I Was Horrified By Primate, But I Also Really Liked How Troy Kotsur’s Role As A Deaf Parent Factored In

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I get anxious easily, so a lot of horror movies are difficult for me to watch. But I still enjoy a good film, and I’ve been trying to get into the horror genre more. That’s how I ended up at a mystery movie night at my local theater last week. It was a new horror film, and it turned out to be Primate. I surprisingly really liked it, though it had more gore than anything I’ve seen in theaters since Novocaine last year. I even found myself covering my eyes during parts of it, just like I did during that Jack Quaid action comedy.

Despite being quite violent, the movie Primate kept me gripped with suspense. I also really enjoyed Troy Kotsur’s performance. He’s known for his Oscar-winning role in CODA, and here he plays Adam, the father of the main characters. He’s a writer who spends much of the film away at a book signing. Notably, Adam is deaf. Beyond simply including deaf representation, the movie portrays his deafness in a nuanced way – it’s a part of who he is, but it doesn’t define the plot or his character.

I just finished watching the film and stumbled across a fascinating interview with Troy Kotsur on FabTV. He really dives into his character and shares his initial thoughts on Adam – specifically, what jumped out at him when he first laid eyes on the script. It’s a great peek behind the scenes, offering some real insight into his process.

I portray a Deaf character, but I want to be clear – I’m not presenting a victim. I’m a writer and a father who also happens to be Deaf. Essentially, I’m playing a strong father figure, and my deafness is just one part of who he is.

I appreciated that the film touched on this, as it resonated with my own thoughts. There’s one particularly intense scene where the character’s deafness directly impacts the events unfolding. However, for the most part, his deafness is simply a characteristic of who he is. The story wouldn’t have needed to change at all if the character hadn’t been deaf, and I think that’s a positive thing when it comes to how he’s portrayed.

The story works perfectly well even if you don’t focus on it, but the fact that Kotsur’s character is deaf isn’t overlooked. He and his daughters naturally communicate using sign language. Later, there’s a powerful scene at a book signing where the sound cuts out amidst the crowd, allowing hearing audience members to briefly understand what that experience might be like for someone who is deaf.

Regarding that intense scene I hinted at, I won’t reveal any details to avoid spoilers. However, I was particularly struck by Troy Kotsur’s comments in his FabTV interview about his personal experience with horror films and what he appreciates about Primate, specifically how it engages the audience.

As a kid, I loved watching horror movies and noticed how often characters would jump at sounds. The subtitles would often describe those sounds – like an ‘eerie noise’ – in parentheses. Now, I’m playing Adam, a Deaf character, and it feels like a full-circle moment. This role allows the audience to experience my world and understand what life is like without sound, offering a glimpse into a Deaf perspective.

Kotsur predicted the movie would be interesting for viewers, and he was right – though that felt like an understatement for me. It really made an impact, and I even jumped and yelped during a particularly frightening scene, which was pretty funny!

I’ve been trying to get into more horror films, both classics and new releases, and wanted to expand my viewing habits. I recently watched Primate, and despite being quite disturbing at times, I really enjoyed it. The actors were fantastic, and I especially appreciated the unique character of the deaf father figure – a loving dad with an interesting background.

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2026-01-14 23:08