Jenna Ortega on Her Small MCU Role: 'They Cut All My Lines'

Do you remember seeing Jenna Ortega in Iron Man 3? You might have missed her blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene, where the young actress, now known for her role in Netflix's Wednesday and the upcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie, made her film debut at the age of 11. In Iron Man 3, released in 2013, Ortega briefly appears as the daughter of Vice President Rodriguez, played by Miguel Ferrer. In the scene, Rodriguez kisses his daughter on the forehead during a Christmas family gathering, and the camera pans down to show Ortega in a wheelchair due to a lost limb.

Fast forward to 12 years later, Ortega reflected on her MCU stint in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. She humorously noted that her role was significantly cut down, stating, "I did it once. 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 plays Ant-Man in the MCU, playfully suggested that her brief appearance might lead to something bigger, saying, "And so it might very well be that you come back, that they are going to create something for you, 'cause they should be so lucky to have Jenna Ortega in their franchise."

Ortega, however, cast doubt on any potential return, jokingly adding, "They even took my name away. I'm really… but I just… I count that, and then I move on."

Originally, Ortega's role might have been intended as a subplot, but it was reduced to almost nothing in the final cut of Iron Man 3. Despite this, Ortega has since become one of the most recognizable actors globally. If Marvel Studios were to consider a new role for her in the MCU, it's likely she would be open to the idea.

While Iron Man 3 may be considered one of the weaker entries in the MCU, it was a massive commercial success, grossing $1.2 billion worldwide and ranking as the ninth highest-grossing superhero film of all time. This was during a different era for the MCU, and today's superhero movies face a more challenging market. If Ortega were to join the current MCU, her star power could potentially help boost box office performance.

The question remains: which character would she be a perfect fit for?