MCU Characters Played By More Than One Actor

Marvel Studios made cinematic history by linking the stories of over a half dozen different franchises into a larger narrative. Has it always been perfect? Have there been no inconsistencies whatsoever? No and no, but considering the MCU has existed for over a decade and includes more than 20 movies, the narrative's cohesion and consistency is pretty impressive. 

One challenge the filmmakers have had to face that the comic book creators were spared from is the challenge of keeping consistent talent. After all, if the late Stan Lee or a subsequent Editor in Chief wanted Captain America to guest star in an issue of Doctor Strange, they just had the creative team of Doctor Strange include Captain America. If Marvel Studios wants Cap to show up in a Doctor Strange movie, they need to make sure Chris Evans is agreeable, that it works with his schedule, they'll need to negotiate money, they should probably make sure that Benedict Cumberbatch isn't rubbed the wrong way by another leading man edging in on his playground, etc. 

So in some cases actors have had to be replaced. Some were leading actors, some changes were less noticeable, and some were changed because the characters' initial appearance didn't actually reveal their faces. And some characters have always, by necessity, been played by more than one actor. To know what we're talking about, here's a look at the MCU characters who have been played by more than one actor. 

Toward the end of 2008's Iron Man, James Rhodes — then played by Terrence Howard — famously looks back at the earlier, unfinished version of the Iron Man suit in Tony Stark's workroom and says, "Next time, baby." Unfortunately while the next time came for Rhodey, for Howard it wasn't meant to be. 

Howard wasn't shy about his frustration with both Marvel and co-star Robert Downey, Jr. over what happened. On a 2013 episode of Watch What Happens Live, Howard said he initially signed a three-picture deal with Marvel, but that for Iron Man 2 the studio wanted to renegotiate and pay the actor one-eighth of what was originally promised. He also said he called Downey for support and guidance, but implied the actor avoided him. After years of anger, however, Howard and Downey mended fences. In 2017 Howard said he and Downey were friends again because "We just realized that life is too short."

Speaking of time being short, Don Cheadle didn't get long to decide whether to replace Howard. In 2019, Cheadle told Variety that Downey and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige called him while he was at his daughter's birthday party to offer him the role of James Rhodes, and that he had an hour to decide. Cheadle told Variety's Marc Malkin, "I said, 'Well, I'm at my daughter's birthday party.' They said, 'Oh, take two hours.'"

The swashbuckling Fandral of Asgard's Warriors Three was minor enough of a character in 2010's Thor that some fans watching 2013's Thor: The Dark World didn't even notice the dashing swordsman was being played by a different actor. Unfortunately, as fun as being a part of Asgard might have been, a different fantasy world took the original Fandral away from Thor's hometown.  

Josh Dallas plays Fandral in Thor, but circumstances led him to bow out of the sequel. Starting the year after Thor hit theaters, Dallas landed a role alternating between David Nolan and Prince Charming on the ABC fantasy drama Once Upon a Time. He had nothing but good things to say about his time as Fandral, but said the shooting schedules between Thor and Once Upon a Time simply didn't allow for him to do both.  

Thor: The Dark World saw Zachary Levi taking over the role of Fandral. He reprised the role in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, though sadly not for long. Along with the other Warriors Three, Fandral is killed by Hela (Cate Blanchett) early in the film. About a month after the release of Ragnarok, Levi expressed regret that Fandral's last words were cut, too. Speaking at a panel at the Heroes and Villains Fan Fest, Levi said when the scene was shot, he charged Hela yelling "For Asgard!" but his battle cry ended up getting edited out. 

Appearing in four movies as the Mad Titan Thanos, Josh Brolin's performance as the ultimate villain of the MCU's Infinity Saga is an unquestionable triumph. As Marvel president Kevin Feige said about the choice to cast Brolin in the role, "He could be Thanos without any effects. He has that kind of face and that kind of gravitas." Brolin proved so perfect for the role that you could be easily forgiven for forgetting that it wasn't him playing Thanos when the villain shows up in the mid-credits scene of 2012's Avengers. 

Perhaps best known as Duprez on HBO's vampire drama True Blood, Damion Poitier plays Thanos in that brief game-changing mid-credits scene. And according to Poitier, he didn't even find out he was playing Thanos until he was literally in the makeup chair. The actor told GeeksWorldWide (via ComicBookMovie) that — largely because of rumors that Loki's army would be made up of the shape-shifting Skrulls — he thought he would be playing the Super-Skrull, an old Fantastic Four villain. 

While that brief profile shot was Poitier's only appearance as Thanos, it wasn't his last time in the MCU. Poitier enjoys a minor speaking role as one of Crossbones' henchmen in the beginning of Captain America: Civil War. 

Don't worry, Tom Hiddeston fans — we're not announcing any new casting changes for your favorite god of lies. It just so happens that one of Loki's more fun magical tricks — his ability to disguise himself as just about whoever he chooses — has made it necessary for other leading men to play Thor's adoptive brother.

As perfect as Anthony Hopkins was in the role of Odin in the first three Thor films, he's never funnier in the franchise than early in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok. Having been replaced by Loki at the end of 2013's Thor: The Dark World, Odin is still missing and Loki is masquerading as his adoptive father. We see a very funny version of Odin or a very strange-looking version of Loki — depending on how you look at it — that only ends once Thor threatens the pretender with his hammer.

Earlier than that is one of the best cameos in the history of the MCU. In The Dark World, Loki briefly assumes the appearance of Captain America. After the movie's release, Hiddleston told MTV the hilarious story behind the cameo. Hiddleston did everything you see Evans do in the movie, including wearing Cap's suit and carrying his shield. Then Evans watched the recording of Hiddleston's performance and did everything the Loki actor did. Or, as Hiddleston put it, "It's him doing an impression of me doing an impression of him. And it's brilliant."

The MCU includes characters a bit more physically, well... impossible than in other films. As such, there are some characters you need more than one person to play at the same time. Such a beast is the antisocial Rocket made famous by the first two Guardians of the Galaxy films. 

Most people think of Rocket as the product of Bradley Cooper's acting and while Cooper is the voice of Rocket, in just about every other way other than the CGI renderings themselves, credit goes to Sean Gunn. During a 2017 Facebook Live session, Guardians writer/director James Gunn dealt with the misconception that his brother is a stand-in for Rocket. "Sean Gunn is not a stand-in," James said. "He is a motion reference actor. That means we film everything Sean does on set as Rocket... I don't stop doing takes of him until we get the performance right." 

Speaking to EW in 2018, the Gunn brothers said a lot of what makes Sean perfect for the role is his flexibility. James told a story about his brother, at 12 years old, "fitting himself through a wire hanger without bending it," Sean confirmed that had a lot to do with why he could play Rocket.  "I can crouch down and even walk [on all fours] without too much trouble," Sean Gunn said. "I don't think many other actors would be able to do the physical part of it."