Mystery Behind Alaqua Cox’s Leg Amputation: Even With a Prosthetic Leg Echo Star Can Do Her Own Stunts
While many superheroes wear capes, not all of them follow suit, especially real-life superheroes like Alaqua Cox. Renowned for her remarkable portrayal of Maya Lopez in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the actress with an amputated leg is all set to reprise her anti-hero character in her own soon-to-be-released mini-series, Echo.
Since she is one of the very few deaf and indigenous actors in the MCU, fans had tons of questions about Cox: Does she perform her own stunts even with a prosthetic leg in real life? Is she actually as deaf as her on-screen character? Why does she wear a prosthetic leg in the first place?
To answer all these questions, we have compiled all the information we know about the Native American actress. Read on to know more!
Alaqua Cox Does Her Own Stunts Despite Leg Amputation Challenges
While the reason behind her wearing a prosthetic leg in the first place still remains a mystery since she hasn’t revealed the story behind her amputated lower right leg publically, what’s amazing is that despite all these hurdles, Alaqua Cox performs her own stunts as Echo.
Sharing the same with Entertainment Weekly during an interview back from when Hawkeye was yet to be released, the Native American actress was quoted to have said through an ASL interpreter:
“People with a disability like me can do anything: We can fight, we can flip, we can fall,” she said. “I’m excited for people to say, ‘Wow, she can do that?'”
If anything, Alaqua Cox sees her prosthetic leg as a superhero to be “one of [Echo’s] coolest things,” as she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In fact, she didn’t even let her disability stop her from getting involved in six stunning sports while growing up!
Echo and Alaqua Cox: Is the Actress Fully Deaf in Real Life Like Her Character?
Also Read: Alaqua Cox’s Family and Nationality: All You Need to Know About the Echo Star’s Hollywood Journey
When people saw her on the big screen as Maya Lopez, not everyone thought that she was actually deaf, considering the remarkable way she brought the anti-hero to life. However, the truth is that Alaqua Cox was born deaf.
Despite that, she is exceptionally good at catching things – a skill that has earned her massive worldwide commendation. As she shared with EW:
What was even more exciting for Cox was the fact that the character she was going to play on the big screen actually had the same ability to mimic others’ movements as her. And that also made her all the more happy and proud to be able to represent the deaf community.“Deaf people have really good visual skills. I can easily catch things,” she said. “During training, they were like, ‘Oh, wow, you’re a fast learner.’ I was like, ‘Well, I just watched you.'”
“The deaf community is in huge support of this role because they want to see deaf people represented in these deaf roles. Most of the time, it’s hearing people that take these roles, but finally, authentic representation is here. So I’m excited for that, and so is everybody else.”
As it turns out, even a prosthetic leg or a born-deaf disability can’t stop a real-life superhero like Alaqua Cox from doing everything she sets her heart to!
How Alaqua Cox Secured Her Role as Echo in the MCU
Also Read: “Maya Lopez is a villain”: Marvel Doesn’t Want Another Captain America With Alaqua Cox’s Echo
Though it may be surprising, Alaqua Cox was actually never interested in acting before donning the role of Maya Lopez in the MCU. In fact, she worked at an Amazon warehouse in Wisconsin when her friends informed her about the casting call for a dynamic Native American actress for the MCU.
Thus, despite there being “issues,” the real-life superhero went ahead to audition for the role of Lopez, only to get the “mind-blowing” news a few months later that she was selected for the part.
And thanks to her securing her role as Echo, Cox is thrilled and hopes to represent the disabled community with such utmost accuracy that even they get the message that nothing can stop them from doing something they set their heart to. As she shared with The Hollywood Reporter:
“I believe kids deserve to see inclusivity and accurate representation,” said Cox. “It will make kids with all types of cultures and disabilities feel like our dreams can break free from limitations.”
All in all, Alaqua Cox is nothing short of proof that even people born with a disability or who end up getting into one due to some unfortunate events can achieve extraordinary feats as long as they embrace themselves for who they are and are willing “to take that chance.”
