What do an Academy Award winner, a standup comedian, and a comic book legend all have in common? They've all had the distinct honor of playing multiple characters in the MCU. And they're not the only ones.
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00:00What do an Academy Award winner, a stand-up comedian, and a comic book legend all have
00:05in common?
00:06They've all had the distinct honor of playing multiple characters in the MCU, and they're
00:11not the only ones.
00:13Michelle Yeoh made her first MCU appearance in James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy
00:17Vol. 2 in 2017.
00:19A member of the Ravagers, Yeoh appeared as Alita Ogard.
00:22The character has deep comic book ties as a member of the original Guardians and a former
00:26Avenger.
00:27Despite intentions of having Yeoh and the Ravagers play more significant roles in the
00:30franchise moving forward, the actor reappeared as a different character in another corner
00:34of the MCU.
00:35Playing a more pivotal role in 2021's Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, Yeoh arrived
00:40as the title character's aunt, Ying Nan.
00:42Yeoh's character not only leads the charge in the climactic battle, but connects Shang
00:46with his ancestry.
00:48While Ogard did not show up in Guardians Vol. 3, the actor could end up returning as Ying
00:52Nan should a Shang-Chi sequel ever surface.
00:55Gemma Chan was cast in 2019's Captain Marvel as the formidable Starforce sniper Minerva.
00:59However, with Minerva shot down by Maria Rambeau in that film, Marvel Studios was not going
01:04to let a great actor pass them by.
01:06So the studio gave Chan a starring role in 2021's Eternals.
01:10Portraying Cersei the Matter Manipulator, Chan had the most significant character arc
01:13of the title team, developing a relationship with Kit Harington's Dane Whitman and ending
01:17the film as the new leader of the near-immortal supergroup.
01:21With an Eternals sequel still in the cards, Chan is expected to play a significant role
01:25in the MCU moving forward.
01:27When Chris Hemsworth's Thor joined forces with the crumbling rock creature Korg in Thor
01:31Ragnarok, they quickly became a fan-favorite bromance.
01:35Film director Taika Waititi voiced the beloved soft-spoken monster.
01:39The duo shares an on-screen rapport that perfectly encapsulates the lighthearted humor that has
01:44defined the otherwise action-packed MCU.
01:46"...made of rocks, as you can see, but don't let that intimidate you.
01:50You don't need to be afraid unless you're made of scissors."
01:53Surprisingly, it is not the only time that Hemsworth and Waititi appear together.
01:57In fact, they share a credit.
01:59During Thor's tenure as a gladiator during Ragnarok, an assortment of fighters is showcased,
02:03including Waititi's Korg.
02:05One of the enslaved champions is a massive three-headed bald man credited with the name
02:09Haja.
02:10At the center of the three faces of Haja is MCU stuntman Shane Rangie, while on his sides
02:14are Hemsworth and Waititi.
02:16The triple-headed fighter is one of the gladiators freed from Sakaar that joins Thor's Revengers
02:21during the battle for Asgard.
02:22Sadly, the character dies shortly upon arrival, but makes for a great Easter egg.
02:27The talented Benedict Cumberbatch may be known for playing Doctor Strange in the MCU, but
02:32the British actor has also played some formidable antagonists, including the Dragon Smaug in
02:36the Hobbit films.
02:37So, it's hardly a shock that upon joining the MCU, Cumberbatch not only played the Sorcerer
02:42Supreme in Doctor Strange, but also his own villain, the classic comic book baddie Dormammu.
02:48The actor told CinemaBlend,
02:49"...I went, look, if this is going to work, rather than being a big ghoulish monster,
02:53if it's some kind of reflection of Strange, if it's something that he's giving that's
02:57coming back at him in a really horrific way, that would be fun, and I'd be happy to do
03:01the voice for it."
03:03In 2004, Patton Oswalt appeared in his first Marvel movie when he played Hedges in Blade
03:07Trinity.
03:08He eventually joined the MCU when he landed a recurring role on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,
03:11beginning with its first season in 2014.
03:14Technically, Oswalt checked the box of playing multiple MCU characters just via that show
03:18alone, as he actually played Quintuplets.
03:21But he's not only on this list thanks to that.
03:23He would return to the MCU when he voiced Pip the Troll in a mid-credits scene for the
03:272021 movie Eternals.
03:29"...My ears, my eyes are numb, no more drug teleporting for you!"
03:36Stanley, one of the masterminds of the Marvel comic book universe and many of its greatest
03:40superheroes, was the voice and face of the publishing company for decades.
03:45As a legendary pop culture icon, it was no wonder that nearly every movie based on a
03:49Marvel character included an appearance by Stan the Man.
03:52The comic book creator built a collection of cameos and superhero films long before
03:56the Marvel Cinematic Universe was conceived, ranging from 1989's The Trial of the Incredible
04:01Hulk to more recent projects outside the Marvel Studios umbrella like Deadpool.
04:05When the MCU took its first steps with 2008's Iron Man, Lee was there to make his personal
04:09favorite cameo appearance, a scene that has Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark mistake him
04:13for Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.
04:15"...I'm a great Hefner."
04:17Following that, Lee managed to appear in every MCU movie through 2019's Avengers Endgame,
04:22which was filmed before his passing in November 2018.
04:25From appearing as a delivery man to sometimes even himself, Stan Lee has appeared in more
04:30Marvel films than any other actor, and it's a record that will likely never be broken.
04:35While fans might already have one original Avenger in their mind when they think about
04:39MCU recasts, Chris Evans wouldn't be the first.
04:43Captain America himself has actually technically played three characters in the MCU, though
04:48one could make the case that his situation is a bit unique.
04:51In addition to playing Steve Rogers in all three Captain America movies, all four Avengers
04:55movies, and even one Spider-Man movie, Evans had a cameo as Loki in Thor The Dark World.
05:00Though he looked and dressed like the Star-Spangled Man with the plan, he took on Tom Hiddleston's
05:05physical and vocal mannerisms as the scene sees Loki transform into Rogers to tease Thor.
05:10But even if you don't count this cameo as a full role, Evans still has two full MCU
05:14characters under his belt.
05:16In one of the funniest cameos in Deadpool and Wolverine, the actor even reprised his
05:20role as Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch, from the 2005 Fantastic Four film.
05:25Kenneth Choi made his MCU debut in 2011's Captain America The First Avenger as Private
05:29Jim Morita.
05:30In the film, Morita was an integral part of Steve Rogers' fight against HYDRA.
05:34Unfortunately, when Captain America woke up in the 21st century, Morita and many of the
05:38howling commandos had passed away.
05:41But Morita's family made an unexpected return in Spider-Man Homecoming.
05:44Choi appears in the Spidey flick as Peter Parker's high school principal.
05:47As he lectures Peter over his absences, a photo can be seen in Principal Morita's office.
05:51The photo, featuring Choi as his former Captain America character, was intentionally placed
05:55as a way of reconciling the actor's double roles.
05:58The subtle Easter egg insinuates that the principal is the descendant of Private Jim
06:01Morita, although it has yet to be confirmed by the filmmakers.
06:05When a new Blade film from Marvel Studios was announced in 2019, Mahershala Ali became
06:10the poster child for MCU stars playing more than one character in the universe.
06:14The Academy Award-winning actor who already appeared in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse
06:19was a lauded choice to succeed Wesley Snipes as the iconic vampire hunter.
06:23Ali had already been featured prominently in the Marvel series Luke Cage.
06:27In the first season, Ali shown as Cornell Cottonmouth Stokes, a ruthless yet tragic
06:31crime lord.
06:32Unfortunately, however, Ali's Cottonmouth was shockingly killed only partway through
06:36season one.
06:37As for the actor, fans were seemingly willing to keep their minds open about Ali's recasting
06:41in Blade.
06:42In fact, the only conflict concerning Blade and Ali exists within the film's production,
06:47as delays, conflicting creative visions, and a rotating door of directors have reportedly
06:51left the actor frustrated and on the verge of exiting.
06:55No decision from Marvel Studios has proved quite as controversial and potentially disruptive
06:59as bringing back Robert Downey Jr. to play the legendary comic book villain Doctor Doom.
07:04As fans surely know, Downey's Iron Man started the MCU back in 2008, and both the actor and
07:10the character of Tony Stark continued to lead the multi-billion-dollar franchise for more
07:15than a decade afterward.
07:17He's about as culturally synonymous with the Marvel brand as Kevin Feige or even Stan Lee
07:20at this point.
07:22I am Iron Man.
07:24Though the actor had seemingly stepped away from the franchise after 2019's Avengers Endgame,
07:28he will return for Avengers Doomsday and its sequel, Avengers Secret War.
