It is not unusual for an actor to play more than one comic book character role. Sometimes this means they first star in a DC movie before switching sides to the Marvel movies (and vice versa) or appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe years after playing an entirely different character from Marvel Comics in a film that predates the shared universe’s creation.
However, what if I told you that there are also many cases of actors who have double-dipped in the MCU? While the Marvel movies’ timeline is usually pretty tight, there are a surprising amount of times when the same actor played more than one character in the same interconnected franchise and the following are some notable examples of such Marvel movie characters.
Tara Strong - Miss Minutes (Loki), Mainframe (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)
Famed voice actor Tara Strong has played multiple iconic comic book characters, including two in the MCU alone. She made her franchise debut on the Disney+ series Loki as the Time Variance Authority’s animated, AI mascot, Miss Minutes, and later cameoed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Mainframe – a member of the OG GOTG from the comics who was previously voiced by Miley Cyrus in Vol. 2.
David Dastmalchian - Kurt Goreshter (Ant-Man), Veb (Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania)
Another actor known for many, many comic book character roles is David Dastmalchian, who gave a memorable appearance in the first two Ant-Man movies as Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) Russian-born, computer hacker friend, Kurt Goreshter. While Kurt did not appear in the third installment from 2023, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Dastmalchian still got to be a part of the adventure as the voice of Veb – a creature who helps Scott and Cassie (Kathryn Newton) understand the Quantum Realm’s inhabitants by feeding them his ooze.
Seth Green - Stark Expo Fan (Iron Man 2), Howard The Duck (Guardians Of The Galaxy)
The post-credit sequence from 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy confirmed that, in the MCU, there exists Howard the Duck, who was voiced by Seth Green for a brief, but memorable, cameo as the fowl private eye who would make subsequent appearances. Four years earlier, Green made an even more brief appearance in Iron Man 2 as a fan of Tony Stark seen at his expo.
Michelle Yeoh – Aleta Ogord (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2), Ying Nan (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)
Before earning an Oscar for her performance in one of the best Multiverse movies, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh entered the Marvel Multiverse with her cameo in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Aleta Ogord – one of the original members from the team’s comic book iteration. Four years later, the actor seemed to create a rift in the timeline when she appeared in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast as the title hero’s aunt, Ying Nan.
Linda Cardellini – Laura Barton (Various), Lylla (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the team was introduced to Clint Barton’s (Jeremy Renner) wife, Laura, whom Linda Cardellini would reprise in Avengers: Endgame and the Disney+ TV show, Hawkeye. In 2023, the Freaks and Geeks cast alum would reunite with Scooby-Doo scribe James Gunn to voice Rocket Raccoon’s friend, Lylla, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Nathan Fillion – Monstrous Inmate (Guardians Of The Galaxy), Karja (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3), Headpool (Deadpool & Wolverine)
Another actor known for his frequent collaborations with James Gunn (Slither, The Suicide Squad) is Nathan Fillion, who voiced an alien prisoner threatening Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy before receiving a bigger role in Vol. 3 as the Orgosphere’s cocky head of security, Karja. The former Firefly cast member became an MCU triple-dipper with his cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine voicing Headpool, which also marks his second time playing a disembodied head after his role on one of Fillion's best TV shows, Santa Clarita Diet.
Sean Gunn – Rocket Raccoon, Kraglin (Various)
The Guardians of the Galaxy’s furry weapons expert, Rocket Raccoon, is a role shared between Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper providing his Boston-accented voice and director James Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, performing the mo-cap on set. Gunn has also appeared “alongside himself” on several occasions, as recently as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as former Ravager, Kraglin.
Laura Haddock – Autograph Seeker (Captain America: The First Avenger), Meredith Quill (Guardians Of The Galaxy Movies)
Speaking of Guardians of the Galaxy stars, most fans are likely to recognize British actor Laura Haddock as Peter Quill’s mother, Meredith, in the cold open flashbacks from the first movie and its sequel. However, the Downton Abbey: A New Era cast member’s MCU tenure actually dates back to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, in which she plays a 1940s-era woman affectionately approaching Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) for an autograph. The characters’ resemblance led to a fan theory suggesting Cap is Star-Lord’s real grandfather, which James Gunn later debunked.
