Honestly, the way most people talk about Lauren Ridloff usually starts and ends with her being "the first deaf superhero." Don't get me wrong, Makkari was a total vibe in Eternals, and seeing her sprint across the ocean at Mach-speed while using American Sign Language (ASL) was a massive moment for representation. But if you think her career is just a checklist of "firsts," you're kinda missing the best parts of her filmography.
Lauren didn't even start out as an actress. She was a kindergarten teacher in Brooklyn for a decade. Imagine that transition. One minute you're explaining finger painting to five-year-olds, and a few years later, you're nominated for a Tony Award and trading lines with Angelina Jolie. It's wild. When looking at lauren ridloff movies and tv shows, you have to see the grit behind the roles. She doesn't just "play" deaf characters; she forces Hollywood to actually rethink how they build sets and write scripts.
The Roles That Changed Everything
Most fans first noticed her as Connie on The Walking Dead. That was a huge turning point. Before Connie showed up in Season 9, the show was basically just people yelling over the sound of growling zombies. Then Lauren arrives, and suddenly, the sound design shifts. We get these incredible "silent" sequences where we experience the apocalypse from her perspective. It made the walkers feel scary again because you couldn't hear them sneaking up from behind.
Connie wasn't just there to be "the deaf character." She was a journalist, a sister, and—let's be real—the only person with enough chemistry to actually make Daryl Dixon blush. Her departure for a chunk of Season 10 was actually because she was busy filming Eternals, which created that stressful cave-in cliffhanger that kept us all guessing for months.
From Broadway to the Big Screen
If you really want to see her range, you’ve gotta look at Sound of Metal (2019). It's a small but powerful role. She plays Diane, a teacher at a school for deaf children. It’s a meta-nod to her real life, but the way she guides Riz Ahmed’s character through his transition into the deaf community is heartbreakingly grounded. No cap, that movie is probably the most honest depiction of deaf culture ever put on film.
👉 See also: Ted Nugent State of Shock: Why This 1979 Album Divides Fans Today
Then there’s the 2018 Broadway revival of Children of a Lesser God. This is the project that basically "discovered" her. She was originally just the ASL tutor for the production, but the director, Kenny Leon, realized she was better than anyone they were auditioning. She ended up snagging a Tony nomination for her professional acting debut. Who even does that?
Lauren Ridloff Movies and TV Shows: A Quick Rundown
You've probably seen more of her than you realize. Beyond the blockbusters, she's been popping up in some really interesting places lately.
- Eternals (2021): She plays Makkari. Her super-speed is visualized through sonic booms that she can actually feel, which is a brilliant touch.
- The Walking Dead (2018–2022): 30 episodes as Connie. Truly the heart of the later seasons.
- Accused (2023): She appeared in the episode "Ava's Story" (Season 1, Episode 2). It’s an intense legal drama where she plays a surrogate who finds herself in a messy situation.
- New Amsterdam (2019): A guest spot as Margot in the episode "Happy Place."
- Wonderstruck (2017): Her first actual film role. She played Pearl, The Maid.
- The Magnificent Meyersons (2021): A more indie, conversational film where she plays Tammy.
What’s Coming Next in 2026 and Beyond?
It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for her upcoming projects. There was a lot of hype around a romantic drama series for Starz that she was supposed to star in alongside Joshua Jackson (her Children of a Lesser God co-star). Ava DuVernay was developing it, and it was going to be this big, rebellious love story.
Unfortunately, that project hit some major snags and isn't moving forward as planned at Starz, which honestly sucks because their chemistry is electric. However, she's been linked to some massive rumors for 2026. With Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars on the horizon, the MCU fans are practically screaming for Makkari to return. Makkari was one of the few Eternals that everyone actually liked, so it’s a safe bet we’ll see her cosmic speedster again soon.
✨ Don't miss: Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus Explained (Simply)
She’s also been working on Charlie and the Hunt, a short film where she plays Lila. It’s directed by Jenn Shaw and focuses on a young girl searching for a lost toy, using ASL to communicate with her mother (Lauren). It’s these smaller, character-driven stories where Lauren really shines because she gets to show the nuances of deaf family life that the big action movies sometimes gloss over.
The "Eternals" Impact on ASL
Did you know that after Eternals came out, searches for "learn sign language" spiked by something like 250%? That’s the "Lauren Ridloff effect." She’s very vocal about the fact that she doesn't want to be the only one. On the set of Eternals, she actually worked with director Chloé Zhao to fix scenes that didn't make sense for a deaf character.
For example, she pushed for the characters to use ASL naturally without the movie "stopping" to explain it. In the film, the other Eternals just sign to her because, well, they've lived together for 7,000 years. It would be weird if they didn't know how to communicate. That kind of logic sounds simple, but it’s something Hollywood used to get wrong all the time.
Why You Should Care
Lauren is part of a wave that includes actors like Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, but she’s carving out a space in the "commercial" world—horror, sci-fi, and superheroes. She’s proving that you don’t need sound to create tension or a voice to show power.
🔗 Read more: Big Brother 27 Morgan: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
If you're looking to dive deeper into her work, don't just stick to the Marvel stuff. Watch her episode of Accused. It’s uncomfortable, it’s raw, and it shows her acting chops way more than a CGI fight scene ever could.
To keep up with her career, you should follow the casting announcements for the upcoming Marvel "Phase 6" slate. If you want to see the future of inclusive filmmaking, watch Sound of Metal on Amazon Prime to see how she handles a supporting role with total grace.
Keep an eye on the 2026 festival circuits, too. Actors like Lauren often take "one for them, one for me" roles, meaning she'll likely follow up any big Marvel cameo with a gritty independent film that actually says something new.