07:33These eleventh-hour roster changes excited some fans, but left others worried, as they
07:37came on the heels of Marvel churning through director Destin Daniel Cretton in writers
07:40Jeff Loveness and Michael Waldron.
07:43While he may not be the biggest star to appear in the MCU, Damian Poitier was, at one point,
07:48the most significant villain of the entire franchise.
07:52Best recognized for portraying Goldface in the Flash television series, Poitier is a
07:55stuntman and actor with primarily minor roles across two decades of film and television
07:59appearances.
08:00However, in 2012, the budding actor landed the role of a lifetime as the most formidable
08:05force in the world's most significant superhero franchise.
08:08Poitier was given the significant role of Thanos the Mad Titan in 2012's The Avengers,
08:13a part later filled by Josh Brolin.
08:15Despite Thanos being recast, Poitier did return to the MCU years later as a mercenary working
08:20alongside Frank Grillo's crossbones in Captain America Civil War.
08:24Laura Haddock's first big screen credit came in 2011 as Autograph Seeker in Captain America
08:28the First Avenger.
08:29The actor then landed a slightly more significant role, portraying the ill mother of a young
08:33Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy.
08:35The role of Meredith Quill naturally grew with the films, as an adult Star-Lord discovered
08:39more about his mother through his estranged father, Ego, portrayed by Kurt Russell.
08:43Both Russell and Haddock share multiple flashback scenes throughout Guardians of the Galaxy
08:47Vol. 2.
08:48Of course, fans took notice of this double casting and were quick to ask director James
08:52Gunn about Haddock's role in Captain America.
08:54Gunn wrote on X that the character was Quill's grandmother, although he was equally fast
08:57to admit that he just made this up.
09:00Seth Green first made a brief cameo as a Stark Expo attendee in Iron Man 2.
09:05However, like so many other actors quietly infused into superhero movies via filmmaker
09:09James Gunn, Green also landed himself the part of Howard the Duck.
09:13One of Marvel's most beloved obscure characters, Howard the Duck has been a part of the comic
09:18company's lexicon for some time.
09:20Surprisingly, the anthropomorphic Duck is also one of the publishing company's first
09:24characters to feature in his own movie in 1986.
09:28And in the MCU, Howard Duxon, voiced by Green, has even popped up in the Guardians of the
09:32Galaxy films.
09:33You know what they say, you're out of luck until you've gone duck.
09:38Green has also taken on the duty of voicing the fan-favorite Fowl in the animated Disney
09:41Plus series What If.
09:44William Hurt reprising his role as Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America Civil
09:47War was one of the first times that the MCU seemed to directly acknowledge the movie The
09:51Incredible Hulk, which starred Edward Norton, in any real way.
09:55Sure, the Hulk and Bruce Banner continued to exist in the MCU, but he was played by
09:58a different actor, Mark Ruffalo, after the character's MCU debut, leaving most of the
10:03cast of the 2008 movie as MCU one-offs for a long time.
10:07And this fact was hammered home by an actor from that movie later coming back to the MCU
10:11as an entirely different character.
10:13In 2008, Peter Mensah played General Joe Greller in The Incredible Hulk.
10:17Ten years later, Mensah got the opportunity to play another MCU role, one with a little
10:22more heft to it.
10:23In six episodes across season five of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Mensah played Kovas.
10:27Like General Greller, Kovas was another MCU original creation, but this one played a bigger
10:32role in the mythos and allowed Mensah to flex his acting chops a lot more.
10:36In the Disney Plus series Hawkeye, Clint Barton's wife, Laura, was played by Linda Cardellini.
10:41Cardellini also played the role in both Avengers Age of Ultron and Avengers Endgame.
10:44With Hawkeye not coming back for a second season, it seemed like Cardellini's time in
10:48the MCU might have been over.
10:50That is, until she was called upon to voice the role of the anthropomorphic otter Lila
10:54in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
10:56"...I would like my name to be…Lila."
11:02Tim Ginney was a part of the MCU before most, as he played the role of Major Allen in Iron
11:06Man.
11:07Despite a fairly minor role, Allen nonetheless came back for Iron Man 2 and was once again
11:11played by Ginney.
11:13Just a few years later, he was cast as the existing Marvel character Clay Wilson for
11:17two episodes of the Netflix series The Punisher.
11:20While he never got to fully become the hero known as Forrest like Clay Wilson does in
11:23the comics, it was still a role with a lot more depth and complexity than Major Allen,
11:27and it gave Ginney a lot more to do.
