Lauren Ridloff

Lauren Ridloff (Teruel; born April 6, 1978) is a deaf American actress known for her roles in the TV series The Walking Dead and the film Eternals. She gained prominence in 2018 with a lead role in the Broadway revival of Children of a Lesser God, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play. Ridloff was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended California State University, Northridge. She later earned a master's degree in education from Hunter College. Ridloff initially worked as a teacher before pursuing acting. She was also crowned Miss Deaf America. Ridloff's acting career gained momentum when she was hired as an American Sign Language tutor for Kenny Leon, the director of Children of a Lesser God, and subsequently cast in the lead role. She then joined the ninth season of The Walking Dead and was cast as the first deaf superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the film Eternals. In addition to acting, Ridloff has received various accolades and is actively involved.