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CODA star Troy Kotsur made history as he won Best Supporting Actor at the BAFTA 2022 Film Awards<\/a> tonight (Sunday, March 13th).<\/p>\n The star, who plays Frank Rossi in the coming-of-age drama about a teenage girl (Emilia Jones) who is the only hearing member of her family, became the first deaf actor to win a BAFTA in one of the main categories.<\/p>\n During his speech, Kotsur congratulated Bond which is celebrating its 60th anniversary at the ceremony and jokingly asked whether producers had ever considered casting a deaf Bond.<\/p>\n Speaking to press backstage after his win, he said he hoped his win and the film\u2019s success would raise more awareness of the deaf community in Hollywood and lead to more representation in cinema.<\/p>\n \u201cI really believe that it took a long time for Hollywood and for filmmakers to accept actors who happen to be deaf,\u201d he explained. \u201cAnd I noticed in general, there was so much fear \u2013 you\u2019re afraid of what you don\u2019t understand, or you\u2019re afraid of financial risks, you have to cast A-listers, you\u2019re worried about losing money and all of the above and really, it took years.\u201d<\/p>\n You did it, @TroyKotsur<\/a>! Now it’s time to celebrate your first BAFTA win (and also make that James Bond idea happen) \u2764\ufe0f #EEBAFTAs<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/6HgiGAALFJ<\/a><\/p>\u2014 BAFTA (@BAFTA) March 13, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>