Jenna Ortega Reveals MCU Role Cut: 'All My Lines Removed from Iron Man 3'

Do you remember seeing Jenna Ortega in Iron Man 3? You'd be forgiven for forgetting her blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene where a very young Ortega appears in a wheelchair.

The 22-year-old star of Netflix's Wednesday series and the upcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie actually made her film debut at the age of 11 in a minor role in 2013's Iron Man 3. Ortega's brief appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe features Miguel Ferrer's Vice President Rodriguez, who has just had a stark conversation with Iron Man over the phone, kissing his daughter on the forehead during a Christmas family function. The camera then pans down to reveal that the daughter, played by Ortega, is wheelchair-bound as a result of a lost limb.

Jenna Ortega in Iron Man 3. Image credit: Marvel Studios.

Now, 12 years after Iron Man 3 hit theaters, Ortega was asked by Entertainment Weekly about her experience in the MCU. She humorously reflected on her brief appearance and how Marvel Studios had significantly cut down her role.

"I did it once," Ortega 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, who is known for playing Ant-Man in the MCU, also chimed in, jokingly suggesting that Marvel might create a bigger role for Ortega in the future.

"And so it might very well be that you come back," Rudd continued, "that they are going to create something for you, 'cause they should be so lucky to have Jenna Ortega in their franchise."

Casting doubt on the possibility, Ortega concluded her reflection on Iron Man 3: "They even took my name away," she interjected. "I'm really... but I just... I count that, and then I move on." Ah well.

In truth, Ortega was cast as a child actor in a role that was likely intended to be a subplot but ended up being reduced to almost nothing in the final cut of Iron Man 3. It just so happened that this particular child actor grew up to become one of the most famous actors on the planet over a decade later. If Marvel Studios had a new MCU role for Ortega in mind, she'd certainly consider it.

If Jenna Ortega did return to the MCU, which character should she play? Photo by Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty Images.

While Iron Man 3 is often considered one of the weaker MCU movies, it was a massive hit at the box office, grossing over $1.2 billion globally. 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 was in a very different place back then, and today's superhero movies face a tougher challenge to achieve similar box office success. If Ortega were to return to the MCU, her star power could potentially boost Marvel's fortunes.

But which character would she be a perfect fit for?