Why Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl Feels So Familiar on the Big Screen
If you’ve seen Superman in theaters recently and found yourself thinking, “Why does Hawkgirl look so familiar?” — you’re definitely not alone. The talented actress behind the wings and fierce attitude is none other than Isabela Merced, and her rise to prominence has been anything but quiet.
Let’s talk about why Merced’s face seems so recognizable. Born Isabela Moner in 2001, she’s been steadily building a diverse career across TV and film since her teenage years. Her breakthrough came with the NBC series Growing Up Fisher , where she starred alongside J.K. Simmons. That was just the beginning. From there, she charmed audiences in Nickelodeon’s 100 Things To Do Before High School , and quickly became a name to watch.
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But her big screen appearances are where most moviegoers might place her. Remember Transformers: The Last Knight in 2017? That was Merced. Or how about Sicario: Day of the Soldado in 2018? Again, Merced. And let’s not forget Instant Family , where she held her own next to Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne. Still not ringing a bell? She was Dora in Dora and the Lost City of Gold , the live-action take on the beloved children’s show. That role alone introduced her to a new generation of fans.
Then came her standout performances in Netflix’s Let It Snow , the action-packed Sweet Girl opposite Jason Momoa, and more recently as Spider-Girl in Madame Web . Oh, and she’s also starring in the upcoming Alien: Romulus — clearly, genre roles are her thing.
Now, in James Gunn’s Superman , Merced takes flight as Hawkgirl, joining a team of metahumans trying to rescue Superman from the sinister plot of Lex Luthor. And here’s a cool detail: Merced says her portrayal was inspired by none other than Maria Canals-Barrera, who voiced Hawkgirl in the animated Justice League Unlimited . That Latina connection wasn’t just meaningful — it shaped how Merced approached the character, imbuing her with both power ( empoderada ) and trauma ( traumatizada ), as she described in Spanish during a press interview.
She’s not just a background character either. Hawkgirl is right there in the action, battling alongside Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion). And Isabela Merced is more than up for the challenge.
So, next time someone nudges you and asks who’s playing Hawkgirl, you’ll have the answer: Isabela Merced — a fierce, talented, and versatile actress who’s quickly becoming a superhero mainstay. And with her already busy 2025 slate, including The Last of Us Season 2 where she plays Dina, it’s safe to say this isn’t the last time we’ll see her making waves across our screens.
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