Clearly moved by the admission, Kotsour had tears in his eyes as he walked up to the stage. Many of the audience at the Dobly Theater stood up and signed a silent applause waving their hands. Actress Youn Yuh-jung presented Kotsur with his award, holding the award while he used sign language to receive the Oscar. “It’s amazing to be here on this journey. I can’t believe I’m here,” Kotsur signed. “I really want to thank all the wonderful scenes of the Deaf Theater where I was able to develop my art as an actor.” He continued, “My dad was the best signer in our family, but he had a car accident and was paralyzed from the neck down and could no longer sign; you are my hero.” Kotsour added that his Oscar is “dedicated” to the deaf community. The actor had previously won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in the film.
