With the superhero film genre’s popularity increasing at a seemingly exponential rate, it’s clear that moviegoers can’t get enough of comic book action on the big screen - and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is leading the charge with its diverse library of characters. However, admittedly a superhero story would get fairly boring if all we saw were the good guys and bad guys beating each other to a pulp and hanging out by themselves in the scenes in between - which is why much-needed supporting and side characters spice up the narrative. So while heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Guardians of the Galaxy are the main attractions, their allies (and even occasionally enemies) add their own charm through humor, romance, intellect, and general assistance.
We’ve gone ahead and taken a look at the best-supporting characters the MCU has given us over the years. For the purposes of this list, we haven’t chosen any characters who are superheroes/supervillains in their own right or have their own powers - which is why, even though they are great characters, you won’t see War Machine, Falcon, or any of the Asgardians. Fortunately, there are still plenty of unique and important individuals to include. Here are our top 10 picks.
Senator Stern
His accumulated screen time between Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier may only add up to about 10 minutes, but Senator Stern has proven to be one of the more humorous characters the MCU has given us - which is no surprise given that it’s Garry Shandling playing the role. In Iron Man 2, he was determined to take Tony Stark’s armor for the U.S. government and made no secret of his distaste for the industrialist, making it all poetic when he had to pin a medal on him at the end of the movie. However, it was the revelation that he was a Hydra agent in Captain America: The Winter Soldier that not only made him look scummier but also birthed all those "Hail Hydra" memes that followed in the weeks after. That alone warrants a spot on this list.
Eitri
Eitri (Peter Dinklage) is the sole surviving blacksmith at the forge on Nidavellir, but he plays an important role in the MCU as there would be no Stormbreaker for Thor to wield.
Happy Hogan
Jon Favreau did more than just write, direct and produce the first two Iron Man films. He also starred as Tony Stark’s driver/bodyguard Happy Hogan in all three movies in the trilogy and beyond. In Iron Man, his role was tantamount to a cameo with only a few lines, but in the sequels, his role expanded to the point that he saved his boss’s life from Whiplash, (sort of) helped Black Widow at Justin Hammer’s factory, and was nearly killed by Aldrich Killian’s Extremis soldier Eric Savin, and so much more.
Jane Foster
Jane Foster’s profession was changed from nurse to astrophysicist from the comics to the movies, and that decision has proven to be a wise choice. Her astrological studies led to her discovering Thor when he was banished to Earth, and after her defeated the Destroyer and Loki for the first time, she became one of Earth’s leading experts on Asgard. In Thor: The Dark World she even got to wield the power of the Aether - which admittedly caused more harm than good - but by the end of the film it was her intelligence as a scientist that allowed her to help Thor take down the Dark Elf Malekith. She finally returned in Thor: Love & Thunder more powerful than ever.
Howard Stark
Howard Stark, as seen played by Dominic Cooper and John Slattery, automatically gets a spot on this list for giving the world Tony Stark, but on his own he’s proven to be one of the MCU’s most important historical figures. He’s most notable for being one of the main members of Project Rebirth and later giving Captain America his trademark vibranium shield. After helping the Allied forces win World War II and assisting Peggy Carter in retrieving his stolen weapons in Agent Carter, he went on to be one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s founding members and give the world many of its scientific advancements. Who knows what he might have been able to accomplish with today’s technology? Oh, and of course he flaunted the same humor and wit that his son would one day inherit. Basically, what it all boils down to is that it if it weren’t for Howard, we wouldn’t have Captain America and Iron Man.
Peter Wisdom
Peter Wisdom has both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, which doesn't make him a superhero. He is also when of Deadpool's ride or dies after being introduced in Deadpool 2. For that, he deserves everyone's eternal respect. As much respect as Peter gives the sun because melanoma has killed a lot of people.
Yondu
The first Guardians of the Galaxy was full of hilarity, and a fair portion of those funny moments were courtesy of Ravagers leader Yondu Udonta, played by Michael Rooker. The man is neither hero nor villain, only keen on getting the score and living by his own code of honor.
Odin
Sir Anthony Hopkins elevates anything he appears in and the MCU is no exception. It's always a delight to see Odin pop up in one of the Thor movies, as whenever he's on screen he demands all the attention.
Mr. Paradox
Mr. Paradox is one of the best kind of villains in Deadpool & Wolverine. A real weasel. Matthew Macfadyen fits the role perfectly, especially as a foil to Ryan Reynolds' snarky Deadpool. The scenes they share in the movie are some of the best, if underrated moments in the movie,
Erik Selvig
Despite being one of the few MCU characters who didn’t originate from the comics, Stellan Skarsgaard’s Erik Selvig has made a name for himself as one of this universe’s premier scientists. He may not be a superhero like Bruce Banner and Tony Stark, but like Jane Foster, he is an expert in the field of astrophysics and has become knowledgeable about Asgard.
Luis
All good Marvel movies have a good element of comic relief and even though Paul Rudd is really funny as Ant-Man, his best friend and former jail buddy Luis (Michael Peña) also handles the job well.
