Deaf star Troy Kotsur in tribute to disabled community as he makes Oscar history

msn.com:

Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletterHe said: “I was planning on teaching them some dirty sign language but Marlee Matlin told me to behave myself, so don’t worry Marlee I won’t drop any f-bombs in my speech today. ”He also praised the “wonderful deaf theatre stages, where I was given the opportunity to develop my craft as an actor. ”Addressing his director Sian Heder, he said: “You are our bridge and your name will forever be on that bridge Sian Heder bridge in Hollywood. ”Kotsur added: “My dad he was the best signer in our family, but he was in a car accident and he became paralysed from the neck down and he was no longer able to sign. “Dad, I learnt so much from you I’ll always love you, you are my hero.

Thank you to my biggest fans. “I just want to say this is dedicated to the deaf community, the Coda community and the deaf community. “This is our moment. ”Earlier in the ceremony, West Side Story star Ariana DeBose won the best supporting actress Oscar and spoke of her pride of being an “openly queer woman of colour. ”The star, 31, collected her gong dressed in red Valentino trousers and a crop top and said her win was proof that “dreams do come true”.

DeBose won the Oscar for her performance as Anita in the classic musical, 60 years after her predecessor in the role, Rita Moreno, earned the statue herself.

DeBose added: “Now you see why Anita says I want to be in America because even in this weary world that we live in dreams do come true and that’s a heartening thing right now.