Julia Louis-Dreyfus Breaks MCU Record for Most Villain Appearances in the Multiverse Saga

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In her latest Marvel appearance towards the end of Phase 5, Julia Louis-Dreyfus set an unanticipated record within the MCU with her portrayal of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Known as Val, Louis-Dreyfus’ character serves as a significant adversary/ambiguous hero in the Marvel Universe. In the upcoming 2025 film, Thunderbolts, her character will play a crucial role in gathering a group of morally ambiguous superpowered individuals and former villains for a new mission.

In 2025’s “Thunderbolts”, Julia Louis-Dreyfus set a new record for the most times an actor/actress portrayed a villain throughout the Multiverse Saga, surpassing initial expectations that Jonathan Majors would hold

Actors & Actresses With the MCU’s Most Multiverse Saga Appearances

Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Val

Julia Louis-Dreyfus currently holds the joint highest number of appearances in Marvel Studios’ Multiverse Saga among all actors, and she has the most appearances for any female actor or villain in the series.

Initially, she made her appearance in two episodes of the 2021 series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”. This character was named Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, a person shrouded in mystery, with connections to prominent government authorities. Later on, she assisted John Walker in his transformation, allowing him to move beyond his Captain America title, instead referring to him as U.S. Agent.

Later on, Val made a second appearance in the extra scene following the credits of Black Widow, where she met with Florence Pugh’s character Yelena Belova and assigned her the task of eliminating Hawkeye, allegedly because he had killed Natasha Romanoff. Approximately one and a half years later, it was disclosed in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that Val held the position of CIA director, expressing ambition to obtain greater power by acquiring Wakanda’s vibranium.

More recently, Thunderbolts* found Val in a precarious situation during the investigation into her work with the Oxe Group and her role as CIA director. In response, she orchestrated the demise of the subsequent Thunderbolts team, aiming to neutralize potential dangers to her personally. Simultaneously, she concealed Project Sentry from public view.

At the conclusion of the film, she managed to rebrand the main team as “The New Avengers” in the media, shifting their public image.

Benedict Wong – Wong

After making his first appearance in the 2016 film “Doctor Strange”, Benedict Wong has matched Julia Louis-Dreyfus for the highest number of appearances throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga, now as the Sorcerer Supreme known as Wong.

In 2021, Wong made his debut in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” He was observed training the Abomination in a combat within a cage before returning the erstwhile antagonist to his cell. Furthermore, he appeared in Shang-Chi’s final scene as well as the mid-credits sequence. During these appearances, Wong arranged a meeting between Shang-Chi and the Avengers, while also delving into the origins of the Ten Rings organization.

In 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, viewers discovered that he had been elevated to the position of Sorcerer Supreme. He cautioned Doctor Strange against employing the Runes of Kof Kal to assist Peter Parker with his issues. More recently, he made an appearance in Disney+’s “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law”. During this show, he testified as a witness during Emil Blonsky’s parole hearing and subsequently hired Jennifer Walters for his own legal disputes.

More recently, Wong appeared in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”, where he valiantly guarded Kamar-Taj against the Scarlet Witch. In a hesitant move, he aided Wanda Maximoff in locating Mount Wundagore.

Charlie Cox – Matt Murdock/Daredevil

Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of being a part of the Multiverse Saga, gracing screens alongside esteemed actors like Louis-Dreyfus and Wong, all while embodying the character of Matt Murdock/Daredevil in no less than four projects.

2021 marked the beginning of Clint Barton’s legal escapades, first appearing briefly in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” to provide Peter Parker with legal counsel and boasting about being an excellent lawyer. Fast forward just a few months, and he found himself back in action in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Initially butting heads with Jennifer Walters in court and a parking garage, their relationship took a turn for the playful when they had a one-night stand, leading to a lighthearted romance.

2024 saw the return of Cox for a brief appearance in Disney+’s series “Echo”. In this episode, it was revealed that his character didn’t perish during Thanos’ Snap; instead, he engaged in combat with Echo inside a warehouse, hunting down the Kingpin.

