Elizabeth Olsen said she would love ‘to load up other films and characters’ during her break from playing the sorceress.
Say what? Elizabeth Olsen has become one of the most beloved faces of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), who she first portrayed in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. She also brought the character to life in her own television show, WandaVision, and blockbuster films such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the Avengers movies. Despite her success, the 34-year-old actress revealed in a June 12 interview that she doesn’t care if she ever returns to the role.
She made the shocking revelation during a June chat with Meghann Fahy for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series after the White Lotus star asked if she misses playing the powerful sorceress. “No, I don’t,” Elizabeth bluntly replied. “I think it’s been almost 10 years of playing her. And I’ve loved it. And I think the reason why I am not calling [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige every day with ideas is because I’m really proud of what we were able to do.”
Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch (Photo: Everett Collection/Marvel Studios)(
“I think WandaVision was a really surprising opportunity,” Elizabeth went on, making her appreciation for the role known. “If someone were to tell me that I’m fired from Marvel movies, I will feel proud of what we made. And I really am just trying to figure out how to load up other films and characters so it becomes less about the Marvel of it all.”
The last time Elizabeth played the Scarlet Witch was in 2022’s Doctor Strange and there are no announced plans for her tor return to an upcoming Marvel film. After Doctor Strange, Elizabeth portrayed Candy Montgomery in the true crime drama, Love & Death. Elizabeth explained that playing Candy was a refreshing break from the Scarlet Witch. “I think I had the summer off or something before going into Candy. I was really hungry to put that character [Wanda] away, even though they could arguably be compared, because they both do bad things and they’re antiheroes in a way,” she noted. “I don’t make that comparison. But I understand why people want to make the comparisons.”
Elizabeth Olsen began playing the Scarlet Witch in 2014 (Photo: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection)
Earlier this year, Elizabeth said she hopes the Scarlet Witch has a future story after she seemingly died in Doctor Strange. “Yes I hope [we will see more of her],” she said during an April appearance on TODAY. “I have no idea. When I say that, it’s not because I have a loaded answer,” she clarified. “It’s because I say, ‘Yes I hope so,’ and I mean it at face value.”
Plus, in March, the Wind River actress said she has some plans for her character if she gets to play her again. “I feel like we’ve done so much. Now, we can really have fun; I feel like there’s a lot more humor to be had with her,” she told ScreenRant. “She’s often the emotion of a story, and I’m curious to see what we can explore. And hopefully [we can] give her some redemption.”
