Menominee actresses from Wisconsin, Alaqua Cox and Darnell Besaw, star in new Disney/Marvel series ‘Echo’

Alaqua Cox, the Menominee Nation actress from Wisconsin who starred alongside Jeremy Renner in the Marvel series “Hawkeye” on Disney+, has her own spinoff series, “Echo,” being released Tuesday, also on Disney+.

In “Hawkeye,” which came out in 2021, Cox made history as the first live-action Native American Marvel superhero for her role as Maya Lopez, aka Echo.

“I just can’t believe that the Native American community can have a Native American superhero,” Cox, 26, said in a recent “Echo” promotional ad.

The studio had been looking for a young, athletic Native American actress who’s deaf to play the role as a conflicted villain to Renner’s Avengers character Hawkeye.

Cox was hesitant to audition, at first, but was encouraged by family and friends who said she’d be perfect for it. She had no acting experience, but took her shot and landed the role.

“This is our chance to uplift Indigenous voices and let the world know that we’re still here,” Cox said.

Cox was born deaf, grew up in Menominee County and attended the Wisconsin School for the Deaf in Delavan. She also has a prosthetic leg, but performs many of her own “Echo” stunts.

The 26-year-old Cox is Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican from northeast Wisconsin, but her character is Choctaw, a tribal nation that has a reservation in Oklahoma.

The studio worked closely with the Choctaw Nation in creating the series and episodes are directed by Sydney Freeland, who’s Navajo, and Catriona McKenzie, who’s Gunaikurnai, an Indigenous people of Australia.

Several Menominee and Mohican people from Wisconsin also were cast as background characters in the series.

Cox’s cousin from Menominee, Darnell Besaw, 10, plays a young Maya Lopez in four episodes. She also was in “Hawkeye.”

Cox’s great uncle, Douglas Cox, is a former Menominee Nation chairman and the current director of land management for the tribe. He said the two Menominee actors are an inspiration and a source of pride for Indigenous people throughout Indian Country, not just on the Menominee Reservation.

“The people in the Menominee, Mohican and surrounding communities have been nothing but supportive of the new Native actresses and their newfound fame,” said Darnell’s mom, Lindsay Besaw.

She said her family has been excited for the opportunity.

“The experience was amazing for Darnell,” Besaw said. “I don’t think she is aware of the magnitude just yet. She was able to meet some very influential Native actors (who star in the series) like Tantoo Cardinal, Graham Greene, Zahn McClarnon and Devery Jacobs.”

“Darnell also worked alongside Vincent D’Onofrio, who was super-kind and patient with her.”

But she said Darnell, called Nellie, is still the same girl from the “rez.”

“Darnell has always been a quiet girl,” Besaw said. “And she responds to fame in the same manner. We are a small community so many people already know our family. She is just a normal 10-year-old girl who keeps to herself. At school, she’s had the same group of friends since kindergarten and gets along well with everyone.”

She said Darnell is happy to take a break from filming and start her basketball season.

It was a whirlwind during filming and Besaw said there was a lot of planning and traveling.

More: Menominee actresses Alaqua Cox and Darnell Besaw star in the new Marvel ‘Hawkeye’ series on Disney+

“It can be overwhelming at times. Her dad and I have always prioritized Darnell’s health and safety,” Besaw said. “As her mother, I am going to support her wish. However, we really hope she will pique an interest in filming in the near future.”

The Besaw family recently celebrated with Alaqua Cox during a baby shower as she welcomed a new baby.

All five episodes of “Echo” will be released Tuesday on Disney+ and Hulu.

Frank Vaisvilas is a former Report for America corps member who covers Native American issues in Wisconsin based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact him at fvaisvilas@gannett.com or 815-260-2262. Follow him on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank.