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 (MCU) appearance shows Miguel Ferrer's Vice President Rodriguez, who's 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 getting into the MCU. She humorously reflected on her appearance in Iron Man 3 and how Marvel Studios had significantly cut it down.

“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, chimed in with a similar jest about Marvel’s tendency to lay character breadcrumbs that could lead to something bigger and better.

“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 truth, Ortega was cast as a child actor in a role that was likely more of a subplot at first, but became nearly non-existent when 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 had a new MCU role for Ortega in mind, she’d certainly consider it.

While Iron Man 3 is considered one of the weaker MCU movies, it was a smash hit at the box office, bringing in a staggering $1.2 billion globally. Iron Man 3 is, in fact, the ninth highest-grossing superhero film of all time, ahead of 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 nowadays have a much tougher time bringing in the big bucks. Perhaps if Ortega were to be parachuted into the current MCU, she might help Marvel out with that.

But which character would she be a perfect fit for?