Lauren Ridloff: Marvel’s First Deaf Superhero Discusses Bringing ASL to the Big Screen

Marvel’s latest movie, The Eternals directed by Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, is the first post-Avengers group moviegoers see as we enter into a larger multiverse and Lauren Ridloff’s character is one of several MCU landmark moments in the film Ridloff plays Makkari, an immortal guardian with a hoarding habit, superhuman speed, and was able to bring ASL to the big screen. The Eternals features the films’ first Asian American woman protagonist (with Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi as the first), the first gay kiss, and the first deaf superhero.

When speaking on the movie, Ridloff said: “I definitely feel the impact of seeing a deaf superhero on the big screen. First of all, it is very obvious that that will impact a lot of people who have felt underrepresented or invisible within (and outside of) Hollywood. Hollywood plays such a big role in influencing society, and it establishes a belief and a framing of how people are perceived. So, I am excited to affect that and have an impact on culture through the film. I look forward to seeing how that impacts the industry, with the people behind the camera, the writer’s room, and more. I hope that just seeing that the MCU has a space for a deaf person, for those in the LGBTQ community, and different kinds of representation show that people are ready for it. We’re ready for new stories.”

Source: BET