Marvel Studios has collected a new honor: the Seal of Authentic Representation from the Ruderman Family Foundation. The Foundation advocates for more visibility for people with disabilities within the entertainment industry, and tracks movies and television that feature actors with disabilities who have at least five lines of dialogue. The film Eternals and the Disney+ limited series Hawkeye both earned recognition for their employment of actors Lauren Ridloff and Alaqua Cox, respectively, who played the characters of Makkari and Echo. Both actors are deaf, matching their characters, and Cox is also an amputee who uses a prosthetic leg.
Per the Hollywood Reporter, Eternals director and co-writer Zhao said in a statement, “Makkari is full of heart and wisdom. She is strong, charismatic, mysterious, and mischievous. We are very lucky to have found Lauren Ridloff, who is our real-life Makkari! She has brought this character to life with love and conviction and has taught us so much in the process.” Additionally, the head of casting for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sarah Finn, said, “Not only was [Ridloff] overly qualified to join an already high-level cast, she elevated the ensemble with her unique spirit, talents, and charisma. It’s been a privilege getting to know her through the process and seeing what a real-life hero she has become to so many.” Of Cox, Finn said, “Alaqua Cox’s character, Maya Lopez/Echo, is based off an existing Marvel character who is deaf and Native American. In casting the role, we wanted to celebrate and honor both Deaf and Native American cultures. We couldn’t be more delighted by Alaqua Cox’s performance. She is phenomenal and part of a new culture in film and television, where authentic representation not only matters but is paramount to the kind of stories we want to tell and how we shape them.”
