The Disney Channel Movie You Likely Didn't Know Featured A WandaVision Star
Disney+'s nine-episode limited series "WandaVision" had a decent reception when it came out, bringing with it an homage to sitcoms from yesteryear along with all the requisite Marvel Easter eggs and the surprise return of characters from earlier films — like Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings), who had previously been seen in 2011's "Thor" and 2013's "Thor: The Dark World."
Darcy started her Marvel Cinematic Universe journey as a political science student at Culver University, interning for astrophysicist Erik Selvig and acting as Jane Foster's (Natalie Portman) assistant. By the second "Thor" film she'd gotten an intern of her own, but was still providing comic relief in her role as Jane's quippy sidekick. Between that film and her getting recruited by S.W.O.R.D. in "WandaVision" to figure out what was happening in Westview, Darcy got her own degree in astrophysics. She and Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) developed an on-screen rapport that had fans on Twitter asking for the two to get their own Marvel project.
Dennings, who may not be in the upcoming "Thor: Love and Thunder," told Extra during an interview during "WandaVision"'s run that she had done "some things for Marvel that are coming out that are not this." She was probably referring to Darcy's return in "What If..." later in the year, but fans can hope the plural means this isn't the last you'll see of the character.
However, if you didn't know who Dennings was prior to 2011, you may have forgotten that she had already been part of Disney's media empire, thanks to a Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM).
Dennings starred in 'The Scream Team' on Disney Channel in 2002
Dennings started her television career with a spot on "Sex in the City" in 1999, and then moved to Los Angeles when she was 14 (via Backstage, posted on YouTube). In 2002, one of her early roles was in a Halloween-themed DCOM called "The Scream Team." She stars as Claire Carlyle, a teen whose grandfather has just died. She and her brother Ian (Mark Rendall) discover that Grandpa Frank (Gary Reineke) can't cross over to the afterlife because an evil ghost, Zachariah Kull (Kim Coates), has taken his life force. With help from a motley crew of ghosts who work for the North American Zone 6 Soul Retrieval Center, they try to save the souls Zachariah has stolen.
Popsugar called the TV movie "surprisingly terrifying" but with a "hilarious cast." It also starred Eric Idle, Kathy Najimy, and Tommy Davidson as ghosts. Vulture put it at No. 2 on its list of best Disney Halloween movies, behind "Halloweentown 2: Kalabar's Revenge." The publication said, "It has an arch sense of humor and a cast of comedy heavy hitters that elevate the material."
The actress' early exposure to being part of a Disney project may not necessary have led to her role in a Marvel movie, but it couldn't have hurt. She worked regularly afterward in projects like 2004's "Raise Your Voice," in which she starred opposite Disney's Hillary Duff, 2005's "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," and 2008's "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" (she played Norah). Today, fans may also know her from CBS' "2 Broke Girls" and Hulu's "Dollface."