Jenna Ortega on Her Small MCU Role: 'They Cut All My Lines'

Do you remember seeing Jenna Ortega in Iron Man 3? You’d be forgiven for forgetting the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene in which a very young Ortega appears in a wheelchair.

The 22-year-old star of Netflix’s Wednesday series and the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie actually made her film debut aged 11 in a minor role in 2013’s Iron Man 3. Ortega’s brief Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance sees Miguel Ferrer’s Vice President Rodriguez, who's just had a stark conversation with Iron Man over the phone, kiss his daughter on the forehead during a Christmas family function. The camera then pans down to reveal said daughter is wheelchair-bound as a result of a lost limb.

Now, 12 years after Iron Man 3 was released, Ortega was asked by Entertainment Weekly about her experience in the MCU. She humorously reflected on her brief appearance in Iron Man 3 and how Marvel Studios had significantly cut down her role.

“I did it once,” Ortega said. “It was one of the first jobs I ever did. 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.”

Her Death of a Unicorn co-star Paul Rudd, who famously plays Ant-Man in the MCU, playfully suggested that Marvel might create a bigger role for her in the future.

“And so it might very well be that you come back,” Rudd continued, “that they are going to create something for you, ’cause they should be so lucky to have Jenna Ortega in their franchise.”

Ortega cast doubt on the possibility, reflecting on her experience with Iron Man 3: “They even took my name away,” she interjected. “I’m really… but I just… I count that, and then I move on.” Ah well.

In truth, Ortega was cast as a child actor in a role that was likely intended as a subplot but was reduced to a fleeting moment in the final cut of Iron Man 3. It's fascinating that this particular child actor has grown up to become one of the most famous actors on the planet over a decade later. If Marvel Studios had a new MCU role for Ortega in mind, she would certainly consider it.

While Iron Man 3 is often considered one of the weaker entries in the MCU, it was a massive hit at the box office, grossing $1.2 billion globally. It ranks as the ninth highest-grossing superhero film of all time, surpassing films like Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Captain Marvel.

The MCU was in a very different place back then, and superhero movies today face a much tougher challenge in drawing large audiences. If Ortega were to join the current MCU lineup, she might just be the boost Marvel needs.

But which character would she be a perfect fit for?