it.

You can watch the entire interview here: