The Marvel Cinematic Universe currently consists of 24 films, with three more set to be released this year and several more in various stages of development. There are also three released Disney Plus television series,WandaVision,The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, andLoki,that are considered part of the MCU,with many more to come.
With such a large number of projects, countless actors have played roles both large and small in the MCU over the years. Some of these actors were fairly well known before appearing in a Marvel project,while others were catapulted into stardomdue to their role in the MCU. Regardless, a major role in a Marvel film or television show can introduce an actor to a massive audience of Marvel fans who may not have known their name before.
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Many actors in the MCU were acting for years before getting their big break–whether in Marvel or elsewhere–and so many have early projects that fans aren’t even aware of, or maybe have forgotten about. Not all of the roles are big, and not all of the projects are good, but everyone has to start somewhere. Here are just a few of the early acting roles by MCU actors that most fans may not know about.
Chris Evans inOpposite Sex
Chris Evans was already pretty well known before debuting as Steve Rogers inCaptainAmerica: The First Avengerin 2011. He had already been a superhero, starring as the Human Torch inFantastic FourandFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and he had high-profile roles in movies such asNot Another Teen Movie,Cellular,The Losers, andScott Pilgrim Vs The World. He even acted alongside Scarlett Johansson twice before either of them appeared in the MCU, in bothThe Perfect ScoreandThe Nanny Diaries.
However, fans may be less familiar withOpposite Sex, the Fox comedy series that Evans starred in when he was only nineteen years old. Airing in the summer of 2000,Opposite Sexstarred Evans, Milo Ventimiglia, and comedic actor Kyle Howard as the only three boys at the newly co-ed Evergreen Academy. The boys aren’t as welcomed by most of the female students as they were hoping to be, and encounter lots of girl trouble and comedic hijinks. The show got mostly mild to positive reviews at the time, but found itself lost in the sea of teen comedies and dramas that ruled television in this era. It was canceled after only eight episodes, but the three main stars have all gone on to find success.
Scarlett Johansson inThe Horse Whisperer
Johansson was another actor who was already fairly popularbefore she became Black Widowin the MCU. She made her film debut at nine years old, and was successfully able to transition from child actor to teen actor to adult actor. The 2001 black comedyGhost Worldis often considered to be her breakthrough role as an older teen, remaining a cult classic to this day. As an adult, she made waves with her major roles in movies such asLost in Translation,Girl With A Pearl Earring,MatchpointandThe Prestige.
In 1998, a few years beforeGhost World, Johansson starred in the American Western dramaThe Horse Whisperer. The movie starred and was directed by legendary film actor Robert Redford, a big deal for an upcoming child star like Johansson. Redford plays a talented horse trainer who is hired to help Grace, played by Johansson, and her horse recover from the trauma of a tragic accident. Johansson was praised for her work on the film and for the level of talent and maturity she displayed at the age of thirteen. She was even nominated for a Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actress.
Benedict Cumberbatch inFortysomething
A relatively recent addition to the MCU compared to Evans and Johansson, Cumberbatch was already a well-known and celebrated actor before he played the titular character in 2016’sDoctor Strange. He was known to many fans for playing Sherlock Holmes inBBC’sSherlocktelevision series, for his role as Khan inStar Trek: Into Darkness, and for voicing the dragon Smaug inThe Hobbitfilms. He also starred in such award-winning films asThe Imitation Game,The Fifth Estate,12 Years A Slave, andTinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Before any of these roles, Cumberbatchplayed Hugh Laurie’s sonin the British comedy-drama seriesFortysomething. Cumberbatch played a university student angry at his younger brother for stealing his girlfriend while his father Paul goes through a midlife crisis. The show ran for one six-episode season, doing poorly in the ratings despite extremely positive reviews for the hilarious cast and odd humor by critics and those who watched. The show found a second audience when it was released on DVD in 2008, especially with the success of Laurie’s showHousein the United States at the time. Perhaps it could find another resurgence with Cumberbatch’s growing audience.
Brie Larson And Kat Dennings inRaising Dad
These two MCU stars have yet to star in a Marvel project together, but they starred in this television series years before the MCU began. Larson, of course,stars as Captain Marvel herself, Carol Danvers. She was known previously for her award-winning performance inRoomas well as roles inScott Pilgrim Vs The WorldandUnited States of Tara. Kat Dennings has played the brilliant scientist Darcy Lewis inThor,Thor: The Dark World,and most recentlyWandaVision. BeforeThor, she starred in the popular teen moviesCharlie BartlettandNick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Larson and Dennings starred together inRaising Dad, a sitcom that aired on the WB between 2001 and 2002.Full House’s Bob Saget played a widower struggling to raise his two daughters, played by Larson and Dennings, while also working at his older daughter’s school. Larson was only twelve years old at the time, while Dennings was fifteen. Reviews from the time do consider the cast talented, but otherwise are mostly negative, calling the sitcom bland and nothing new.Raising Dadwas canceled after one season of 22 episodes, many of which can now be found in full on YouTube.
