Marvel Studios has been making numerous strides to increase representation in its films and television shows. Eternals takes that effort one step further by introducing the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first deaf superhero in Lauren Ridloff's Makkari. For Ridloff, landing this role was an example of something she referred to as "Deaf Gain."

 

"I feel like seeing Makkari on the screen is, first of all, so important for the Deaf community," Ridloff told THR. "We need a superhero that represents us, and as I said before, growing up, I didn’t dream of becoming an actor because I didn’t see enough of myself on the screen. I didn’t get to dream that big, so now, with The Eternals, I’m hoping that more people will be able to dream bigger. If I can do it, they can do it. What’s powerful about Makkari is being adapted from this hearing, blond-haired, cisgendered, straight white man to myself, I think shows what we call Deaf Gain. In the Deaf community, we talk a lot about Deaf Gain when there are times that we’re just lucky to be deaf."

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As successful as the MCU has been, that hasn't stopped the massive cinematic universe from being called out concerning its lack of diversity in the past. Prior to Black Panther, all of the films released by Marvel Studios featured a white male character in the lead. Since then, the studio has made efforts to be more inclusive with projects like Captain MarvelBlack Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Ridloff also discussed how she landed the role of Makkari, noting she didn't go through the traditional audition process. "I was tapped, you could say," she explained. "I was called for a sit-down meeting with Chloé and [producer] Nate Moore about a new untitled Marvel project. During that meeting, they introduced The Eternals to me and tried to capture the story and the people that make up the Eternals. The conversation shifted to Makkari, who Makkari was in the comics and would be in the film, but it was all broad strokes."

Ridloff's Makkari won't be the only deaf hero in the MCU for much longer. Alaqua Cox, a fellow deaf actor, will make her debut as Echo in Hawkeye this November before going on to headline her own series for Disney+.

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Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao, hits theaters on Nov. 5.

Source: THR