Jenna Ortega has reflected on one of her earliest film roles, in Marvel’s Iron Man 3, which was so small that even her biggest fans might have missed it.
The Wednesday actor has become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood in recent years thanks to The Addams Family–inspired Netflix hit and the box office hit Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
However, Ortega could have potentially been a star much earlier in her career if a small role in the MCU would have worked out for her.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Ortega was told by the interviewer: “I’m hoping that we can get Jenna Ortega into the Marvel Universe.”
Ortega candidly replied that she had in fact already been in the MCU.
“It was one of the first jobs I ever did,” said the 22-year-old. “They took all my lines out. I’m in Iron Man 3 for a quick second. I take up the frame, I have one leg and I’m the vice president’s daughter.”
“I bet they are kicking themselves now, aren’t they?” the interviewer replied.
Paul Rudd, who stars with Ortega in Death of a Unicorn and plays Ant-Man in the MCU, then chimed in: “Marvel is very good at like, kind of laying those bread crumbs.
“And so it might very well be that you come back. That they are going to create something for you, cause they should be so lucky to have Jenna Ortega in their franchise.”
Ortega, though, didn’t sound too keen on the idea. “They even took my name away. I count that, then I move on,” she added.
Iron Man 3, which starred Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley, was a huge hit for Marvel grossing more than $1.2bn at the global box office.
Ortega wasn’t the only actor whose role was reduced in the film. According to the director, Shane Black, the villain was originally going to be played by Rebecca Hall and was cut due to Marvel not believing a female toy would sell.
