Alaqua Cox wiki, bio, net worth, height, husband, family, facts.
Alaqua Cox is more than just an actress in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She is a trailblazer who represents the Deaf and Native American communities on the screen. She plays Echo, the first Native American superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a badass vigilante with a heart of gold.
But who is Alaqua Cox, and how did she get to where she is today? In this article, we will explore her life story, from her humble beginning in Wisconsin to her current fame as an actress. We will also learn about the challenges and opportunities she faced as a deaf and Native American, the skills and training she acquired, and the personal losses and joys she experienced. Also, we will delve into how she coped with the loss of her father in 2021 and the birth of her son in 2023.
Alaqua Cox: The First Deaf and Indigenous Superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Alaqua Cox is a Native American actress who made history by playing the first deaf superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). She portrays Maya Lopez, also known as Echo, a character with the ability to copy any skill or movement she sees. Cox debuted as Echo in the Disney+ series Hawkeye in 2021, where she impressed viewers with her acting and martial arts skills. Her performance was so remarkable that she landed her own spin-off show, Echo, which is the first MCU series to feature a deaf and Native American protagonist.
Alaqua had no prior acting experience before joining the Marvel Universe. She only had a minor role in a high school play and afterward worked various jobs such as nursing home, amazon, and FedEx. She got the chance to audition for Echo after a friend sent her a casting call that specifically sought a deaf Native actress. She impressed the casting directors and landed her breakthrough role.
Alaqua, who is of the Menominee and Mohican nation, grew up in the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin. She is also an amputee with a prosthetic leg, but she has not disclosed the reason for it. She moved to Atlanta, Georgia to film Hawkeye, where she found a sense of community and friendship with other Native actors and crew members. She told Teen Vogue:
“When I moved out of my reservation to go to Georgia [for filming], I’d never been to Atlanta before and I didn’t know anybody. But when I stepped on set, it was full of Native people, and we had our own Native humor. It was so nice to have those connections and laugh and have a good time. They’re my lifelong friends now”.
She also expressed her gratitude for playing a character that reflects her identity and culture, and for working with other Native artists, such as writer Tazbah Rose Chavez and director Chris Eyre, who helped shape Echo’s story and perspective.
“I think it’s important to have Native representation in the media, because we’re still here. We’re still alive. We’re still thriving. And we have so much to offer to the world.”
To prepare for her role, Alaqua learned martial arts, archery, and motorcycle riding. She also wore a special contact lens that made her look blind in one eye, as her character has a scarred eye.
Alaqua’s debut in Hawkeye was met with rave reviews and fan love. She was praised for her portrayal of Echo, a complex and compelling character who is both a fierce warrior and a vulnerable human being. She also had great chemistry with Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld, who play Hawkeye and Kate Bishop, respectively. Her character was so popular that Marvel announced a spin-off series about Echo in March 2021, which Alaqua confirmed in April 2021.
Alaqua has also earned the admiration and respect of the deaf and Native American communities, as well as her fellow actors. She shared how Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld, her co-stars in ‘Hawkeye’, learned some sign language to make her feel at ease and welcome on the set. She also expressed her gratitude and enthusiasm for her role, saying:
“I don’t know why they’re giving me this opportunity, but I’m just grateful. I’m excited for the support and being able to advocate for the Deaf community. We want to have that equality and get more people involved. I’m just so grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve been given.”
One of the highlights of Alaqua’s career was attending the Disney+ Day event in November 2021, where she shared the stage with Marvel president Kevin Feige and other stars of the Marvel shows. She said that she had a great time and that she was a little bit nervous, but she loved the reaction of the fans. She said:
“I love at the end when they all wave their hands clapping in sign language. It was so nice to see it and it kind of gave me a little bit of emotion inside. I was like, ‘I’ve never seen that before. Everyone’s doing it.’ I was just, it was so crazy and I just love it. And then being on stage was a great experience with the Marvel president Kevin Feige being there.”
