Lauren Ridloff’s 10 Best Movies & TV Shows, According To IMDb

Lauren Ridloff is bursting onto the Hollywood scene, challenging audiences’ views of those with hearing impairments through her burgeoning work in movies and television. An actress who is deaf herself, Ridloff has used her fame to champion representation for those in the Deaf and hard of hearing community.

Ridloff has gained public attention thanks to her roles in the popular television series The Walking Dead and in the MCU’s latest cosmic adventure, Eternals. For those new to Ridloff’s work, IMDb lists her top roles in film and television.

See Through (Rating: Unavailable)

One of Ridloff’s lesser-known roles is from the short film See Through, which revolves around a scene in a coffee shop, during a conversation between a couple that just learned that they are going to have a baby. Ridloff stars as Jessie, the female lead of the film.

Though many fans of Ridloff’s may not be willing to part with the image of her budding romance with Barry Keoghan’s Druig in one of Eternals’ best relationships, they may be interested to know that the male lead of See Through was actually played by her husband, Douglas Ridloff.

The Magnificent Meyersons (Rating: Unavailable)

The Magnificent Meyersons is a 2021 film exploring the life of one very complicated family, the titular Meyersons, living in New York City. The movie takes place largely over the course of one day, as the family makes a series of revelations following world-shattering news that challenges the way humans see the universe.

Ridloff portrays Tammy, the girlfriend of Susie Meyerson, played by Shoshannah Stern. Tammy sticks beside Susie and her family as they deal with the shocking revelation that aliens may actually exist.

Wonderstruck (Rating: 6.2)

Wonderstruck is a 2017 mystery film based on Brian Selznick’s novel of the same name, which was originally published in 2011. The film tells the separate yet interconnecting stories of two children, Rose and Ben, living in 1927 and 1977 respectively, as they leave home in search of distinct parental figures.

Lauren Ridloff was not initially intended to star in the film. She was brought on as a consultant regarding the portions of the movie dealing with deafness but was eventually given the small role of Pearl. Interestingly, the character of Pearl in the film is not deaf.

If You Could Hear My Tune (Rating: 6.4)

If You Could Hear My Tune is a 2011 amateur film set in New York City, depicting events in the life of a girl named Somalia, who is caught in a love triangle with two musicians. The film was made to raise the levels and quality of interaction between the Deaf and hearing communities.

In her very first acting credit on IMDb, Lauren Ridloff portrays Somalia’s friend Fatima, whom she goes to on occasion for relationship advice concerning her boyfriend Zavier, as she weighs the merits of dating a man without hearing impairments.

Eternals (Rating: 6.9)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe delves into new cosmic corners with its latest film Eternals, in which Ridloff portrays the speedster Makkari. The character is a member of the titular team of superpowered beings who aim to stop the destruction of the earth when a new otherworldly threat arises.

All of the characters in Eternals have roots in mythology, and Makkari is no different. Based on the mythological god Mercury, she can move faster than the speed of sound, making her a major asset to her team. Ridloff’s character has the distinction of being the first deaf superhero in the MCU, blazing the trail for more heroes from the deaf community, including some who will appear in the upcoming Hawkeye Disney+ series.

Sign Gene: The First Deaf Superheroes (Rating: 7.2)

Written and produced by star Emilio Insolera, Sign Gene: The First Deaf Superheroes is a superhero film about a group of people with hearing impairments who have developed superpowers. The 70-minute film was released in 2017, receiving generally positive reviews from critics and audiences.

While Ridloff’s role in this film was relegated to that of an extra, it is an important milestone in her career, foreshadowing her biggest role yet: becoming the first deaf actress to portray a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a milestone of representation that the makers of Sign Gene were certainly hoping to achieve one day when they conceived of the film.

Sound Of Metal (Rating: 7.8)

Sound of Metal is a 2019 drama film starring Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone, a metal drummer who is beginning to lose his hearing. The film was met with praise from critics, eventually winning two Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound.

Ridloff lends her talents to the film in the role of Diane, Ruben’s ASL teacher, who also acts as his guide to a world that turns out not to be as terrifying as he previously thought. Ridloff’s character helps Ruben come to terms with a new way of living.

Legacies: “Some People Just Want To Watch The World Burn” (Rating 8.0)

Legacies, a spinoff of the popular CW drama The Vampire Diaries, included many mythical creatures and storylines in its four-season run. One such creature is the mighty fire-breathing dragon, one of which was portrayed by Ridloff in a guest star role.

In the season 1 episode “Some People Just Want to Watch the World Burn,” Ridloff portrayed the human form of a dragon that encounters some of the main characters deep in the woods. Though she may not be the most powerful villain from Legacies, she did give the cast a run for their money before finally being defeated.

The Walking Dead (Rating: 8.2)

Ridloff portrays the survivor Connie in The Walking Dead. Joining the cast several episodes into season 9, just after the season’s time jump, Connie quickly established herself as a fan-favorite character with her unending optimism and uncanny ability to always do the right thing.

Although Connie is one of The Walking Dead’s most underused characters, she has still had a memorable tenure on the series. Her bottle episode in season 11, which also marked the actress’s return to the series after shooting Eternals, proved to be tremendously terrifying and a highlight of the show’s final season. Fans are no doubt excited to see what happens with her character in the remaining episodes.

New Amsterdam: “Happy Place” (Rating: 8.5)

NBC’s hit medical drama New Amsterdam tells the story of the titular hospital’s new medical director, Dr. Max Goodwin, as he tears down the old system in favor of a fairer, more nuanced form of medical care.

Ridloff guest stars in the nineteenth episode of the first season as a character named Margot. Margot is a patient in New Amsterdam who has recently received a cochlear implant but ultimately opts to have it removed. The episode lends some interesting commentary regarding CIs and the way they are sometimes viewed within the Deaf community.

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