The ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe has been made up of familiar faces for over a decade. It started with Iron ManRobert Downey Jr.), and soon the audience will see Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), and many more are returning to their MCU characters.
But it’s easy to forget that Downey Jr., Larson and their fellow Avengers weren’t always the superheroes fans know them to be. Now that Phase 4 is complete and Phases 5 and 6 are underway, it’s time to take a look at the big names behind them. Avengers. Before they took up their hammers, shields, bow and arrows to save the MCU, many began their careers in children’s fantasy films, soap operas and theater productions around the world.
Robert Downey Jr - “Pound” (1970)
In 2008, iron Man the decade-long introduction to the MCU began. With recent tragic events Avengers: EndgameIron Man’s sacrifice ended the same era. The character and the actor remain the same years later as he donned that tech suit and said catchy lines like “I’m Iron Man.”
Downey Jr. hasn’t always been the billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist genius that fans know him to be. In the actor’s first acting role, he played “Puppy” in a fantasy-comedy film in 1970. Lb. And the character’s name is just around the corner as well, as Downey Jr was just five years old in his father-directed cinematic debut. Robert Downey Senior.
Elizabeth Olsen - How Fun It Was in the West (1994)
Prior to her first appearance as Wanda Maximoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) Elizabeth Olsen amassed an impressive portfolio of accredited film and television roles. She received critical acclaim for her first significant role as a protagonist in Martha Marcy Marlene (2011).
But the first acting work of the actress put her in addition to these Another the famous Olsens, her older sisters, Mary-Kate Olsen as well as Ashley Olsen. At the age of four, Olsen had small roles in children’s films. How the West had fun as well as The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashleyboth released in 1994.
Chris Evans - “Biodiversity: crazy about life!” (1997)
During the early noughties, Chris Evans was a favorite choice for teen dramas such as Not another teen movie as well as Scott Pilgrim vs the World. But his earliest (credited) role was slightly less glamorous and more educational; Biodiversity: crazy about life!
Then the 16-year-old starred in a 1997 short documentary drama “about four teenagers who discover the value of the diversity of life on earth.” As it turns out, Captain America isn’t the only character played by Evans who hopes to save the world.
Chris Hemsworth - “Neighbours” (2002)
Years before playing the MCU God of Thunder, Chris Hemsworth followed the path that many aspiring actors take - a small role in a soap opera. In 2002, Hemsworth landed the role of Jamie Kane on an Australian soap opera. Neighbours.
However, this was not the first melodrama in which he starred, and he joined the cast Home and away for four years. A few years later, Hemsworth burst onto the American acting scene (eventually, in 2011, he wielded the mighty Thor’s hammer).
Jeremy Renner - “National Lampoon High School Trip” (1995)
Teamwork is essential to being an Avenger, as evidenced by the MCU’s ever-growing cast. Hawkeye star Jeremy Renner not new to the acting ensemble; he led a ragtag team of high school students in the 1995 comedy National Lampoon Senior Citizens Ride.
Although the film was a notable failure among critics - with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 0 percent - Renner’s career was just getting started. He even starred in the video for p!nk2003 hit “Trouble” - though it’s hard to imagine his arrow-wielding counterpart doing that.
Scarlett Johansson - North (1994)
Like many of her Marvel colleagues, Scarlett Johansson started her career in the industry at a young age. Although she originally appeared on stage in an off-Broadway play, Johansson’s first credit was in a 1994 fantasy film. North. She was only nine years old at the time.
Considered a critical and commercial bombshell, Johansson’s small role placed her on screen with the then-child star. Elijah Wood (plays the main character) Bruce Willis, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and more. In just a few short years, Johansson began receiving numerous awards and nominations for her work in more established films, including her work with The Avengers.
Tom Holland - “Billy Elliot” on Broadway (2009)
Tom Holland’this character’s witty, boyish charm is a major element of his Spider-Man persona and a reason for the character’s ongoing fan base. These same traits helped Holland enter the world of acting nearly a decade before.
At only 11 years old, the young actor got the lead role in the production of Billy Elliot. He stayed there for two years and developed impressive acting, singing and dancing skills. Holland soon landed his first role in a disaster film. Impossible. And soon enough, he was gearing up to be the teenage Spider-Man of the MCU.
Mark Ruffalo - CBS Summer Theater (1989)
Fans will remember this. Hulk looked a little different before Mark Ruffalo Signed up as the Hulk. In 2010, Marvel announced that despite Sam Rockwellimages of The Incredible Hulk, they were looking for “an actor who embodies creativity and a collaborative spirit [his] other talented actors. So even though Hulk doesn’t have its own standalone MCU movie canon, Ruffalo the Hulk is a beloved member of the Avengers with credits at various stages.
Similarly, Ruffalo’s early roles were small but strong, beginning with a guest role in CBS Summer Theater in 1989. Over the next decade, Ruffalo’s growing portfolio of roles included slasher films, crime dramas, westerns, and several theatrical productions.
Anthony Mackie - 8 Mile (2002)
Whether he’s known as Sam Wilson, the Falcon, or the new Captain America, Anthony Mackie is an integral part of the Avengers. In doing so, he worked closely with his teammates throughout the MCU.
When he first started out, Maki was cast as an understudy for his fellow Avengers. Don Cheadle in the 2002 play “Best / Underdog”. That same year, he burst onto the scene as Papa Doc in 8 mileplaying the antagonist of rapper Jimmy “B-Rabbit” (Eminem). Maki has certainly found success with his Marvel character, but the actor has dominated the industry from the start.
Paul Rudd - “Sisters” (1992)
When the director Edgar Wright originally planned the first Ant-Man film, he wanted it to be a simple, standalone story. Of course, this never happened, as Ant-Man (Radd) continued to help the Avengers retrieve the Infinity Stones after the events. Avengers: Endgame by making him an official member.
Rudd’s natural charisma and comedic demeanor are often seen in the MCU, but his first role was quite the opposite. In 1992, he was a regular guest on the drama series Sisters as Kirby, an aspiring director who runs into trouble along the way. A few years later, Rudd joined the main cast, however true fans know that his name really took off by starring opposite. Alicia Silverstone in ignorant (1995).
Paul Bettany - Gangster #1 (2000)
Marvel fans are most familiar with Paul Bettany like a vision. But long before becoming the all-knowing MCU synthoid, Bettany was a well-known theater actor.
At just 19 years old, Bettany made his West End debut in London, performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Perhaps these early Shakespearean roles inspired Bettany’s portrayal of Vision, who provides a level of philosophical reflection for his fellow Avengers. Off stage, he had small roles in many British films, but gained attention for his starring role in a British crime drama. Gangster #1.
Don Cheadle - “Moving Violations” (1985)
Ever since he was recast as James Rhodes in iron Man 2, Cheadle has appeared in the character throughout the MCU — seven films, to be exact. With a small share in Falcon and Winter Soldierhe will return as the Warrior again in the upcoming Disney+ series. Armored Wars.
However, twelve years as an Avenger means nothing to Cheadle’s long career. Best known for his roles in Devil in a blue dress (1995) and Hotel Rwanda (2004), he first appeared on stage in a small role in the 1985 comedy,Moving violations — and that was just the beginning for this seasoned actor.
Brie Larson - ‘Raising Dad (2001)
Filming for Miracles now goes and Brie Larson prepares to take back Captain America’s costume and bracelet. Larson made history playing Carol Danvers in the first MCU movie to feature a woman, and once said the role was “worth it if [she] can instill understanding and confidence in young women.”
When she was a young woman, Larson performed with Bob Saget as his daughter in the short lived series Dad’s upbringing. And if the Marvel Universe can’t get smaller, Kat Dennings (aka Darcy Lewis) played Larson’s sister on the show.
Source: Collider