Alaqua also expressed how much it means to her to be the first deaf and indigenous superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She said in an interview with Dailymoth,
“It means the world to me. You never see these kinds of superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I remember growing up watching Marvel films with my dad. He was a huge Marvel fan. I always saw white superheroes. But now we have more POC and now with me, disabled roles. We have more diversity. I’m really excited for kids to see and realize they can go for anything. Anything is possible. You know, you can do whatever you want to do. It’s really nice to inspire kids out there.”
Alaqua Cox on Stunts in Hawkeye and Echo and Praised Co-Stars
Alaqua Cox, the breakout star of Hawkeye and Echo, has shared her favorite stunts as the deaf and amputee superhero Maya Lopez / Echo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Cox said that she enjoyed doing the stunts that involved wires, especially the train scene in Hawkeye, where she chased and fought Clint Barton and Kate Bishop. She revealed what she was most proud of in terms of getting to do so much action in the series herself saying;
“A lot of [the stunts] involved a lot of kicking and jabbing and stuff like that, but I did like when I was flying around like on the train and whatnot because the train scene was a lot of fun when I was on using the wires and everything. So anything that involved a wire was fun.”
Alaqua Cox also had nothing but good words for her co-star Charlie Cox, who reprised his role as Daredevil from the Netflix show of the same name. The two actors shared a fight scene in the first episode of Echo, where Cox’s character Maya Lopez, a deaf Native American vigilante, confronts Daredevil, a blind lawyer-turned-superhero.
Fascinatingly, Alaqua shares her surname with her co-star Charlie Cox however they are not related. Cox revealed that she met Charlie Cox for the first time just hours before filming the fight scene and that they learned the choreography together. She said,
“So that [Daredevil] fight scene, I think it was a week, if I do recall, it was probably up in the roundabouts of a week of filming like that. We only met maybe a few hours before that and learned the choreography.”
She also complimented Charlie Cox’s personality and work ethic, saying,
“Charlie Cox, he’s such a nice guy. I wish I was able to work with him a little bit more. We only got a very brief time together, but he is very nice.”
This is not the first time Cox is seen praising her co-stars. Previously she called Renner and Steinfeld ‘sweet’ for learning some American Sign Language to communicate with her on the set of Hawkeye. She said,
“I thought it was sweet of them putting in efforts to learn basic ASL to communicate with me. It means a lot to me as a Deaf person.”
Echo is a spin-off series of Hawkeye which follows her journey as she deals with her past, her identity, and her enemies, including her adoptive uncle Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, played by Vincent D’Onofrio. Charlie Cox’s appearance as Daredevil was a surprise for many fans, as it marked his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the cancellation of his Netflix show in 2018.
Alaqua Cox Net Worth
Alaqua Cox is a rising star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with an estimated net worth of $3 million. She made her acting debut as Maya Lopez/Echo, a deaf and amputee Native American superhero, in the Disney+ series Hawkeye (2021). Her performance earned her critical acclaim and a pay raise, as well as a spin-off series of her own, Echo (2024). Echo is the first MCU series to be released on both Disney+ and Hulu, and to have a TV-MA rating. It is also part of the “Marvel Spotlight” initiative, which aims to highlight diverse and underrepresented stories and characters. Cox has also signed a multi-picture deal with Marvel Studios, which means she will appear in future MCU films and shows. Cox’s income comes from her acting career, image rights, and brand endorsements. She is one of the most inspiring and talented actors in the MCU, and her net worth is likely to increase as she continues to impress audiences with her charisma and skill.
