© DisneySoem Marvel actors have been in more than one film as more than one MCU character - Gemma Chan, Martin Starr, even Chris Hemsworth
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of a plethora of not only superheroes but also ordinary folks whose faces have come to delight us whenever they appear on screen. But as the universe - soon to be multiverse - grows, there's been a perhaps unsurprising trend: familiar faces cropping up where they shouldn't be.
When Gemma Chan was announced as the de facto lead of the upcoming Eternals movie, it caused some people to scratch their heads. She had just starred in Captain Marvel - not just cameoed but properly featured as a named character in a supporting, but important, role.
Who else has doubled up their character-time in the MCU? Read on to find out.
Gemma Chan
© Marvel StudiosGemma Chan as Sersi in Marvel's Eternals
As we just mentioned, the inspiration for our research into this casting phenomenon was Gemma Chan, the star of Eternals. She plays Sersi in the Chloe Zhao directed Phase 4 film. But she previously appeared as Doctor Minerva in Captain Marvel. Yes, she may have been covered in blue paint, but it was undeniably and recognisably her.
Laura Haddock
Laura Haddock is known most prominently in the MCU as Meredith Quill, mother of Star-Lord Peter Quill. But Haddock also appeared in Captain America: First Avenger, which took place during World War II, as a fangirl asking Cap for his autograph. If she was meant to be Meredith Quill in that film (which we know she wasn't) that would make her the slowest ageing human on Earth. Next to Cap that is. And Keanu Reeves.
James Gunn jokingly 'confirmed' a fan theory that the woman Haddock plays is actually Peter Quill's grandmother (i.e., Meredith's mother). Identical mother-daughters? Sure, James, sure.
Kenneth Choi
© Sony PicturesKenneth Choi as the principal in Spider-Man Homecoming
Kenneth Choi is perhaps best known as Peter Parker's principal in the Spider-Man films (which we concede aren't Disney movies, but are most certainly part of the MCU) but he also starred as one of the Howling Commandos in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Alfre Woodard
© Marvel StudiosAlfre Woodard in Captain America Civil War as Miriam Sharpe
Bonafide StarT? Alfre Woodard has had two Marvel roles. Though it's another slight branch out from the MCU itself, Woodard featured in both Captain America: Civil War and Marvel's Netflix show Luke Cage. Speaking of which...
Mahershala Ali
© Netflix - Marvel StudiosMahershala Ali in Luke Cage
The Moonlight star is about to take on the eponymous Blade aka Eric Brooks, but he too appeared in the Luke Cage TV show on Netflix as the baddie Cornell Stokes.
Martin Starr
© Marvel Studios - Sony PicturesMartin Starr as Roger Harrington in Spider-man: Homecoming
Like Laura Haddock's duplicate appearance being 'retconned' by James Gunn, Martin Starr's role as the beloved and bumbling Mr Harrington was later confirmed to be the same 'computer nerd' character he was credited as in The Incredible Hulk.
Michelle Yeoh
© Marvel StudiosMichelle Yeoh in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
Before she was cast in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Michelle Yeoh cameoed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Aleta Ogord, one of the original members of the team in the Guardians comics. Now she's starring in an unconfirmed role in Shang-Chi.
Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth
© @chrishemsworth - InstagramChris Hemsworth and Taika Waititi
Yep! We all know that in addition to directing Thor: Ragnarok, and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, Waititi voiced Korg. But he also voiced one of the heads of Hajo, the three-headed gladiator.
And yes, Thor himself lent his voice to the other head - the right head, to be precise.
The first Phase 4 movie will be Black Widow is out in cinemas and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 9.
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