Alaqua Cox Returns To Marvel In Upcoming 'Echo' Series

Actress Alaqua Cox was a breakout star of the Marvel "Hawkeye" series, where she played Maya Lopez, AKA Echo.

Her character was such a hit with fans that she will be starring in her own Disney+ series named after her character. Cox, who is Deaf, Native American, and walks with a prosthetic leg, has been praised for bringing diversity to the Marvel franchise.

According to Entertainment Weekly, production on the “Echo” series has already started in Atlanta. The series is scheduled to debut sometime in 2023.

The series is expected to follow Maya heading away from New York City and heading back to her hometown. EW reported that Maya must “face her past and reconnect with her Native American roots” in order to move forward.

The series also stars Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Cody Lightning, Graham Greene, Devery Jacobs, and Zahn McClarnon. Both Jacobs and McClarnon are coming off the success of “Reservation Dogs.”

Cox grew up on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin and was asked about increasing Native American representation in Hollywood.

Last year, Cox told EW, “We need more real, authentic Native actresses. Now we have more Native American roles in Hollywood. We're breaking boundaries, breaking barriers, and to be honest, making history too. So that's what is so cool about these shows and being involved in them.”

In addition to representation in front of the camera, Disney is also working to increase diversity behind the scenes. Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai) will be directing several episodes of the upcoming Marvel series.

Back in April, "Hawkeye" was praised for its authentic casting along with another Marvel movie: "Eternals" which featured Deaf actress Lauren Ridloff. Both actresses use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate with others on-screen.

Both projects were honored with the Seal of Authentic Representation from the Ruderman Family Foundation, which is awarded to television or feature film projects featuring actors with disabilities in substantial speaking roles.

The Ruderman Family Foundation President, Jay Ruderman, praised the “authentic casting” of the characters and called it a “momentous milestone for Marvel and the entire entertainment industry.”

In a statement, he said, “These practices are increasingly becoming the norm in Hollywood, with the authentic casting of Lauren Ridloff in Eternals and Alaqua Cox in Hawkeye marking a particularly high-profile and momentous milestone for Marvel and the entire entertainment industry.”

He added, “Each time a casting director or other executive makes such a decision, it facilitates the industry’s broader journey towards fulfilling its full potential as a beacon of all forms of diversity and social justice.”

The casting director for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sarah Finn, praised Alaqua Cox’s casting in “Hawkeye,” explaining that it was important for them to both “celebrate and honor” both her Deaf and Native American” culture.

“Alaqua Cox’s character, Maya Lopez/Echo, is based on an existing Marvel character who is deaf and Native American,” Finn explained. “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.”

Fans can look forward to seeing more of Cox's character when "Echo" debuts on Disney+ in 2023.