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Local actor excited about Apple film ‘CODA’

BY ANNIKA TOMLIN Peoria Times Staff Writer

When deaf Mesa actor Troy Kotsur received the script for the Apple Original Film “CODA,” he immediately saw himself in the role.

“I thought this is most definitely a role for me,” Kotsur said. “Thinking about all of the experiences that I have had in the theater and the opportunities I’ve had and the challenges that I’ve had, for this thing to come was fantastic and a great opportunity.”

In “CODA,” which stands for child of deaf adults, 17-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones) spends her time as an interpreter for her parents, who are played by Kotsur and Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin. While working early mornings on the family’s struggling fishing boat, Ruby joins her school choir and finds her voice and a potential new life.

“CODA” will open the Phoenix Film Festival on Thursday, Aug. 12, followed by its theatrical and Apple TV+ streaming release on Aug. 13.

Kotsur was thrilled to work with Matlin, saying it is a “tiny, tiny, tiny world where I finally get to work with her, but it was a blessing.”

“I remember when I was in high school, I saw her win an Academy Award, which was incredibly inspiring seeing a deaf person win an Academy Award,” he said. “It gave me motivations in thinking maybe this is something that I can do — at least something that I can pursue.”

Still, parts of the movie were challenging. For example, the family’s fishing business is central to the film. He has no experience with that.

“I like water sports. I like waterskiing, but fishing, no — and I don’t eat fish either,” he said. “So, I figured if I am not going to eat them, why am I going to catch them? I’d rather leave that for other people.”

Kotsur, Jones and Daniel Durant, the latter of whom plays the older brother, had to learn to chop the heads off fish, sort them and other fishing boat tasks.

“We had to get up at 2 a.m. to do this,” Kotsur said. “We went out with real fishermen on their boat and watched how they did what they did. It is a filthy, filthy place.”

Also troubling were the birds who swarmed overhead.

“You have to hose the place down when you are done, and when you get out, (the smell) never quite gets off of you,” Kotsur said. “It’s amazing, and you know you are covered in bird droppings from them flying overhead, so that was a new experience for me.”

However, the boat was one of his favorite parts of filming “CODA,” but he gives credit to the “great director, great writer and amazing story.”

“We saw whales,” Kotsur said. “I had never seen whales out in the ocean, and certainly not in Arizona.

“(Another favorite) is the moment

Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin and Daniel Durant star in “CODA,” premiering globally on Apple TV+ on Aug. 13. (Photo courtesy of Apple TV+)

SEE CODA PAGE 22

Special Olympics names second early bird winner

BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF

Special Olympics Arizona’s Copper State Raffle is underway, and tickets are still available, but the second winner of the raffle has been drawn and revealed.

Todd Pattee of Waddell is the winner of the second early bird bonus drawing and has the option to choose $10,000 in cash or a vacation to either Australia or Hawaii.

The Copper State Raffle features more than 150 prizes, including a Tesla Model S, a Ford F-150 or $75,000 for the grand prize, as well as other cash prizes, luxurious vacations and a 50/50 drawing.

The deadline to enter the grand-prize drawing and 50/50 drawing was Friday, July 30. The 50/50 jackpot sits at more than $80,000, which will be split between the winner and Special Olympics Arizona.

All proceeds from the raffle will benefit Special Olympics Arizona.

“It has been difficult this year to host many of our typical fundraisers that allow us the chance to raise money to support our more than 21,000 athletes, but this is a great way to get people involved and raise money for our athletes while getting the chance to win some really great prizes,” said Jamie Heckerman, Special Olympics Arizona president and CEO.

CODA FROM PAGE 20 where I am watching my daughter sing and really trying to understand what this means for her. He’s really trying to connect with his daughter in a really important way.”

On the flip side, the most difficult scene was easy for Kotsur to answer.

“I would say the love scene with Marlee Matlin,” Kotsur said. “I mean, no, seriously, it is challenging.

“You do what is best for the movie I guess, though. We just have to be professional, but it’s not like on stage. When you have a love scene on stage, it’s very small and it’s very quick. In film, it has to look like you know what you’re doing.”

During the filming, the cast ensured the sign language was in context.

“We were there with our sign masters, Ann Tomasetti and Alexandria Wailes, who were helping us develop the sign language as we were training to go out on the boat, watching us making sure that we were doing what we were supposed to do,” Kotsur said.

“We had all of these tools that we had to learn how to use, this hammer with almost, like, a nail coming

off of its head. We had to kind of develop signs for those tools and ask what would be sort of a natural sign language gesture so that they would see that and go, ‘OK, that is the sign we are going to use for that.’ We were literally developing a language along the way.” Kotsur sees it as a “blessing” to have his film opening the Phoenix Film Festival and hopes people within his homeEmilia Jones and Troy Kotsur play hearing daughter Ruby Rossi and her deaf father, Frank Rossi, town and old friends in “CODA,” premiering in theaters and on Apple TV+ on Aug. 13. (Photo courtesy of Apple TV+) come out to see it. “It’s just great to have this here, my little piece show up in this festival,” Kotsur said. “It’s wonderful, and it’s an honor.”

