‘CODA’ Cast’s Sweet Backstage Moment at the SAG Awards

“Extra’s” Terri Seymour caught up with the cast of “CODA” backstage at the 2022 SAG Awards as they celebrated their win for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Marlee Matlin had accepted the award onstage, signing at the time, “We deaf actors have come a long way. This validates the fact that we deaf actors can work just like anybody else. We look forward to more opportunities for deaf actors, deaf culture.”

Backstage, she called the moment they won a “blur,” saying, “I remember reading the lips when they said ‘CODA.’ I read their lips and I remember seeing Emilia [Jones] crying and then the director Sian [Heder] was crying… It’s all a blur.”

In a sweet moment with the cast, Sian gushed, “I have to say these are not only the most amazing actors, they are the most amazing people and I'm so proud tonight because this movie was going to live or die off the performances and you guys delivered so incredibly and you made this such an amazing experience, and I'm so grateful.”

Terri asked if Heder ever imagined they would take home the top honor. The director said, “I had a dream, but I did not think it would happen. We were this little movie. We were a teeny movie, and we were like a scrappy production indie film, and we're up there and they're all these big casts and so I don't know, I’m so proud and I'm so excited because this is such a group of talented people. This was an unbelievable experience.”

Emilia gushed over the cast, too, saying, “From the first moment I met all the cast, we were just a family and we all got on so well. There's so much love making this movie, and there's still so much love a year on and we're still promoting it, so thanks to everyone for loving the movie as much as we loved making it. Amazing.”

It was an even bigger night for Troy Kotsur, who also won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role. He insisted, “It’s not what I expected.”

Watch our red carpet interview with Troy below!