Alaqua Cox opens up on hard-won success, 'Marvel' star says she was bullied for being deaf and an amputee

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Alaqua Cox is stepping into the spotlight as the first Native American star to be a lead of a Marvel show.

The 26-year-old actress who grew popular through her performance alongside Jeremy Renner in 'Hawkeye' is set to reprise her role Maya Lopez in the new Disney+ show 'Echo'.

Alaqua Cox shares her training experience for 'Echo'

Speaking to People, Cox shared how her background in sports helped her role in 'Echo' as she said, "I grew up playing different kinds of sports — I would play one-on-one basketball with my older brother — so I love doing those kinds of physical things."

Cox, who is an amputee and has been deaf all her life, also plays the character of a deaf woman, Maya Lopez.

The actress learned she would have her own spinoff while she was on the set of 'Hawkeye' in Georgia.

"It was very overwhelming. I texted my family back home in Wisconsin, I said, 'I'm getting my own Marvel show!' " Cox recalled.

"I FaceTimed them right away. I had nobody there to be with me, but I was so proud of myself," she said.

Alaqua Cox reveals the struggles she faced as a deaf and an amputee person

Cox, who grew up on the Menominee Indian Reservation in northeast Wisconsin, further talked about her family and upbringing.

"I come from a hearing family and I have a deaf little brother as well. All my family sign, we are all very close," said the Marvel star.

Cox revealed that she struggled at a mainstream school as she was never offered American Sign Language classes.

"There was no awareness about deaf culture at all. I got bullied for being deaf and an amputee, and I would complain, but the district wouldn't listen," she said.

Alaqua Cox explains how she landed her role in a Marvel series

The turning point came when Cox's friends pointed her to a casting call for an Indigenous deaf woman in her 20s for the 'Hawkeye' series.

Hesitant at first, the 26-year-old went on to take a chance that eventually led her to the breakthrough role.

"Then, two other friends sent me the same exact link, and I thought, 'Well, it's a sign. I've got to go for it and give it a shot,'" she said.

Cox reflected on how she has been processing her achievements so far. "It's funny. When I got this role, those people that used to bully me contacted me," Cox said.

"I'm just very proud to be able to show them that I can do anything. I can achieve anything on the same level as any other normal person could. I can be a superhero. Anything is possible," she added.