10 Actors You Forgot Starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Actors like Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Hemsworth have all achieved success in other films and projects. Some built their careers after becoming famous through Marvel movies, while others were already well-known beforehand. However, they’re still primarily recognized for their iconic Marvel roles – they were simply perfect for those characters and delivered so many memorable performances. Unfortunately, other actors within the Marvel universe didn’t get the same opportunity to shine, and as a result, their contributions are often overlooked, even by dedicated fans.

We focused on actors who, despite limited screen time, left a memorable impression. A good example is Leslie Bibb, who played Christine Everhart in Iron Man and Iron Man 2. While her role was small in both films, she had a few scenes that really stuck with audiences.

10) Jenny Agutter in The Avengers & Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Jenny Agutter is best known for her role as Nurse Alex Price in An American Werewolf in London, and deservedly so – she brings a lot of warmth and compassion to the part. She’s also memorable to fans of the Child’s Play series as Joanne Simpson, the foster mother of Andy Barclay in Child’s Play 2.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, actress Annabelle Stephenson plays Councilwoman Hawley, a powerful figure who helps oversee the operations of S.H.I.E.L.D. Because of this, she frequently shares scenes with Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Nick Fury. She first appeared briefly as a hologram in The Avengers, but had a more significant role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, including a memorable scene where Black Widow disguises herself as Hawley to infiltrate the inner circle of the deceitful Alexander Pierce.

9) Ty Burrell in The Incredible Hulk

Ty Burrell is a remarkably versatile actor. He easily shifts between endearing characters, like Phil Dunphy from Modern Family, and truly unlikeable ones, such as Steve Marcus in Dawn of the Dead.

While playing various roles, the actor sometimes ended up in less memorable parts, like Dr. Leonard Samson in The Incredible Hulk. Essentially, Samson was just the friend stuck in the middle, always losing Betty Ross’s affections to Bruce Banner. For a while, many elements of The Incredible Hulk were overlooked, but shows like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Captain America: Brave New World reintroduced some of its key characters. However, even when Betty Ross returned in Brave New World, there was no mention or appearance of Samson.

8) Ashley Johnson in The Avengers

Ashley Johnson has been working as an actress since she was a young child. She’s known for her roles on popular shows like Growing Pains (seasons six and seven), the Jumanji animated series (where she voiced a character in 40 episodes), and as Gretchen Grundler in Recess – a role she played across four seasons and four movies, including one released in theaters.

In The Avengers, actress Johnson worked again with director Joss Whedon (she’d previously appeared in two episodes of his show Dollhouse) playing Beth, a waitress who briefly appears during the Chitauri attack and is later interviewed on the news. The pair collaborated again later that year on a film adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing.

7) Benjamin Bratt in Doctor Strange

For more than 25 years, Benjamin Bratt steadily built a successful acting career. While he’d already starred in well-known films like Blood in Blood Out, Demolition Man, Miss Congeniality, Traffic, and Catwoman, and even voiced a villain in Despicable Me 2, he recently gained renewed attention with a smaller role as Jonathan Pangborn.

Despite being a significant character, Wong appears in only two brief scenes in Doctor Strange, and neither one really stands out. He explains Kamar-Taj and mentions the Ancient One, and we see Baron Mordo take his powers, but those plot points aren’t followed up on.

6) Jenna Ortega in Iron Man 3

Jenna Ortega has quickly become a major star, largely due to her memorable roles in popular horror and thriller projects like Netflix’s Wednesday, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Scream (2022), Scream VI, and X. However, many fans may remember her earlier role as the Vice President’s daughter in Iron Man 3.

Even though it was a silent part, appearing in a major sequel for her first film role showed a lot of promise. Before that, she’d only been in one episode of a Rob Schneider sitcom and CSI: NY.

5) Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in Thor: The Dark World

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje consistently delivers memorable performances, even when the parts he’s given aren’t particularly strong. He’s stood out in large films like Congo, The Mummy Returns, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and even Thor: The Dark World, where he played the muscular Dark Elf, Algrim the Strong, also known as Kurse.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has gained more recognition lately. After appearing in Thor: The Dark World, he landed a more prominent role as Killer Croc in Suicide Squad, even if it still didn’t fully showcase his talent. He’s now set to appear in a significant role in the upcoming third season of the popular show Euphoria.

4) Kate Mara in Iron Man 2

In Iron Man 2, Tony Stark initially assumes Kate Mara’s character, a U.S. Marshal, is similar to a previous love interest, Christine Everhart. However, he quickly learns she’s actually there to deliver legal documents to him.

It’s not surprising many viewers have forgotten Mara’s unnamed character in the film. She’s given much more notable performances in other projects, like 127 Hours (released the same year), as well as The Martian, Megan Leavey, and House of Cards.

3) Olivia Munn in Iron Man 2

Olivia Munn was originally planned to have a more significant role in Iron Man 2 as a character named Rebeca, who had a brief romantic encounter with Tony Stark. That storyline was ultimately removed, but the filmmakers decided to keep Munn in the movie, giving her a smaller part as Chess Roberts, the reporter seen at the start of the Stark Expo.

Early in her acting career, after a few years co-hosting Attack of the Show on G4, Munn gained recognition in Iron Man 2. Since then, she’s appeared in notable roles on HBO’s The Newsroom and Apple TV+’s Your Friends and Neighbors, as well as in the films The Predator, Office Christmas Party, and X-Men: Apocalypse.

2) Jenna Coleman in Captain America: The First Avenger

Several actors from Captain America: The First Avenger have gone on to achieve greater fame. While Richard Armitage and Natalie Dormer are well-remembered, Jenna Coleman’s role in the film is often overlooked.

Coleman first gained recognition on the British soap opera Emmerdale. However, her career really took off a year later, in 2012, when she landed the role of Clara Oswald in Doctor Who. Since then, she’s appeared in several popular projects, including Victoria, The Sandman, the romantic film Me Before You, and the series Wilderness.

1) Julie Delpy in Avengers: Age of Ultron

Julie Delpy’s appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron felt like a waste of her talent. She played Madame B, but only appeared briefly in a single flashback scene set at the Red Room.

Julie Delpy began her career in French films, including the acclaimed Three Colours trilogy. However, she’s perhaps best known for her role alongside Ethan Hawke in the Before trilogy, widely considered to be among the greatest romantic movies ever made. Delpy also proved her versatility by writing, directing, producing, and starring in 2 Days in Paris and its follow-up, 2 Days in New York.

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2026-01-21 03:42