Marlee Matlin Urged CODA Costar Daniel Durant to Take 'Secret Dance Classes' to Get a Leg Up on DWTS
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Daniel Durant received some practical advice from his CODA costar Marlee Matlin before hitting the dance floor on Dancing with the Stars.
Durant, 32, tells PEOPLE exclusively that he immediately texted his former costar — who competed on season 6 of DWTS — after finding out he was cast on the Disney+ dance competition show.
"I let her know that I was in Dancing with the Stars and she called me instantly, FaceTimed me … and she was like, 'You have to take my advice. You need to go work out. You need to take secret dance classes, find whatever training you can get before you go,'" he says.
"I started doing everything," he continues. "I took some dance classes. I worked out before I moved to L.A."
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Durant is the third Deaf person to compete on DWTS after Matlin, 57, and model Nyle DiMarco, 33, who won season 22. The actor says his former onscreen mom is "a Deaf queen in Hollywood" who has become "an advisor" to him.
"She looks at me like the next generation. I'm like her kid and she knows that," he says. "She has faith in me and she knew I'd be successful. And I take all of that to heart and all of her advice and I'm happy."
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During last week's DWTS episode, Durant's cheering section included Matlin and his CODA dad Troy Kotsur.
"We're still connected that way and [they're] like my parents. Honestly, I feel like that's my dad and that's my mom," he says. "So they were watching us in the audience and it was brilliant, but it was also a big deal because they were the only two Deaf people who have Oscars in the world and they're sitting right there in the audience for me."
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Durant says the trio shared an emotional moment following his performance that brought Kotsur, 54, to tears.
"It's nice because we're Deaf, so I'm on the balcony … and I can have full conversations with Marlee and Troy during the show that we were signing to each other," he explains. "And Troy was like, 'Man, you made me cry when you started dancing.' Troy was touched and Troy started crying."
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In addition to support from Matlin and Kotsur, Durant also attributes his success so far to dance pro Britt Stewart, 33, who is learning sign language as part of their partnership.
"She's so friendly and she's ready to work with me from that first day. And she started teaching me her dance and I started teaching her sign language right away," he says of their partnership. "And I'm not joking, after maybe two weeks we communicate with ourselves."
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Durant hopes that he can set an example for children in the Deaf community by competing on the series.
"I want to show Deaf children that whatever their passion is, whatever their dream is, do whatever you want. You can do it, chase it. You have to go after what you're doing, what makes you happy," he says. "So it's important for everyone by being here on Dancing with the Stars."
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Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Disney+.
