10 Big Name Hollywood Actresses Who Got Almost No Screen-Time In The MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a media franchise based on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. Since 2008, MCU has given the audience some of the best critically-acclaimed movies of the 2010s. Over these 13 years, fans explored many characters played by some big-name Hollywood actresses and actors through these movies. They still continue to do so in the new Disney+ series and movies.

MCU has grown to be the biggest movie franchise on the planet. It owes this success to all the actors and actresses who made fans fall in love with them. The Marvel Comics were written in a time where discrimination, maintaining stereotypes, and marginalism were common. However, the writers made sure of it to make the comics free of all these social evils. The characters in the comics came from every race, color, and ethnicity.

MCU has done its best to make its movies with the same intention. The movies include a diversity of characters who fans love and admire. MCU explores a character in a depth, unlike any other superhero movie that came before them. In the first few years, however, MCU focussed more on the Avengers and the characters associated with them. But the bigger problem was the foreshadowing of women characters over these years. It seems understandable as there was only a single female in the OG Avengers. Due to this problem, many talented actresses settled for minor roles. This list is for all those big-name Hollywood Actresses who deserved more screen-time in the MCU.

10. NATALIE DORMER (LORRAINE)

Dormer is an amazing actress with a lot of potential. She won thousands of hearts with her skills in the renowned series, Game of Thrones. Although, her time in MCU was not nearly as good as in GoT. Dormer appeared as an SSR office employee in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger in a 2-minute scene. So her return to the MCU seems improbable.

However, Dormer’s potential can earn her a completely new MCU character. And MCU has never been afraid to recast an actor again to pay him what he’s due. And if Dormer’s time in GoT has proved anything, it’s that she is equally good in positive and negative roles. So if the Studios were to recast her, this actor can get the place she deserves in the MCU.

 

9. GLENN CLOSE (NOVA PRIME)

Nova Corps was introduced as the law enforcement and defense authority of Xandar in GotG. Glenn Close was seen playing the leader of this space militia, Centurion Nova Prime. At first, it was considered the best role for a charming and confident actress like her. However, before we got the chance to know more about the character, MCU decided to kill it off in Avengers: Infinity War.

 

Thanos eliminated the Nova Corps to get the Power Stone from them. Glenn Close deserved a more prominent role but seeing her potential in GotG, Marvel might have a little something up their sleeve. Captain Marvel/ Carol Danvers supposedly worked with the Nova Corps, so Close might reprise her role in the upcoming MCU film, The Marvels (2022).

8. REBECCA HALL (MAYA HANSEN)

Maya Hansen was introduced as one of Tony Stark’s girlfriends. For most of the movie, she was thought to be the villain but as it turns out, she was one of the many minions working for Aldrich Killian. She was displayed as an ambitious scientist who wants to do something good for the people. But her vendetta against Tony Stark changed her destiny for the worse. Rebecca Hall’s portrayal of the biochemist was flawless. Unfortunately, her character was killed off too early in the franchise. Her skills would have helped the Avengers in the future but MCU had different plans for her. Though we might never see her again in the future, she made a great “almost-villain” in the movie.

 

7. MICHELLE PFEIFFER (JANET VAN-DYNE)

Pfeiffer has been a fan-favorite ever since her portrayal of the iconic Catwoman in 1992. And when her fans got the news of her casting in the MCU, they went crazy all over again. Pfeiffer was cast as Janet Van Dyne, wife of Hank Pym and former and first Wasp. However, her role in the MCU did not do justice to her acting skills. As of yet, she has enjoyed a total of 5-minute screen time in the MCU and her fans want more. Although, we might see her again in the MCU in the upcoming Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania next year.

 

6. JAMIE ALEXANDER (LADY SIF)

Lady Sif has been one of the most inconsistent characters in the MCU. She was introduced as an Asgardian warrior in 2011’s Thor but was absent in the sequels. Since then, Jamie Alexander has appeared as the Lady in the ABC Studios’ Agents of SHIELD. However, she only appeared in two episodes. Moreover, the show is not MCU canon. She did return to MCU in the Disney+ series, Loki, but again the role was too short. Hopefully, Love and Thunder will do justice to her potential.

 

5. LETITIA WRIGHT (SHURI)

Shuri made her debut in the MCU with 2018’s Black Panther and immediately became a fan-favorite. With T’Challa being the king and the royal Black Panther, the characters besides him are often foreshadowed. But her engineering skills and quirky comebacks did not let us ignore her presence. Although she has not unlocked her full potential yet. The upcoming movie, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, will focus more on the supporting characters of the prequel. And it will be the perfect opportunity for Letitia Wright to shine on the big screen as Shuri.

 

4. LIV TYLER (BETTY ROSS)

Betty Ross was like a support system for Bruce Banner in the comics as well as in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. But she has not appeared or even been mentioned in the MCU until the third episode of Disney+’s What If…? Even now, her character was voiced by another actress. Fans have even forgotten that The Incredible Hulk is even a part of MCU continuity.

Liv Tyler gave an amazing performance as Betty Ross and fans still await for her to return as Ross. And now that Mark Ruffalo is reprising his role as Bruce Banner in the MCU, we might see Betty return as her comical love interest. Liv Tyler is a fantastic actress who deserves more screen time in the MCU.

 

3. LUPITA NYONG’O (NAKIA)

Nakia was a strong character in the 2018 movie. She was a spy, a warrior, and most importantly, the king’s love interest. But just like Shuri, her character didn’t enjoy much spotlight. She was to be an interesting character who was a woman warrior outside of the Dora Milaje. And Lupita Nyong’o outdid herself with this character. The last movie set her up as the head for International Affairs of Wakanda so we might finally see her in the field rather than the stands. Lupita Nyong’o is an Academy Award Winner and to see her talents go wasted in the MCU will be terrible.

 

2. ELIZABETH DEBICKI (AYESHA)

GotG Vol. 2 was a roller coaster ride filled with action, humor, and emotions. The film had two villains in store for the Guardians but only one enjoyed the limelight. Ayesha was the leader of the Sovereign who tried to kill the Guardians on several occasions but failed every time. Ayesha was supposed to be a character who is beautiful, arrogant, and a gentlewoman at the same time. And Elizabeth Debicki did the job like she was born to play this character.

 

However, her character had very few scenes. But now that she is set to appear in the third installment, fans are excited for her to reprise this role to perfection. The post-credits scene of the previous movie revealed Ayesha creating a new being who was to be the next step in the evolution, the infamous Adam Warlock. So far, Ayesha and Adam are set up as the villains for the final installment of the franchise.

 

1. LASHANA LYNCH (MARIA RAMBEAU)

Captain Marvel was the highest-grossing female lead superhero movie. The movie was so well-set that it did not need a prominent male presence for its success. Instead, the movie gave the lead character a best friend who supported her and loved her. Almost all the awesome scenes in the movie featured either her or her daughter. But what got her at the top of the list is her mention in Disney+’s WandaVision (2021).

The series revealed that she survived Thanos’s snap but died of natural causes. Sadly, her daughter, Monica was not by her side when this happened. Moreover, as it turns out, she was also one of the founding members of SWORD. So, just as MCU was setting her up for the future, she was killed off. However, MCU might not waste Lashana’s talents on a dead character. They still might have plans for her in the upcoming sequel, The Marvels. Maria was a great character and doesn’t deserve an off-screen death.

 

Would you like to see some of these big-name Hollywood Actresses get screen time in the future? Let us know in the comments.

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