Wiki/Bio Facts of Alaqua Cox
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Alaqua Cox |
| Date of birth | February 13, 1997 |
| Place of birth | Keshena, Wisconsin, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Menominee and Mohican Native American |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Debut role | Maya Lopez / Echo in Hawkeye (2021) |
| Other role | Echo in Echo (2024) |
| Net Worth | $3 M |
| Education | Wisconsin School for the Deaf |
| Disability | Deaf and amputee with a prosthetic leg |
| Fiancé | Unknown |
| Son | Born in October 2023 |
| Paternal Grandfather | William Cox Jr. |
| Paternal Grandmother | Lorraine “Suzie” (Warrington) Cox |
| Mother | Elena Cox |
| Father | William “Wild Bill” Cox III |
| Siblings | Will, Jordan, and Katie |
| Cousin | Darnell Besaw |
| Sign language | American Sign Language |
| Co-stars | Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld |
| Activism | Advocate for the Deaf and Indigenous communities |
| Hobbies | Reading, hiking, and painting |
| Favorite book | N/A |
| Favorite movie | N/A |
| Favorite color | Purple |
| Favorite animal | Dog |
| Favorite Sports | Basketball and Volleyball |
| Dream destination | N/A |
| Dream role | Superhero |
| Role model | Marlee Matlin |
| Quote | “I don’t know why they’re giving me this opportunity, but I’m just grateful. I’m excited for the support and being able to advocate for the Deaf community. We want to have that equality and get more people involved. I’m just so grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve been given.” |
| Trademark | Down-to-earth and friendly personality |
| Scar | On her upper lip from a dog bite as a kid |
| Piercing | Ears |
| Style | Casual and chic |
| Height | 5′ 8″ (1.73 m) |
| Hair color | Dark |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Skin | Fair |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| IMDb page | Alaqua Cox |
| Wikipedia page | Alaqua Cox |
| Instagram account | @alaquacox |
Early Life of Alaqua Cox
Alaqua Cox was born on June 2, 1997, in the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin, United States. Cox comes from a Native American background and belongs to the Menominee and Mohican nations.
She is the second child of Elena Heath and Bill Cox and has three siblings: Will, Jordan, and Katie. She was born with a profound hearing loss, which made her communication and education difficult. However, she learned American sign language from her parents and her community and embraced her Native American heritage and culture. She grew up learning traditional dances, stories, and values from her elders and developed a strong sense of pride and belonging.
One of her favorite childhood memories was going deer hunting with her dad and grandpa, which was a common activity in the area where she grew up. Cox also faced many challenges and hardships in her school life. She went to mainstream high school and was bullied for being deaf and an amputee and felt that the district did not care about her needs or rights. She said,
“There was no awareness about deaf culture at all. I would complain, but the district wouldn’t listen.”
She decided to make a high school change and went to a deaf school for her final two years. She began commuting to Wisconsin School for the Deaf in Denevan, 50 miles away from her reservation, where a dedicated program for the deaf and skilled sign-language interpreters transformed her education.
At her new school, she met Heather Martens, who became her volleyball coach in 2014 and 2015. Martens described Cox as “very outgoing, very expressive, and pretty blunt. She wasn’t shy to speak her mind.” Martens said Cox was a great team player, despite the challenges she faced.
“Before that, I didn’t have any experience with anyone that is an amputee, so she taught me a lot, and I was not to treat her any different,” Martens said.
Cox also had a passion for basketball and played for the Wisconsin School for the Deaf girls team from 2014 to 2015. She showed her talent and determination in both sports and earned the respect and admiration of her peers and coaches.
Personal Life
Alaqua Cox is Engaged to her Boyfriend & they have a Son.
Alaqua has been engaged to Eric, who is her boyfriend for about seven years. They welcomed their son, who was born in October 2023, after deciding they were ready to start a family. Alaqua shared her excitement and anticipation on her Instagram before giving birth, writing:
“So excited to be bringing this little pumpkin into the world in just a few days!🧡 I can’t wait to finally hold you in my arms.”
After her son was born, Alaqua posted another heartfelt message on her Instagram, expressing her joy and gratitude:
“I still can’t believe I birthed this little handsome boy. He is the most precious gift I have ever received. Thank you all for your love and support.”
In an interview with People magazine, Alaqua opened up about her experience as a new mom and how it has changed her life. She said:
“That baby boy is everything to me. He’s just changed my life. I love him. It’s so hard to juggle this life and having a baby, but we will get through it. He makes me want to be a better person and a better actress. He inspires me every day.”
