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Credit: Disney/MarvelFor many actors and actresses, the chance to star in a Marvel film or television show is the dream of a lifetime. Actors who have played key roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have seen their careers skyrocket and become household names. They have been able to do personal projects that mean a lot to them, work when they want, and spend more time with their family.
On the outside, there appear to be no real downsides to working in one of the most successful franchises and movies with some of the biggest budgets around.
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However, one actress recently shocked fans when it was revealed that she does not appear to be a big fan of the role that made her an essential part of the MCU.
In 2014, Elizabeth Olsen — the younger sister of Full House stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen — started her MCU career playing the role of Wanda Maximoff AKA the Scarlet Witch in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Since then, she has appeared in more than half a dozen Marvel films and television shows, including Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), WandaVision on Disney+, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
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Despite her appearance in so many Marvel projects, Ms. Olsen doesn’t seem to be a big fan of the MCU or the types of big-budget movies that have become synonymous with the superhero studio.
In a recent interview on NPR’s Wild Card With Rachel Martin podcast, the Love & Death actress said that she had felt the need to defend herself over the fact that she chose to appear in films that are not “aligned with my personal taste.”
“I think I haven’t always successfully made choices in my work that are aligned with my personal taste and that is something I feel like I’m still trying to prove when I meet people. Especially if it’s a work type meeting and be able to express my personal taste in films and literature, and so I still think I have that to prove.”
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Does she regret choosing to play Scarlet Witch? That’s a little more complicated.
“Because I have spent so many years doing Marvel that I feel like all the other jobs I have to do have to really reflect my personal taste because as much as I love being a part of this world — and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to do with the character — it’s not really the art that I consume. Which I have been very honest about.”
She also admitted that, while the films first “were such great Greek-type scale stories,” they have since become hot-button films that can be divisive in the acting community.
“I thought they were such great Greek-type scale stories that reflected politics, culture in a really lovely way. And so I felt really proud to jump into it. And then, within the last 10 years, it’s taken on this narrative of like, it’s like a hot take, whether an actor says they want to, they would never do a Marvel movie or not.”
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While being a part of the MCU might be the most successful time of Ms. Olsen’s career, it seems as though she is slowly taking herself out of the big-budget movies.
In late March, Ms. Olsen confirmed that she will not appear in the upcoming Avengers films — Avengers: Doomsday (2026) or Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). However, she will be providing the voice for Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch in the upcoming animated series Marvel Zombies, which will premiere on October 3, 2025.
What do you think about what Elizabeth Olsen had to say? Should actors only act in movies that align with their artistic preferences? Would you like Olsen’s Scarlet Witch to continue to be a part of the MCU? Let us know in the comments!