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The news of Robert Downey Jr. returning to Marvel to play Doctor Doom created a buzz. But RDJ isn't the first actor to portray dual characters across Marvel movies. He's taking on another role that after Tony Stark/Iron Man has cemented him into immortality.
Downey is set to join the group of actors who have portrayed diverse characters in Marvel movies. So here are some of those versatile actors and their various Marvel movie roles, in and out of the MCU.
Actors who appeared in multiple roles within Marvel productions before Robert Downey Jr.
1) Chris Evans
He played Johnny Storm/Human Torch in Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) and Steve Rogers/Captain America in Captain America, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War in the MCU.
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Initially, Evans was very apprehensive about the role of Captain America due to its obviously huge commitment and the effect it was going to have on his personal life. He rejected the role several times before finally accepting it.
2) Michelle Yeoh
She played Aleta Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017 and Ying Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021. The addition of Yeoh as Aleta Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was a nod to her long career in action films.
Her casting in Shang-Chi became even more significant in light of this being her second major role within the Marvel universe, underlining the versatility of this actress.
3) Ryan Reynolds
He played Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity (2004), Wade Wilson/Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and the Deadpool films. Reynolds worked to get the film Deadpool to the theatres. Leaking test footage online got a good response and convinced the studio to give the go-ahead.
4) Benedict Cumberbatch
He played Doctor Strange in the MCU and as the voice of Dormammu in Doctor Strange (2016). Cumberbatch did many of his stunts in person in the movie Doctor Strange.
That includes complicated hand movements that had to be done for the spells. He also did Dormammu's voice and motion capture to make his time on screen at least a little personal.
5) Josh Brolin
He played Thanos in the MCU and Cable in Deadpool 2 (2018). To portray the character of Thanos, most of the motion capture performance was done by Brolin. He had to wear a suit with sensors, and on his head, he would wear a helmet with a camera to capture facial expressions to animate the character of Thanos.
6) Linda Cardellini
She played Laura Barton in the MCU and Lylla (voice) in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
Cardellini's casting as Laura Barton was kept under wraps until Avengers: Age of Ultron was released. Her character added a little dimension to the mysterious past of Hawkeye.
7) Nathan Fillion
He made a cameo appearance as a Monstrous Inmate in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and voiced Wonder Man in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).
Fillion's appearance as a Monstrous Inmate was the type of Easter egg that probably pleased fans of his collaborations with writer/director James Gunn. His voice works as Wonder Man was cut from the final film but remains a popular trivia point.
8) Tara Strong
She voiced Miss Minutes in Loki (2021) and Mary Jane Watson in several animated Spider-Man series. Because of the pandemic, Strong voiced Miss Minutes remotely. Classic cartoon mascots were what the filmmakers were referencing while designing and creating her personality.
9) Judy Greer
She played Maggie Lang in the Ant-Man movies and voiced Wendy Park in Ant-Man and the Wasps: Quantumania (2023). Greer had a comedic background and brought that element into the role, lighting the films.
10) Sean Gunn
He played Kraglin in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and did the motion capture for Rocket Raccoon.
Gunn needed to squat around and move about on set to give the animators a rough reference for how Rocket Raccoon was supposed to act and feel. In so doing, he made the character very realistic.
11) Laura Haddock
She played Meredith Quill in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and an autograph seeker in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).
Being in Captain America: The First Avenger was a nice surprise for Haddock, as she showed up more substantively in the Guardians of the Galaxy films as Meredith Quill.
12) Martin Starr
He played Roger Harrington in the MCU and Amadeus Cho in The Incredible Hulk (2008). Although his role as Roger Harrington was minor, his return to the Spider-Man movies as a teacher was comically brilliant for MCU continuity.
13) Kenneth Choi
He played Jim Morita in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Principal Morita in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
As Jim Morita, he plays a very brave, very loyal Howling Commando. He returns in the role of Principal Morita, which seems very attentively done, given his former character.
14) Gemma Chan
She played Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel (2019) and Sersi in Eternals (2021). While Minn-Erva was a fearsome, agile Kree warrior, Sersi is nuanced and delicate, both empathetic and commanding a position of strength.
15) Patton Oswalt
He played multiple roles in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, as the Koenig brothers are humorous and endearing. His voice work in Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. showcases his comedic talent.
While getting excited to see Robert Downey Jr. return to his role for Marvel, he isn't the first instance of an actor playing dual roles in Marvel movies.
From Tony Stark/Iron Man to Doctor Doom, Downey is one of the few actors who played characters both inside and outside the MCU, teaching them how to reinvent and refresh Marvel storytelling.