Maria Hill
First appearing in The Avengers, Maria Hill slowly became one of the most recognizable S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. While she may have just started as Nick Fury’s right-hand woman, she later proved how awesome she was when she helped Fury, Captain America, Black Widow and Falcon take down the Hydra-controlled Helicarriers in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Julius Dell
Any time a franchise can work JB Smoove into a role, I'm all for it. The MCU did it by making the Curb Your Enthusiasm vet Peter's teacher on his trip to Europe in Spider-man: Far From Home. I can never have enough of the comedian in anything so I'm all for him returning over and over.
J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson is a classic character from the Spider-man comics and in the MCU he's brought to life by actor J.K. Simmons. The character in the MCU is sort of Alex Jones-type who sets out to tear down all of Spider-man's achievements. He's an evil guy that reflects a dark side of society.
Pepper Potts
Without Pepper Potts, Tony Stark might have buckled under the weight of all his responsibilities. When we met her in Iron Man, she was his personal assistant and aided him in his everyday business, from making appointments to "taking out the trash" (i.e. escorting out the women he would bring back to his mansion). She later became much more than that, as once Tony Stark became Iron Man, he was so busy that eventually he decided to make her CEO of his company, and not long after they finally admitted they were into each other romantically.
Korg
There is no doubt one of the funniest characters in the MCU is Korg, played by actor and director Taika Waititi. He's only become more and more popular as his role has grown in the franchise. There's just something about a stone-looking being with a Kiwi accent that crushes...
M'Baku
Actor Winston Duke's portrayal of M'Baku is menacing and lighthearted at times, not an easy thing to pull off. He turns out to be a fierce ally of The Black Panther, who needs all M'Baku's strength and leadership to succeed at times.
Phil Coulson
Amidst all the gods, aliens and superheroes, Phil Coulson served as the MCU’s everyman. Like Erik Selvig, Coulson was an original creation for this universe meant to be the representative of S.H.I.E.L.D. His role in Iron Man was supposed to be minor, but his character proved popular enough with audiences that he was brought back many times.
Aunt May
There's no way Spider-man would be Spider-man without Aunt May, played by Marisa Tomei in the MCU. Let's be honest, Tomei is probably the best version of the character brought to the big screen, and that's not taking away any of the other actors who have played the iconic character, it's just that the Oscar winner is just that good.
Mobius M. Mobius
It turns out, Owen Wilson is the perfect actor for the role of a TVA agent. He plays Mobius M. Mobius in the Loki TV series and on the big screen as well.
Sif
The finest warriors in the galaxy come from Asgard, of course, and some of the finest among them are the female fighters like Sif. Played by Jaimie Alexander, Sif is Thor's BFF from way back and she has always stood as a strong and fierce ally to him and all of Asgard.
Karl Mordo
Chiwetel Ejiofor is one of the best actors in Hollywood so it's no surprise that he does a fantastic job with the sorcerer named Karl Mordo. At first the teacher and ally of Dr. Strange, Mordo goes through a huge character arc and questions everything about his existence. He could be an ally, or an enemy, or nothing at all.
Heimdall
Heimdall, played by the great Idris Elba, can see everything, and hear everything. Let's face it, he just knows everything. He also made the ultimate sacrifice for the Avengers and Thor and for that he'll long be remember as one of the biggest heroes in the MCU.
Meredith Quill
Meredith Quill (Laura Haddock) might have a smaller role in the movies, but she has a huge role in the fate of the universe as the mother of Star-Lord aka Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). Without her, and frankly her death, who knows what the fate of the universe would have been in the Infinity Stone Saga.
Katy
Awkwafina made her debut in the MCU in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and wow was she a great addition! Her brand of snarky comedy brought a realism to a movie that needed some, as so much of it was magical and mystical.
Betty Ross
You have to go all the way back to the early days of the MCU and 2008's The Incredible Hulk to find Betty Ross, played by Liv Tyler. She's critical in the movie and will be critical to the future of the MCU as well.
Peggy Carter
In the comics, Peggy Carter was a resistance fighter who fought alongside and fell in love with Captain America during World War II - but the MCU has transformed her into so much more. Debuting in Captain America: The First Avenger, Peggy immediately impressed audiences as a strong female character who was tough, intelligent and ready to kick down any obstacle in her way. Her character was popular enough that she got a One-Shot short film attached to Iron Man 3, and that eventually led to the limited series Agent Carter, where we really got to see her skills at work as she tracked down Howard Stark’s missing weapons and prevented Dr. Johann Fenhoff’s attack on New York City.
Ned Leeds
Every superhero needs a best friend, especially the ones who are still in high school like Peter Parker. Spider-man could not ask for a better one in Ned Leeds. He's always there for his boy.
Wong
Primarily a partner to Dr. Strange, Wong (Benedict Wong) has worked his way into becoming a fan favorite as one of the most powerful wizards in the universe.
Zeus
It's no surprise that a god played by Russell Crowe would steal the show in Thor: Love & Thunder. Well, okay, maybe what he did to Thor when he stripped him of his clothes stole the show, but no matter! Crowe playing the god of gods is just such amazing casting we have to include him on this list.
