The ‘WandaVision‘ star opens up about being proud of her Marvel work while still striving to showcase her true creative preferences
Los Angeles, April 6:
Elizabeth Olsen is known to millions as the Scarlet Witch, but the actor recently revealed she’s still working to break away from the Marvel mold in the eyes of the industry. Appearing on NPR’s Wild Card With Rachel Martin, Olsen spoke candidly about how her decade-long association with Marvel doesn’t necessarily align with her personal creative tastes.
“I haven’t always successfully made choices in my work that are aligned with my personal taste,” Olsen said, adding that she often finds herself trying to prove her artistic identity in professional meetings. “Because I’ve spent so many years doing Marvel, all the other jobs I do now have to reflect my personal taste even more.”
Despite her massive success in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Olsen explained that she gravitates toward very different kinds of storytelling as a viewer. “As much as I love being a part of this world — and I’m proud of what I’ve done with the character — it’s not really the kind of art I consume,” she admitted.
Olsen made her Marvel debut in the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and went on to feature in several blockbusters, including Avengers: Age of Ultron, Infinity War, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the acclaimed Disney+ series WandaVision, which earned her an Emmy nomination.
Speaking about why she joined the MCU initially, Olsen said: “I thought they were such great Greek-type scale stories that reflected politics and culture in a lovely way.”
However, the MCU has become increasingly divisive in Hollywood, especially as actors debate whether to join superhero franchises. Olsen acknowledged this shift, saying, “In the last 10 years, it’s become like a hot take whether an actor says they’d do a Marvel movie or not.”
At last year’s Vulture Festival, Olsen shared that her Marvel roles gave her professional consistency and the freedom to pursue passion projects. “It has always felt like a choice,” she said. “Every time I’ve returned, it’s because there was a character-driven reason — not just to throw her in.”
Fans can listen to Elizabeth Olsen’s full interview on the Wild Card With Rachel Martin podcast, available now.