The Marvel Superhero You Likely Forgot Umbrella Academy's Genesis Rodriguez Played
The Netflix adaptation of "The Umbrella Academy" had quite the uphill battle to fight, seeing as it's a comic book property not affiliated with Marvel or DC. Nevertheless, the live-action take on Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá's niche Dark Horse Comics title pulled numerous subscribers in when it debuted in 2019 and has since amassed a huge fanbase. As a result, it has expanded to three seasons with little sign of slowing down. After all, who doesn't love a dysfunctional family drama mixed with off-the-wall superhero hijinks all wrapped in a visually striking yet gloomy aesthetic?
Of course, much of the allure of "The Umbrella Academy" stems from its cast, which is comprised largely of the late Sir Reginald Hargreeves' (Colm Feore) super-powered children. The series follows their adventures in solving the mystery behind his demise, all while attempting to find common ground with one another. However, as we learn at the end of Season 2 and will see in Season 3, this isn't the case in all other timelines. In fact, Reginald survived in one and founded the Sparrow Academy: another set of his children who mirror the Umbrella Academy yet aren't totally the same.
Genesis Rodriguez joined the "Umbrella Academy" cast as Sparrow Academy member Sloane Hargreeves for Season 3, though this isn't her first foray into the superhero genre. She's even played a Marvel character in the past.
Rodriguez has voiced Honey Lemon in the Big Hero 6 franchise
Inspired by the Marvel-published comic book series of the same name, the Pixar favorite "Big Hero 6" premiered in 2014 and showcased a crew of novice superheroes determined to save the world from evil. Among the likes of Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter), Baymax (Scott Adsit), and Go Go (Jamie Chung) was Honey Lemon: a scientifically-inclined optimist who uses her chemistry skills to help out her teammates in battle. Genesis Rodriguez voices the character in the film and the "Kingdom Hearts III" video game, as well as on "Big Chibi 6: The Shorts" and "Big Hero 6: The Series."
Considering the massive reach of Marvel media these days, it should come as no surprise that Genesis Rodriguez had the chance to join that universe before becoming a part of "The Umbrella Academy." At the same time, it shouldn't come as a shock that she's not the only cast member from the Netflix hit that has joined the Marvel family. Long before either of the aforementioned projects came together, Elliot Page, who plays Viktor Hargreeves on "The Umbrella Academy," took part in 20th Century Fox's "X-Men" franchise. He appeared in both "X-Men: The Last Stand" and "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (via IMDb).
For the time being, Genesis Rodriguez has only lent her voice to a Marvel character, but perhaps someday, she'll get to star in a live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe installment. Then again, even if she doesn't, at least she has "The Umbrella Academy" to hang her hat on.