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 where 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 at the age of 11 in a minor role in 2013’s Iron Man 3. Ortega’s brief Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance features Miguel Ferrer’s Vice President Rodriguez, who has just had a stark conversation with Iron Man over the phone, kissing his daughter on the forehead during a Christmas family function. The camera then pans down to reveal that his daughter, played by Ortega, 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 jokingly reflected on her appearance in Iron Man 3 and how Marvel Studios significantly reduced her screen time.

“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, also playfully speculated about Marvel’s habit of laying character breadcrumbs that could lead to something more significant.

“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.”

Casting doubt on the possibility, Ortega concluded her reflection on 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 reality, Ortega was cast as a child actor in what might have initially been a more significant subplot, but her role was reduced to nearly nothing by the time Iron Man 3 hit theaters. It just so happened that this particular child actor grew up to become one of the most famous actors on the planet over a decade later. If Marvel Studios were to offer Ortega a new role in the MCU, she would likely 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 attracting large audiences. Perhaps if Ortega were to join the current MCU, she could help Marvel boost their box office numbers.

But which character would she be a perfect fit for?