IN A QUIET TERROR

Deaf Oscar winner Troy Kotsur can scare with a stare as villain of crime thriller 'Black Rabbit'

- BY GREG BRAXTON

THE TYLER TWINS For The Times

CODA," the heartwarming drama about the child of Deaf adults, made a resounding noise at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022. In addition to winning for best picture, the film's triumph was highlighted by Troy Kotsur, who made history as the first Deaf actor to win an Oscar.

Kotsur's performance as a father dealing with his struggling fishing business and the aspirations of his talented daughter — the only hearing member of the family — was anchored by humor and heartbreak, prompting many viewers to reach for tissues before the end credits.

But fans of the Apple TV+ film are likely to do a double take when they see Kotsur in Netflix's new crime thriller "Black Rabbit." The actor has switched from loving dad to breaking bad.

In the limited series, Kotsur plays Joe Mancuso, a vicious criminal who has a deep connection to Jake and Vince Friedkin (played by Jude Law and Jason Bateman, respectively), the central characters of the drama. With a heavy beard and a lethal stare, he bears little resemblance to his Frank Rossi character in “CODA.”

THE TYLER TWINS For The Times FOR his role in "CODA," Troy Kotsur became first Deaf actor to win an Oscar.

That difference is exactly what Kotsur wanted. Playing a bad guy fulfills one of his key ambitions. While he acknowledges that viewers might be initially thrown, he hopes they embrace his transition from tears to fears.

“I really wanted to surprise the audience and play something that was exactly the opposite from Frank Rossi,” Kotsur said in a video call from his Mesa, Ariz., residence. His interpreter, Justin Maurer, participated in the discussion from Los Angeles.

He added, “I want the audience to see that I’m able to do a different kind of role where I canbe scary.”