The true superstars of the night! ASL performers Colin Denny, Troy Kotsur and Justina Miles are stealing the spotlight at Super Bowl LVII.
Before the intense game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Kotsur, 54, interpreted the national anthem performed by Chris Stapleton and Sheryl Lee Ralph’s rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”’
“I’m playing the role of Francis Scott Key in this performance, and it’s been really fun for me,” the Academy Award winner told Variety in February 2023. “And because I’m an artist and an actor, I’ve done a lot of analysis and research to figure out that character. I don’t want to just sign it word-for-word. I want it to be meaningful, with emotion and with multi-layers of nuance and color.”
Along with the CODA actor, Denny, 32, interpreted Babyface’s “America the Beautiful” in Plain Sign Talk.
“A lot of people aren’t aware of the language and that it has always been here, even if we don’t see it,” the Pinon native shared in an interview with the University of Arizona in February 2023. “That’s something that I feel needs national recognition and revitalization for the community.”
Miles, 20, for her part, interpreted Rihanna’s much-anticipated halftime show. The TikTok star also performed alongside Ralph in an ASL rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a song which is widely regarded as the Black national anthem.
It’s an important moment “not only for me to share this experience with the whole world, but to really bring that empowerment to millions and millions of Black deaf people all over the country who’ve never really seen that before,” Miles told CNBC’s Make It in February 2023. “I feel that is truly lifting every voice, even my voice.”
Miles also is making history as the first female deaf performer for the Super Bowl’s halftime show.
“I value the opportunity to make it possible for all deaf people to enjoy these songs, and not have them miss out on the full Super Bowl experience,” she explained at the time.
Last year’s Super Bowl LVI featured the first ASL performers which included Sandra Mae Frank, Warren “Wawa” Snipe and Sean Forbes.
“The doors to accessibility are busted wide open with something like this,” Forbes, 41, told the Detroit Free Press in February 2022. “My goal is to get out there, show what we can do, and have fun … And I want to open the door for other deaf performers.”
Scroll down to learn more about this year’s ASL performers at the Super Bowl: