Jenna Ortega Jokes About Tiny MCU Role in Iron Man 3: 'They Took All My Lines Out'

Did you catch Jenna Ortega's fleeting appearance in Iron Man 3? It's easy to miss; a quick scene featuring a very young Ortega in a wheelchair. The now 22-year-old star of Netflix's Wednesday and the upcoming Beetlejuice 2 made her film debut at age 11 in the 2013 Marvel film. Her brief MCU moment shows Miguel Ferrer's Vice President Rodriguez kissing his daughter on the forehead during a Christmas scene. The camera then pans down to reveal his daughter, played by Ortega, is wheelchair-bound due to an amputated limb.

Twelve years later, Ortega jokingly reflected on her Iron Man 3 experience with Entertainment Weekly, mentioning how Marvel significantly cut her role. “I did it once,” she said. “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 (Ant-Man), playfully suggested a potential MCU return: “And so it might very well be that you come back,” Rudd said, “that they are going to create something for you, ’cause they should be so lucky to have Jenna Ortega in their franchise.”

What Are The Best MCU Movies and Shows?

Pick a winner

Ortega, however, downplayed her initial appearance: “They even took my name away,” she added. “I’m really… but I just… I count that, and then I move on.”

In reality, Ortega was a child actor cast in a role that likely held more prominence initially but was significantly reduced in the final theatrical cut. Ironically, that child actor has become one of the most sought-after performers globally over a decade later. A future MCU role for Ortega seems entirely plausible.

While Iron Man 3 is considered one of the weaker MCU films, it was a box office triumph, grossing over $1.2 billion worldwide. It ranks as the ninth highest-grossing superhero film of all time, surpassing films like Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Captain Marvel. The MCU landscape was vastly different then; superhero films face a more challenging financial environment today. Ortega's presence in a modern MCU project could potentially boost its success.

The question remains: which MCU character would be the perfect fit for her?