Alaqua and her partner are planning to get married soon, but they have not set a date yet. They are waiting for the right time, when they are both available and not too busy. Alaqua said in the same interview:
“We’re thinking about having a last-minute small wedding when we are both available, but it’s just been so busy, so we’re just going to see what happens. We’re not in a rush. We’re happy with what we have. We have each other, we have our son, we have our family, we have our friends. We have everything we need.”
How Alaqua Cox Mourned Her Father
Alaqua Cox lost her father, William Joel Cox III, or “Big Bill” as he was affectionately known, on November 30, 2021. He was only 50 years old when he breathed his last at home, with his family by his side.
Big Bill was a cherished son of the Menominee tribe, a devoted father of four, and a fervent basketball player. He came into this world on March 9, 1971, in Shawano, Wisconsin, as the child of William Cox Jr. and the late Lorraine “Suzie” (Warrington) Cox. He finished his schooling at the Menominee Indian High School in 1989, where he shone in basketball and earned a chance to play at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Florida. He eventually came back to his roots and became a source of inspiration and guidance for many aspiring athletes in his community.
Alaqua, the eldest of his daughters, had a special connection with her father. She inherited his passion for basketball and the outdoors. She wowuld accompany him in his adventures of fishing, hunting and boating.
Alaqua shared her father’s passing on her Instagram account, where she uploaded a photo of him beaming with her and wrote:
“A huge piece of my heart is gone today. I am going to miss you so much, dad.”
She also honored him on his birthday, March 9, 2022, by posting another photo of him beaming with her.
“Happy heavenly birthday to my best friend. It hurts as much today as it did the day I lost you💔💔 Life just isn’t the same without you. I love and miss you so fucking much, dad.”
Alaqua on Losing her God Minnie
Alaqua has been a lifelong animal lover, with a special fondness for dogs. Even a childhood incident that left a scar on her upper lip from a dog bite did not diminish her affection for them. She proudly calls herself “a huge dog lover” and wore her scar as a badge of honor, saying that her fiancé thought it looked badass.
“I’m a huge dog lover, despite having been bitten by a dog in the face as a kid and he left a cool scar on my upper lip. My fiancé said it looks badass.”
Her Instagram post in October 2021 revealed how much she cherished her dog Minnie, who had passed away the night before. She poured out her heart in a moving tribute, expressing her gratitude for the joy Minnie had brought to her life and her sorrow for losing her. She also posted pictures of herself and Minnie, where her scar was clearly visible.
“My heart is absolutely broken to let you know that our Minnie went to doggy heaven last night. We made the really hard decision to put Minnie to rest. She fought hard to stay with us, but we just didn’t want her to suffer, She wrote.
“She loved camping, swimming, and traveling(she‘s been to 16 states). Minnie my love, thank you for bringing SO much joy into my life in the past 5.5 years. I know you’re running around in doggy heaven chasing squirrels. You’ll forever be missed💕 We love you so so much baby girl.”
Her post resonated with many of her fans and followers, who offered their sympathy and praise for her. Some of them also related their own experiences of losing pets.
Social Media Presence of Alaqua Cox
Alaqua Cox is active on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, where she often interacts with her fans and shares moments from her work and personal life. She has received praise for her portrayal of the deaf superhero Echo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She also uses her platform to advocate for disability rights, Native American representation, and animal welfare. Cox has said that being an actress has given her a platform to address the importance of representation in Hollywood. She told ABC News that she wants deaf kids to feel like they have worth and can do anything they want to go for.
Trivia of Alaqua Cox
- Her zodiac sign is Aquarius, as she was born on February 13, 1997.
- Her birth flower is violet, which symbolizes faithfulness, modesty, and virtue
- Her birthstone is the amethyst, which is believed to bring clarity, peace, and protection.
- Some famous celebrities she shares birthday with are Robbie William and Mena Suvari.
- She is of the Menominee and Mohican nations and grew up in the Menominee Indian Reservation
- She is the first deaf actress to play a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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