11:30Many of the articles written about season two of Leap Cage called special attention
11:34to the performance of actor Alfre Woodard, with some saying she stole the show as villain
11:38Mariah Dillard, aka Black Mariah.
11:40That said, the fact that she was poisoned to death means that we've likely seen the
11:44last of Black Mariah in the MCU.
11:46It would be great to see Woodard play more MCU characters, since she crushes every role
11:50she takes on.
11:51But it's easy to forget that Mariah Dillard was actually her second MCU character.
11:55In the same year she made her debut on Leap Cage, Woodard also appeared in a small role
12:00in Captain America Civil War.
12:02She played a woman named Miriam Sharp, whose son was one of the casualties of the Battle
12:05of Sokovia, as depicted in Avengers Age of Ultron.
12:09Another MCU wife and mother who ended up voicing a different character in Guardians of the
12:13Galaxy Vol. 3 is Judy Greer.
12:15The prolific actor, who has over 150 screen credits to her name, first showed up in the
12:20MCU in Ant-Man as Maggie Lang.
12:22Greer reprised the role of Maggie for Ant-Man and the Wasp, but her character was left out
12:26of the third film.
12:27Like Linda Cardellini, Greer got to add a second MCU character to her filmography thanks
12:31to a voice role in a Guardians of the Galaxy film.
12:34In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Greer plays Warpig, a guard for the High Evolutionary.
12:38Unlike Cardellini's Lila, Warpig was not an existing Marvel character, but was created
12:44by James Gunn specifically for the movie.
12:46Seeing as how Warpig is killed, that's going to have to be a one-and-done role for Greer.
12:51But there's no reason she can't play Maggie Lang again, or someone else entirely, in a
12:55future MCU project.
12:57Nowadays, fans of the MCU surely recognize Martin Starr from John Watt's Spider-Man
13:01trilogy.
13:02Starr was given plenty of material to stand out in the film's strong supporting ensemble
13:05cast.
13:06It was surely refreshing for longtime fans of Starr's work, as the actor had previously
13:10gotten lost in the Marvel Universe in a decidedly more dramatic context.
13:14In 2008's The Incredible Hulk, Starr appeared as a then-unnamed scientist whom Bruce Banner
13:19meets on his quest to reverse the condition that transforms him into the Hulk.
13:23Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige retconned these characters as being one and the same
13:27in a 2019 Reddit AMA.
13:28But that isn't how Starr was cast, nor how he performed the characters, at least in the
13:33first two Spider-Man movies.
13:35When asked about the characters' connection in a press junket that same year, Starr said,
13:39In both Netflix's The Punisher and the original Daredevil series, Clancy Brown plays corrupt
13:52ex-Marine Colonel Ray Scunover, who uses connections in Afghanistan to traffic heroin into the
13:57U.S., and eventually became the drug kingpin known as the Blacksmith.
14:01Because he believed Frank Castle to be a threat to his empire, he orchestrated what was supposed
14:05to be the assassination of the entire Castle family.
14:08Frank survived and became a murderous vigilante as a consequence, ultimately executing Scunover
14:13as the Punisher.
14:14In Thor Ragnarok, the actor also voices Surtur, the demon lord of Muspelheim summoned by the
14:18heroes at the end of the film to defeat Hela.
14:20I cannot die, not until I fulfill my destiny and lay waste to your home.
14:27Unfortunately, his prophesied wrath also caused the destruction of Asgard, after which he
14:31is finally allowed to die.
14:34It's rare that an MCU actor gets recast once, let alone three times.
14:39But that's just what happened to genre superstar Nathan Fillion, who was cast in all three
14:43Guardians of the Galaxy movies thanks to his longtime friendship with director James Gunn.
14:48In the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, Fillion voices a hulking blue prison inmate
14:51that tries to threaten Peter Quill before Groot ultimately throws him to the ground.
14:55Check out the new meat.
14:58Fillion then makes his first and only full-bodied appearance in the MCU in Volume 3, in which
15:03he plays Orgo Corp's security master Karja.
15:06Unfortunately, his role in Volume 2 was left on the cutting room floor.
15:09Most recently, however, Fillion has been brought back into the MCU.
15:13In Sean Levy's Deadpool and Wolverine, he voices the zombified variant of Ryan Reynolds'
15:17Deadpool known as Headpool.