Jenna Ortega has taken Hollywood by storm in recent years, becoming one of the most in-demand young actresses with standout roles in Wednesday, Scream, and You.
With her rising star power, it’s no surprise that fans are eager to see her join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
However, what many don’t realize is that she already has appeared in the beloved movie franchise... more than a decade ago!
Jenna Ortega’s Forgotten Marvel Role
During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Ortega was asked about potentially joining the MCU, leading to a surprising revelation.
“I did it once,” Ortega admitted. “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.”
That’s right — before her breakout roles in horror and Netflix hits, a young Ortega appeared in Iron Man 3 in 2013.
She played the daughter of Vice President Rodriguez, a character who, despite her limited screen time, had a key connection to the film’s plot.
In the movie, her character has a disability and is missing a leg, which becomes the driving force behind her father’s secret dealings with the villain Aldrich Killian (played by Guy Pearce). Hoping to use the Extremis project — an advanced form of genetic manipulation — to help his daughter, Vice President Rodriguez aligns himself with Killian in an attempt to overthrow the U.S. government.
Despite the significant implications of her character’s existence, Ortega’s role was so brief that many fans either missed it or have completely forgotten about it.
Why She’s Not Expecting a Return to the MCU
Paul Rudd, who was being interviewed alongside Ortega, seemed hopeful that she could make a return to the franchise, pointing out that Marvel is “very good at like, kind of laying those bread crumbs” for future appearances.
Although many fans want to see Ortega in the MCU, she's actually already appeared. Credit: Gilbert Flores / Getty
“And so it might very well be that you come back,” Rudd said, adding, “They should be so lucky to have Jenna Ortega in their franchise.”
But Ortega doesn’t seem convinced.
“They even took my name away,” she said. “I count that, then I move on.”
Her words suggest she isn’t particularly interested in revisiting her MCU roots, especially since her character didn’t get a major role or even a proper name.
Fans Keep Asking for Jenna in the MCU—Without Realizing She’s Already Been There
Despite her past MCU appearance, fans have continued to campaign for Ortega to join the franchise.
Many have taken to social media to express their hopes of seeing her suit up as a Marvel superhero in the future... seemingly forgetting that she's already appeared in the MCU.
"Expect Jenna Ortega to sign her contract to play a role in the MCU soon," one fan tweeted.
"I wanna see Jenna Ortega in the MCU," another wrote.
A third added, "It’s only a matter of time before Jenna Ortega joins the MCU."
Clearly, many fans are completely unaware that she already had a role in the cinematic universe, even if it was a small one.
Could Marvel Bring Her Back?
While Ortega doesn’t seem eager to return, it wouldn’t be unheard of for Marvel to bring back a former cast member in a new role. Several actors have had multiple stints in the franchise, including Gemma Chan, who first appeared in Captain Marvel before taking on a lead role in Eternals, and Mahershala Ali, who originally played a villain in Luke Cage before being cast as Blade.
With Marvel’s multiverse expanding and more legacy characters returning, it’s entirely possible that Ortega could one day be asked to take on a larger role. Whether she’d accept is another question entirely.
For now, it looks like she’s moved on from her brief MCU debut—whether fans remember it or not.