Shooter’s World opening third location nearby

BY LAUREN SERRATO Peoria Times Staff Writer

Shooter’s World, an Arizona family-owned and -operated firearms education facility, indoor shooting range and gun retailer, is opening its third Valley location in Goodyear this fall.

The new location is the West Valley’s first facility of its kind and will provide more than 50 jobs.

“This is something that we’ve been working on for quite a while. It was just more of a timing issue. We’ve been looking all up and down the I-10. We know this area well. We get a really good vibe anytime we’re in this part of the Valley,” said Phil Roux, co-owner of Shooter’s World.

“Ultimately, we figured out that Goodyear was the place for us. So, the timing was perfect. We got this amazing building, and we’re really excited to see this through and get it built.”

The 36,000-square-foot facility features an education center offering multiple group training rooms and individual private-lesson pods for one-on-one training. Additionally, the retail space is over 5,000 square feet with product displays and demonstration zones. The indoor, climate-controlled shooting range consists of 24 lanes.

While the facility is known to attract those who are experienced and knowledgeable on handling firearms, co-owner Lisa Roux said Shooter’s World is a place for everyone.

“We pride ourselves on being accessible to people who have never touched a firearm before. During 2020, during the pandemic, we saw record numbers of brand-new shooters come in, so we are well versed in dealing with new

Phil and Lisa Roux have been owners of Shooter’s World since 2002 and have two locations in Phoenix and Peoria, with the Goodyear location set to open this fall. (Photo by Christopher Birchby) shooters,” Lisa said. “The other benefit is we have the range, so somebody that’s coming in not knowing at all what kind of firearm they want, we can guide them through that process a lot better because they can utilize the rental guns on the range and really determine what’s the best fit for them.”

With locations in Phoenix and Peoria, Phil and Lisa have decided to make the new Goodyear location their headquarters. The couple said they’re excited to be one of the many businesses choosing to be a part of the city’s economic development growth.

“All of the expansion that’s happening out this way and Goodyear has so much more expansion to go, so there’s going to be so much more room for growth here,” Lisa said.

“Just the reputation that Goodyear has with working with business owners, they have a great reputation. They were interested to get us in; they were really easy for us to work with. The city council has been on board with us since the very beginning, which was a huge factor for us as well.”

Shooter’s World of Goodyear is set to open in the fall, with access to retail and education, including concealed carry weapons permits, defensive mindset and children’s gun safety courses.

“We offer tons of beginner classes,

ANSWERS PAGE 26 ACROSS

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DOWN

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EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.

SHOOTERS FROM PAGE 22 women’s specific classes as well. We really, from how we decorate the interior of the stores and the cleanliness to the staff that we hire, we go out of our way to be accessible to anybody walking in the front door,” Lisa said.

The indoor shooting range is planned to open in early 2022.

“We are very excited to welcome Shooter’s World and its corporate headquarters to the city of Goodyear,” said Brannon Hampton, Goodyear’s vice mayor.

“As the first indoor gun range in the far West Valley, the residents are very happy to have them here. We love to see local Arizona businesses thrive and know that Shooter’s World will be very successful in Goodyear.”

Shooter’s World has been a part of the Valley since the late 1980s and has been under the ownership of Phil and Lisa since 2002. The couple has worked together to live up to the company’s reputation of being Arizona’s premier indoor shooting range.

Following his time with his armor business, Phil decided he wanted to test the armor on the range at the first Shooter’s World location in Phoenix and realized he wanted to expand and be part of a project from start to finish.

“I got to the point where I really wanted to build a store from scratch, the way an indoor shooting range should be built, and that’s what led to the Peoria location,” he said.

Phil said the staff is friendly and inviting.

“What’s interesting about our stores is, we hear this all the time from our customers, they walk in and our stores are incredibly inviting when you walk in. From the way we design our membership counters or when you’re first greeted to approaching our firearms selection or approaching our range, everything is incredibly inviting,” he said.

In terms of the future, Phil and Lisa said they are certain there will be a fourth Shooter’s World in 2022.

“We know for sure we’re going to do a fourth location probably sometime next year,” Lisa said. “So, we’re looking at that right now; we’re trying to find the real estate for that. Not entirely sure where that’s going to be yet. Then we’re doing a remodel of our Phoenix location, too, because that one was built in 1989, and it needs some TLC, so we’re going to fix that.”

The Peoria residents are looking forward to joining the Goodyear business community, with hopes of gaining immediate traction in the West Valley.

“We have something for everybody. We cater to every individual. We care about the community. I’m really anxious for the community of Goodyear to see how philanthropic we are, how much we give back. That’s something that we’re really passionate about as well,” Lisa said.

“We provide top-notch product and education. We like to build those relationships with our customers. We’ve had members that have been with us for 20 years, still shooting, still renewing their membership every year and shooting with us,” Phil said.

The Goodyear facility will be located at 3740 W. Auto Drive. For more info visit azshootersworld.com.

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