Apple’s CODA movie wins Oscar, makes history

Best Picture, star Troy Kotsur is the first Deaf male actor to win an Oscar

Apple’s CODA has won three Academy Awards for the company. The movie has also made history as the first film with a predominantly Deaf cast to win a Best Picture Oscar.

Apple takes a streaming record

The film took three awards.

• Best Picture, star Troy Kotsur is the first Deaf male actor to win an Oscar
• Siân Heder wins Best Adapted Screenplay.
• Apple became the first streaming service honored with Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Written and directed by Siân Heder, “CODA” is now streaming on Apple TV+.

What CODA is about

It tells the story of seventeen-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones), who is the sole hearing member of a Deaf family — a CODA, or “child of Deaf adults.”

Her life revolves around acting as an interpreter for her parents (Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur) and working on the family’s struggling fishing boat every day before school with her father and older brother (Daniel Durant).

But when Ruby joins her high school’s choir club, she discovers a gift for singing and soon finds herself drawn to her duet partner, Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo). Then she wins a scholarship to music school and the drama begins.

It’s a great movie that deserves the praise.

What Apple said

“On behalf of everyone at Apple, we are so grateful to the Academy for the honors bestowed on ‘CODA’ this evening,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “We join our teams all over the world in celebrating Siân, Troy, the producers, and the entire cast and crew for bringing such a powerful representation of the Deaf community to audiences, and breaking so many barriers in the process. It has been so rewarding to share this life-affirming, vibrant story, which reminds us of the power of film to bring the world together.”

“What an incredible journey it has been since the moment we first saw ‘CODA’ to today’s historic recognition from the Academy,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “It has been a true joy to witness the positive impact on humanity that this story and its performances have had worldwide. We send our warmest congratulations to Siân; Troy; the cast; the creative team; producers Patrick, Philippe, and Fabrice; and everyone who helped bring inclusion and accessibility to the forefront through this remarkable film.”

CODA has won many other awards

CODA has also won a variety of other awards, including from the SAG, PGA, BAFTAs, Sundance, AFI, NAACP and Hollywood Critics Association Awards — and more.

Troy Kotsur is the first Deaf male actor to ever receive an Oscar, a BAFTA Award, a SAG Award, a Film Independent Spirit Award, and a Critics Choice Award for his moving performance in the supporting actor category. “CODA” writer-director Siân Heder was also recently recognized with this year’s WGA Award and BAFTA Film Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Apple’s series and films have earned 240 wins and 953 nominations to date.

And, of course, you can watch these movies on almost anything, even using Philips MediaSuite televisions in hotel rooms.

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