Deaf star Troy Kotsur on preparing to play mobster in ‘Black Rabbit’
Don’t mess with Troy Kotsur.
The Oscar-winning actor, 57, takes on a new persona as Joe Mancuso, an intimidating underworld figure in Netflix’s new crime drama “Black Rabbit,” which also stars Jude Law as a restaurateur who is forced into nefarious activities when his brother, played by Jason Bateman, returns to town.
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“I heard a lot of stories in the deaf community that really helped me develop my character,” he told The Post exclusively at the show’s premiere last week in New York.
The “Foundation” star explained that “back in the 60s and 70s, a lot of deaf people were unemployed,” and were forced to earn money, sometimes illegally.
“Before the ADA, there wasn’t a lot of unemployment for the deaf community, so we had to sustain ourselves, sometimes through a lot of black market activity,” he explained, noting that hearing people aren’t really aware of that history, but it’s something that “us deaf folk are aware of.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law, enacted in 1990, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and includes deaf people having access to relay services for communication.
He added that it “was a lot of fun for me, and a bit of a challenge, playing a villain, who happens to be deaf.”
Kotsur made history in 2022 when he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the comedy-drama “CODA.” He is the first deaf male (and second overall deaf actor) to win an Academy Award. The first being Marlee Matlin, who played his wife in the film.
“The Mandalorian” star joked that real life doesn’t imitate art, at least when it comes to “Black Rabbit.”
Kotsur teased that thankfully, he’s never been involved with shady crime bosses, unlike his character in the series.
“The Mandalorian” star added that thankfully, he’s never been involved with shady characters in real life.
“Fortunately, no,” he signed. “I haven’t been in trouble with bookies. I’m grateful to my wife for keeping me under control.”
All eight episodes of “Black Rabbit” are currently available to stream on Netflix.
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