Kenneth Choi – Jim Morita (Captain America: The First Avenger), Principal Morita (Spider-Man: Homecoming)
Speaking of Captain America: The First Avenger stars, Private Jim Morita — Steve Rogers’ Japanese-American teammate on the Howling Commandos — was played by Kenneth Choi. The actor (also part of the DC Extended Universe as a Yakuza boss in Suicide Squad) would later appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Morita’s grandson, who also happens to be Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) high school principal.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Doctor Strange, Dormammu (Doctor Strange)
An interesting example of a Marvel actor appearing as two different characters in the same movie occurs in Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch debuted as one-time Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange in director Scott Derrickson’s visually stunning 2016 fantasy, in which he also provided the voice of the ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu. Talk about being your own worst enemy.
Clancy Brown – Ray Schoonover (Daredevil, The Punisher), Surtur (Thor: Ragnarok)
Another actor who gave a memorable Marvel movie performance as a giant CGI villain is Clancy Brown, who was the voice of the Fire Demon, Surtur, in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. That same year, the SpongeBob SquarePants star (also famous for voicing Superman nemesis, Lex Luthor in many animated DC titles) would reprise his Daredevil role as Major Schoovover on the short-lived spin-off, The Punisher.
Patton Oswalt – The Koenig Brothers (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Pip The Troll (Eternals)
Comedian Patton Oswalt has lent his distinct voice to several comic book characters, including a troll named Pip in the mid-credits scene from Eternals in 2021. Before then, he would appear on several episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as four different characters: identical quintuplets Sam, Eric, Billy, and Thurston Koenig, making him the current record holder for the most MCU-canon characters portrayed by one person.
Enver Gjokaj - Young Cop (The Avengers), Daniel Sousa (Agent Carter, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
One example of an actor who debuted in the MCU with something small before re-emerging with something much bigger is Enver Gjokaj. He played an unnamed police officer in 2012’s The Avengers before starring on Agent Carter and the final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as World War II soldier-turned-strategic operative, Daniel Sousa.
Gemma Chan – Minn-Erva (Captain Marvel), Sersi (Eternals)
Outside of those who played two characters in the same movie, English actor Gemma Chan has one of the smallest windows of time between her first MCU character and her second. In 2019, she donned blue makeup to play Kree Imperial warrior Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and, in literally the same year, was announced as part of the Eternals cast in the role of Sersi.
Alfre Woodard – Miriam Sharpe (Captain America: Civil War), Black Mariah (Luke Cage)
Someone who can top Gemma Chan’s record in time between her characters’ official appearances is Alfre Woodard. The Academy Award nominee appeared in one memorable scene from 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, opposite Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, as Miriam Sharpe — a woman grieving the unseen death of her son during the final act of Avengers: Age of Ultron. That same year, just months later, she debuted on Luke Cage as Mariah “Black Mariah” Dillard, whose cousin is Harlem crime boss Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes.
Mahershala Ali – Cottonmouth (Luke Cage), Blade (Eternals)
Speaking of Cottonmouth, the crime boss on Luke Cage would turn out to be only the beginning of Mahershala Ali’s legacy in the MCU. While the two-time Academy Award winner’s new take on vampire-hunter Blade has yet to be seen, he debuted the character in a vocal cameo from Eternals’ post-credit scene.
Chris Hemsworth – Thor, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)
It is hard to imagine a Marvel character better suited for Chris Hemsworth to play than the God of Thunder, but, believe it or not, the title hero of Thor: Ragnarok is not his only role from the funny 2017 blockbuster. Only eagle-eyed fans noticed that the Australian actor also played one of the three heads of Hajo — a gladiator from Sakaar who tried to help save Asgard from Hela (Cate Blanchett).
Taika Waititi – Korg, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)
Actually, Hemsworth is not the only well-known star of Thor: Ragnarok to share the role of Hajo. The film’s own director, Taika Waititi, also appeared as one of the gladiator’s three heads, in addition to providing the voice of fan-favorite, rock-skinned alien, Korg, and in the same frame, too!
I am not sure if there is or could ever be a weirder example of the MCU’s double-dipping phenomenon than those last two. However, I would love to see a challenger step up to the plate someday. Of course, considering the franchise is now in a stage known as “The Multiverse Saga,” it seems like it is a distinct possibility.
