SEOUL– South Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung signed the name of Troy Kotsur, the first deaf actor winning an Oscar, in this year’s Academy Awards.
In the televised ceremony of the 94th edition on Sunday (U.S. time), Youn, as last year’s best supporting actress, took the stage to present the prize of Actor in a Supporting Role, for which five nominees — Kotsur of “CODA,” Ciaran Hinds of “Belfast,” J.K. Simmons of “Being the Ricardos,” and Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee of “The Power of the Dog” — were competing.
Starting with the phrase “And the Oscar goes to,” she paused and signed Kotsur’s name before saying it aloud on the microphone.
She handed the statuette to the actor and then quickly took it back in order to help him deliver his acceptance speech with free hands in sign language. She stayed on the stage holding the Oscar until Kotsur finished his speech with an interpreter.
Kotsur plays a father who has a daughter struggling with the responsibility of being the only member of her family who is not deaf in “CODA.”
Last year, Youn became the first Korean actor to win an acting Oscar for her performance in the immigration film “Minari.”
As a presenter for this year’s best supporting actor, she asked for forgiveness for her complaint about her name being incorrectly called last year.
“I was complaining about mispronouncing my name, and I’m so sorry because I’ve looked at the nominees of this incredible category and now I have to pronounce them,” she said. “Please forgive me in advance.”
Meanwhile, three Korean actors, Park Yu-rim, Jin Dae-yeon and Ahn Hwi-tae, who appeared in the Japanese drama “Drive My Car,” attended the ceremony held in Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
The three-hour film by Ryusuke Hamaguchi was nominated in four categories, including best picture, and awarded Best International Feature.
Source: Yonhap News Agency