Jenna Ortega Already Appeared in the MCU 11 Years Ago

Jenna Ortega has steadily established herself as one of Hollywood’s most talented and captivating performers, with the 22-year-old actress demonstrating her universal appeal in cinematic knockouts like Scream, X, Miller’s Girl, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and as the macabre-loving Wednesday Addams in the Netflix juggernaut Wednesday. Ortega has been nominated for countless accolades like a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy, and has also been included in Forbes’ prestigious 30 Under 30 list in 2024.

Though she has now become synonymous with being one of the entertainment industry’s most beloved scream queens, Ortega actually got her start in a completely different genre: superhero. Ortega was just 11-years-old when she made her dazzling feature film debut in the blockbuster hit Iron Man 3 in 2013, appearing in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role as the Vice President’s daughter. Even the actress’ most devoted fans may not have realized she joined the MCU over a decade ago; let’s explore the nature and impact of her small but crucial role.

The Actress’ Electrifying Hollywood Takeover

The dynamic and extremely talented Jenna Ortega is undeniably one of Hollywood’s most sensational young performers, with the 22-year-old actress showcasing her range and widespread allure in every role she tackles. Though Ortega first began to achieve recognition with appearances in the Disney comedy Stuck in the Middle and in the chilling thriller series You, she skyrocketed to superstardom when she dazzled audiences as the morbid and defiant outcast Wednesday Addams in the Netflix juggernaut Wednesday.

Ortega teamed up with the King of Goth Tim Burton for the spellbinding supernatural mystery, which shattered ratings records upon its worldwide debut and racked up a total of 341 million viewing hours in just its first week of release, holding the record for the most hours viewed for an English program in a week. Ortega was the recipient of numerous accolades, like a Saturn Award, and also received both a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy nomination for her career-defining performance, helping the series become a certified streaming knockout and a bona fide cultural phenomenon.

The celebrated actress continued her phenomenal Hollywood takeover when she joined the Scream franchise as Tara Carpenter, becoming a fan-favorite in the slasher series and subsequently appearing in the horror hit X. Dubbed “Gen Z’s scream queen,” Ortega embraced the illustrious label and shared the screen with cinema greats Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara in the comedy horror hit Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to the ’88 classic that went on to gross over $450 million worldwide. The sky is truly the limit for the young performer, who shows no signs of slowing down on the big screen.

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Jenna Ortega’s Small Yet Impactful Iron Man 3 Role

Despite the gifted actress becoming a staple on both the big and small screen over the last few years, even her most passionate fans may not realize that Ortega made her epic film debut in a little Marvel film called Iron Man 3. The blockbuster superhero spectacle once again featured Robert Downey Jr. as the self-proclaimed genius, philanthropist, and Avengers leader Tony Stark, as he fights to stop a national terrorism campaign led by the mysterious and diabolical Mandarin.

Ortega’s extremely brief-yet-important role as the daughter of the Vice President of the United States may have been a blink-and-you’ll-miss it appearance, but it did ultimately serve the storyline in the entertaining flick. Vice President Rodriguez (Miguel Ferrer) becomes embroiled with Mandarin A.K.A. Aldrich Killian in the sequel, in order to help his beloved young daughter, who had unfortunately lost her leg. Rodriguez wanted to work with Killian’s organization Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M) in hopes of healing his daughter like Killian did himself through the use of the Extremis virus and its regenerative healing qualities.

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Though Ortega was on-screen for, at most, 30 seconds, landing a role in the MCU was no small feat, and she made the most of her short appearance, with her character serving as a major catalyst for the thrilling events in the movie. The fact that she was just 11 when made her cinematic debut in the billion dollar-earning picture is downright dazzling, and now that audiences are rediscovering the fact that Ortega joined the MCU back in 2013, it is reigniting their desire to see the actress either reprise her role or portray a brand-new persona.

The MCU Could Easily Bring Ortega Back

Fans have been buzzing over the potential chance of Jenna Ortega returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the actress either returning as the original character she portrayed or joining the groundbreaking franchise as a bigger and more prominent figure. Now that she has emerged as a bona fide leading lady, Ortega easily has the star power and fanbase to headline a Marvel movie or at the very least appear in a supporting role, and there’s no denying she’s got the acting chops and charisma to carry a superhero flick. In fact, the internet has already made up their collective mind over who Ortega could play: White Tiger.

The fifth incarnation of fierce and formidable hero, Ava Ayala, is the sister of Hector Ayala and inherited the mystical White Tiger amulet from her brother, with the necklace giving her wondrous powers and abilities like superhuman strength, sharp claws, and regenerative healing. The late and great Kamar de los Reyes will be portraying Hector/White Tiger in the upcoming Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again, and it wouldn’t be far-fetched to have the character potentially pass the superhero baton to his sister Ava after his outing as the hero, thus opening the door for Ortega to embody the fearless heroine.

Stream Iron Man 3 on Disney+.