‘CODA’ Actor Troy Kotsur Will Give UCLA School Of Theater, Film And Television Commencement Keynote

Academy Awards-winning actor Troy Kotsur (CODA, The Mandalorian) will deliver the commencement keynote address at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television’s upcoming commencement ceremony.

Writer-producer Amy Aniobi (Insecure) will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award at the event.

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Brian Kite, interim dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, gave the details today for the school’s 75th annual commencement ceremony. Kite will preside over the event on Friday, June 10, 2022 from 2 PM to 4:00 PM. at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

“It is an honor to welcome Mr. Kotsur to deliver the commencement keynote address following his sublime and hilarious performance in CODA,” said a statement from Kite. “Mr. Kotsur’s groundbreaking achievements as member of, and advocate for, the Deaf community serve to remind us that the perspectives and stories of individuals from all backgrounds and abilities are not only important but vital to the future of the arts. Our diverse student body is the future, and Mr. Kotsur is the perfect person to inspire the next stage of their careers.”

Kotsur earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Frank, the deaf fisherman father of a hearing daughter who wants to be a singer in director Sian Heder’s CODA. The film also won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Kotsur is the first deaf male actor and only the second deaf actor overall to win the Oscar, after his CODA co-star Marlee Matlin for her role in Children of a Lesser God (1986). Kotsur also earned BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, Gotham, Independent Spirit and Screen Actors Guild awards, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his CODA role.

UCLA

In recognizing Aniobi, Kite said, “We are proud to be celebrating the accomplishments of Amy Aniobi. As a writer, producer and director, Amy has emerged as an important talent in Hollywood, who is utilizing her success to elevate Black voices and to encourage the inclusion of Black creatives in the industry. She is the needed change we want to see in the industry and honoring her and her work with this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award will be an inspiration to our graduates and a reminder that their voices matter.”

Aniobi received her MFA in screenwriting from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television in 2011. She is a writer-director-producer best known for her work on the NAACP Award-winning, Emmy-nominated HBO comedy series Insecure.

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