Why The Falcon And The Winter Soldier's Karli Morgenthau Looks So Familiar
A new episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has arrived on Disney+. The second episode of season 1, titled "The Star Spangled Man," further develops life in the MCU after the blip. John Walker (Wyatt Russell) adjusts to becoming the new replacement for Captain America, while Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) finally team up again. This time, they're fighting the rebel group the Flag Smashers. The show hasn't revealed too much about the group yet, but this episode has introduced one key detail, and that's Karli Morgenthau.
Played by Erin Kellyman, Karli is the leader, or a key figure, of the Flag-Smashers anarchist organization in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The character is based off of Karl Morgenthau, also known by his alter-ego Flag-Smasher, from the Marvel comics. The son of a rich banker, Karl becomes a member of the Underground Liberated Totally Integrated Mobile Army To Unite Mankind, or U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. for short, a terrorist organization unknowingly funded by the Red Skull. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is likely to change a few things about the character in the TV series, so fans have yet to see who Karli really is.
For some The Falcon and the Winter Soldier viewers, Kellyman may be a familiar face. The young British actress hasn't had many roles yet, but the few she has had are quite memorable. Check out the biggest roles of Kellyman's career so far.
Erin Kellyman played Enfys Nest in Solo: A Star Wars Story
It's hard to believe that Kellyman's first film role was in Solo: A Star Wars Story, but it's true. The actress played the role of Enfys Nest, who actually has a lot in common with her The Falcon and the Winter Soldier character. Nest is a resistance fighter and the leader of a group of pirates and rebels called the Cloud-Riders. She has a strong reputation, fighting with the Cloud-Riders against the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate. Similar to Karli and the Flag-Smasher's mask, Nest wears an iconic and intimidating helmet.
In Solo: A Star Wars Story, Nest has a run-in with Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) while unsuccessfully trying to steal a shipment of hyperfuel called coaxium. Eventually, they realize that they are on the same side trying to take down the Crimson Dawn, and Enfys works with Solo and Beckett to finally steal the coaxium and give it to the rising rebellion. According to writer Jon Kasdan's Twitter, Nest is inspired by Arya Stark of Game of Thrones, played by Maisie Williams. The character's storyline also has direct ties to Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and her fight with the resistance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Many fans found Nest to be one of the more complex and interesting aspects of Solo: A Star Wars Story and would love to see the character again in another Star Wars movie or TV series.
Erin Kellyman played Éponine in BBC's latest adaptation of Les Misérables
In 2018, Kellyman played Éponine, the well-loved character from the famous Victor Hugo novel, Les Misérables. The story has been adapted many times over the years, on stage, in film, and now on television. Éponine is a young girl who has a well-off childhood before her family goes bankrupt. In her teenage years, Éponine lives a tough, impoverished life, as her father turns to crime. The one bright spot of her existence is Marius, played by Josh O'Connor, but he is in love with Cosette, played by Ellie Bamber. The BBC series and Éponine's story end in the same tragic way Les Misérables does, with Éponine sacrificing herself to save Marius.
The 2018 miniseries consists of six episodes, and although the drama adaptation cuts out all the singing normally seen in Les Misérables, it doesn't appear to be a hindrance to the story in any way. The cast consists of Dominic West as Jean Valjean, David Oyelowo as Javert, Lily Collins as Fantine, and Olivia Coleman as Madame Thénardier. Les Misérables received mostly positive reviews, earning an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Critics Consensus states that the new adaptation "affords viewers a newfound intimacy with these outcasts and revolutionaries, who are ably brought to life by a star-studded cast."
The UK series Life starred Erin Kellyman as Maya Stone
The 2020 BBC series Life focuses on an apartment building in Manchester and the many inhabitants that live there. The series is a spin-off of sorts from writer Mike Bartlett's previous show, Doctor Foster. Life has six episodes, the norm for most British television series.
Also starring Alison Steadman, Adrian Lester, and Rachel Stirling, Kellyman plays a character named Maya Stone, a 15-year-old girl who feels misunderstood by everyone around her. Her mother, Ruth (Susannah Fielding), is dealing with intense mental health issues and the two have a strenuous relationship. Victoria Hamilton plays Belle Stone, a character carried over from Doctor Foster, who is Maya's aunt. After a suicide attempt lands Ruth in the hospital for treatment, Belle must take Maya in, adding the teenager's issues to her own.
Although many stated that Life isn't as good as Doctor Foster, the series got a relatively good response from critics. In a review for The Guardian, Ellen E Jones wrote that "the ways in which the four main residents are isolated, despite their proximity, and eventually find ways to connect across dividing walls are what provide the story's foundations." She calls Kellyman's character Maya "headstrong," pushing Belle's limit as she recovers from alcoholism.
Next, Erin Kellyman will play Winfred in The Green Knight
After The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Kellyman's next role is that of Winfred in the film The Green Knight starring Dev Patel as Sir Gawain. The film was originally supposed to be released in May of 2020, but it got repeatedly delayed because of the pandemic. Thankfully, The Green Knight is finally back on schedule, with a new release date of July 30, 2021. Along with Patel and Kellyman, the film stars Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, and Barry Keoghan.
As A24's website describes, "An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur's reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men." The movie is written and directed by David Lowery, the man behind Disney's live-action Pete's Dragon, the indie drama A Ghost Story, and the upcoming Disney live-action Peter Pan & Wendy, currently filming.
Kellyman's role of Winfred isn't a familiar one. With not much information to go on, it is unclear if her character is based on any figures from Authurian legend or if Winfred is a new creation. After The Green Knight, Kellyman has another big project on the horizon, playing Jade in the Willow TV adaptation.