Jenna Ortega has a pretty blunt reason for why she isn’t actively trying to land a role in a Marvel movie: in her mind, she already checked that box years ago, even if audiences barely noticed it. While promoting her new project, Ortega revealed she had an early on-screen appearance in Iron Man 3, but says the final cut removed her dialogue entirely.
Ortega shared the story in an interview where she was asked whether she’d ever want to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a bigger way. Her answer was immediate: she did it once, and it didn’t exactly go how she expected. “They took all my lines out,” she said, describing her appearance as a brief moment on screen where she “takes up the frame” while playing the vice president’s daughter, who uses a wheelchair.
What stung more, Ortega added, is that the cut went beyond dialogue. She said Marvel “even took my name away,” referencing how minor roles can end up uncredited or credited generically after edits. Entertainment Weekly notes she’s listed only as “Vice President’s Granddaughter,” underscoring how small the part ultimately became in the finished movie.
The moment became even funnier because Ortega’s co-star Paul Rudd (who’s played Ant-Man across multiple MCU films) reportedly pushed back a little, suggesting Marvel has a habit of planting seeds and bringing characters back later. Ortega didn’t bite. Her vibe was basically: that was my Marvel experience, I count it, and I’ve moved on.
Ortega’s comments landed because they cut through the usual “maybe someday” Hollywood talk. Instead of campaigning for a superhero slot, she framed the MCU as something she already brushed up against early in her career, and not something she feels she needs to chase now, especially after being edited down to a near-silent cameo.