His appearance in the 2025 movie “Daredevil: Born Again” followed this, where we mainly saw him without the Daredevil suit following the loss of Foggy Nelson and his efforts to rebuild his life at a new law firm. However, he put on the red costume once more eventually, which paved the way for him to assemble a team of fighters around himself in preparation for Season 2.

Sebastian Stan – Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier

After the numerous end credits for the Infinity Saga, Sebastian Stan resumes his role as James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes/Winter Soldier across three movies that form part of the Multiverse Saga.

2021’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier marked his return, sharing a leading role with Sam Wilson following his pardon for his assassin past. Together, they combat the Flag Smashers, enabling him to reclaim his heroic identity and navigate his troubled history. He learns to confront and overcome his dark past, discovering the value of goodness in life.

After a brief appearance in “Captain America: Brave New World” in 2025, where he’s revealed as a Congressman, he reappears as a crucial figure in the 2025 film “Thunderbolts”. Leaving his position on Capitol Hill behind, he plays a pivotal role in forming the Thunderbolts to counteract Val and ultimately defeat Sentry. This series of events leads to the team being recognized as the New Avengers, while Bucky continues his heroic work.

This version aims to simplify the original text, making it easier for readers to comprehend the sequence of events and the roles of the characters involved.

Florence Pugh – Yelena Belova

Despite joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe during the Multiverse Saga, Florence Pugh’s character, Yelena Belova, is swiftly gaining significant importance and popularity within the saga.

In the movie “Black Widow”, she was depicted running alongside Scarlett Johansson, initially portrayed as a Red Room assassin under General Dreykov’s mind control. Later, she broke free from his grip and joined forces with Natasha Romanoff to dismantle the Red Room, liberating numerous other Black Widows. This marked her initial steps towards redemption.

In 2021, Yelena reappeared in the series “Hawkeye”, where she established a captivating dynamic with Kate Bishop. Pursuing Clint Barton for a mission from Val, she engaged in battles with both Kate and Clint across the final three episodes of the show. Ultimately, she discovered that Clint was not involved in Natasha’s death, which made her understand that she had been misled all along.

In the year 2025, the movie “Thunderbolts” showcased her prominently, with her character carrying on her tale as she navigated life post-Natasha while working for Val and seeking her identity. She wound up leading the team against Val and keeping Lewis Pullman’s Sentry at a distance, eventually gaining an advantage over Val when the team transformed into the New Avengers.

Brie Larson – Captain Marvel

Brie Larson, who joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) towards the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, has starred in the MCU an additional three times over the initial four years of the Multiverse Saga.

Initially, she made brief appearances in two different roles, the first being in 2021’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and then in 2022’s “Ms. Marvel.” In “Shang-Chi,” she was present with Bruce Banner, Wong, and Shang-Chi at Kamar-Taj when the Avengers gathered there. In “The Marvels,” a peculiar event involving Dar-Benn’s bangle led to her being swapped with Kamala Khan, ending up in Kamala’s bedroom.

In The Marvels, I was thrilled to rejoin the action, playing my character alongside Monica Rambeau and Ms. Marvel in an exciting new chapter. Together, we thwarted Dar-Benn’s plans to disrupt the cosmos, setting the stage for what promises to be a pivotal piece of the Multiverse Saga.

Vincent D’Onofrio – Kingpin 

After a hiatus of three long years, I find myself delighted to see Vincent D’Onofrio back on my screen once more. Now, just steps away from Louis-Dreyfus, Wong, and Cox, he has impressively accumulated three appearances in the Multiverse Saga, reprising his iconic role as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin.

In the 2021 series “Hawkeye,” Fisk made a comeback following several hints, unveiled as the mastermind behind the Tracksuit Mafia and aiming to reclaim control over New York. The show concluded with Maya Lopez/Echo, his adoptive niece, shooting him in the eye; however, by 2024’s “Echo,” he demonstrated an impressive resilience.

After meeting up with Maya, Echo found that Fisk had started laying out his strategy to become Mayor of New York, a goal realized in Daredevil: Born Again. Yet, even in Season 1, while he was eagerly working to transform New York, Fisk remained just as relentless in tracking down vigilantes and maintaining the city’s perceived safety.

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2025-05-17 18:05