Audiences need to keep an eye on Mexican comedian and actor Eugenio Derbez’s (Overboard) powerful performance in the upcoming film CODA. This heartfelt drama follows a young, aspiring singer, Ruby Rossi — played by Emilia Jones — as the only member of her family who can hear. It wouldn’t be surprising to see CODA stirring up in awards season conversations later this year as it could one of the top films of 2021 thus far.
In CODA, which stands for Child of Deaf Adult, Derbez plays Bernardo Villalobos, a supportive high school choir teacher who sees the potential in his new student Ruby’s singing abilities. Additionally, he finds her personal story interesting because she comes from a family – mother Jackie (Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin), father Frank (Troy Kotsur), and brother Leo (Daniel Durant) – who are all deaf.
Although Ruby spends all her free time working on her family’s fishing boat to make a living, Mr. Villalobos aims to help her land a music scholarship to a prestigious school to pursue her dreams of singing professionally. However, Ruby isn’t sure she can pull it off since her family depends on her to be the ears of their business. Plus, because her family is deaf, they don’t fully understand the world of music that Ruby desperately wants to be a part of.
“There are plenty of pretty voices with nothing to say,” Mr. Villalobos tells Ruby in the film’s first trailer. “Do you have something to say?”
Earlier this year, CODA became the biggest acquisition by a studio in the history of the Sundance Film Festival. Apple purchased the drama for a record-breaking $25 million. When audiences finally get to see the film later this summer, it’ll be evident that it was money well spent.
CODA premieres August 13 on AppleTV+.
Watch the trailer below: