Jenna Ortega's MCU Role in Iron Man 3: 'All My Lines Were Cut'

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 upcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie 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 (MCU) appearance features Miguel Ferrer’s Vice President Rodriguez kissing his daughter on the forehead during a Christmas family function. The camera then pans down to reveal that the daughter, played by Ortega, is wheelchair-bound due to a lost limb.

Now, 12 years after Iron Man 3 was released, Ortega was asked by Entertainment Weekly about her experience with the MCU. She humorously reflected on her appearance in Iron Man 3 and how Marvel Studios significantly reduced 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 plays Ant-Man in the MCU, also chimed in with a playful remark about Marvel’s tendency to lay character breadcrumbs that could lead to something bigger.

“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, however, cast doubt on the possibility of returning to the MCU, saying, “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 a role that was likely intended to be a subplot but was reduced to almost nothing in the final cut of Iron Man 3. It’s fascinating 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 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 achieving similar box office success. If Ortega were to join the current MCU, she might help Marvel boost their earnings.

But which character would she be a perfect fit for?