WandaVision's Elizabeth Olsen says Marvel films are "not really the art I consume"
Olsen gained worldwide recognition for her roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Elizabeth Olsen has described how her own taste in film doesn't always align with her roles, particularly in reference to her work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Appearing on NPR’s Wild Card With Rachel Martin podcast, Olsen said of her Marvel role as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch: “I think I haven’t always successfully made choices in my work that are aligned with my personal taste and that is something I feel like I’m still trying to prove when I meet people.
“Especially if it’s a work type meeting and be able to express my personal taste in films and literature, and so I still think I have that to prove.”
She went on: “Because I have spent so many years doing Marvel that I feel like all the other jobs I have to do have to really reflect my personal taste because as much as I love being a part of this world — and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to do with the character — it’s not really the art that I consume. Which I have been very honest about.”
More recently, Olsen has starred in independent films like His Three Daughters and The Assessment, having last starred as her MCU character in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Speaking about joining the MCU in the first place, Olsen said: "I thought they were such great Greek-type scale stories that reflected politics, culture in a really lovely way.
“And so I felt really proud to jump into it. And then, within the last 10 years, it’s taken on this narrative of like, it’s like a hot take, whether an actor says they want to, they would never do a Marvel movie or not.”
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Olsen's character is arguably one of the biggest in the MCU, having starred in numerous films and her own hit series WandaVision, which gave fans further insight into her character and has left many pining for more.
Olsen initially debuted as Scarlet With in a post-credits scene in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier before going on to star in Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015, Captain America: Civil War in 2016 and then the resulting Avengers movies.
She is set to reprise her role as Wanda/Scarlet Witch – although in a voice acting capacity only – in the upcoming animated Marvel Zombies series.
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Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
