Can you imagine pouring your heart into a role only to have your character vanish into thin air? You ever have one of those experiences where you blink and you’re completely erased from the picture? That’s exactly what happened to Jenna Ortega in her brief Iron Man 3 appearance back in 2013.
The Wednesday star, 22, who’s now conquering hearts with her role as a gothic teen sleuth, recently gave Marvel fans the cold shoulder when they wondered if she’d ever grace the MCU again. As far as Ortega is concerned, Marvel has already done her dirty. And it wasn’t just cutting her lines—oh no, they took away her name too.
In a candid interview while promoting Death of a Unicorn (yes, that’s the quirky comedy where she stars opposite Paul Rudd), Ortega opened up about her short stint in the MCU, a role she hasn’t exactly celebrated.
Jenna Ortega shuts down MCU rumors after Iron Man 3 erasure
Jenna Ortega has no time for half-baked roles in big franchises. When the young actress was asked about the possibility of returning to the MCU, she quickly put the rumors to bed with a response that made it clear: once was more than enough. In fact, her previous MCU experience left a bad taste in her mouth, with Ortega admitting she was practically erased from the final cut of Iron Man 3. “I did it once,” she said with a hint of a shrug, adding (via ET):
But it was one of the first jobs I ever did, and they took all my lines out.
For those unfamiliar, Ortega appeared in a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo as the daughter of the US Vice President, portrayed by Miguel Ferrer. Her role was so brief that she joked that she only had “one leg” in the movie. Worse still, not only were her lines cut, but her name was too.
They even took my name away. I’m really, I’m just, I count that, and I move on.
Ouch! It must sting to work hard on a project only to have it be reduced to a blip on the radar.
Now, even Paul Rudd—who stars alongside Ortega in the upcoming film Death of a Unicorn—can’t convince her to reconsider. The actor who played Scott Lang (aka Ant-Man) in the MCU is known for his charm and wit, both on and off-screen. He’s a fan favorite in the MCU, with a career that has spanned multiple films, including his pivotal role in Avengers: Endgame.
But even Rudd’s superhero charisma seems to have no sway over Ortega’s decision.
Paul Rudd expresses his willingness to return as Ant-Man
Meanwhile, Paul Rudd is playing a different game. The Ant-Man star is eager to return to the MCU—if the opportunity arises. Despite Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania underperforming at the box office in 2023, the actor still holds out hope for his superhero alter ego, Scott Lang. When asked about his future in the MCU, he told The Hollywood Reporter at the SXSW premiere of Death of a Unicorn:
We will see, I don’t know. I mean, that suit is… I feel like I should never be too far from the suit in case they call, but you never know. They know where I’m at.
It’s clear that, while he’s not sure of his future in the franchise, Rudd is still open to suiting up again whenever Marvel needs him. Since making his debut in 2015’s Ant-Man, his portrayal of Scott Lang has struck a chord with fans. He even played a crucial role in Avengers: Endgame, introducing the concept of time travel and helping the Avengers undo the snap. Yet, despite all that, Rudd’s absence from the MCU since Quantumania has left fans wondering whether we’ve seen the last of Scott Lang.
So, there you have it. Jenna Ortega, with her head held high, has left the MCU behind, but Paul Rudd? Well, he’s just waiting for the call to jump back into his red suit. It’s a bittersweet story—Ortega’s quick disappearance and Rudd’s potential return. Here’s hoping that when Marvel comes calling again, it’s for roles that truly give the stars their time to shine.
Death of a Unicorn is scheduled to be theatrically released on March 28, 2025.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
