Out of each and every stunningly talented and hilarious member of the Schitt’s Creek cast, my vote for “Best Breakout Star” easily goes to Annie Murphy. The Canadian beauty earned an Emmy Award win for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for playing the conceited, yet charming, Alexis Rose on the beloved sitcom before being cast as the lead of her own show, the inventive AMC original dramedy Kevin Can F**k Himself, in 2021. At this point, it seems to me like she will be starring in superhero movies in no time.
I will admit, that is a bit of a bold prediction as there are no reports of her even being in consideration for any upcoming Marvel movies (or even any upcoming DC movies) at the moment. However, part of my job description is to imagine the perfect Marvel character role for an actor who has not yet had the pleasure of doing so. So, in that case, the following are five characters ripped straight from the pages of Marvel Comics that seem like the right choice for her, starting with one bearing a few distinct similarities to her best-known TV role.
Emma Frost
It is rare when an audience falls head over heels for a character so selfish, stuck-up, and out of touch like Alexis Rose (or at least she was in Schitt’s Creek Season 1), but Annie Murphy’s performance makes it easy. Now, if she could just figure out a way to reverse her radiant charm in the opposite direction or put a block on it all together, she would be in perfect shape to play a Marvel Comics character who could essentially be described as what Alexis Rose could have become had she not lost her wealth… and been born a mutant.
I am referring to Emma Frost, who was first played in a live-action movie by January Jones in X-Men: First Class in 2014. Said film was keen to demonstrate the extremely wealthy mutant’s abilities in telekinesis, telepathy, and transforming her body into a flexible form of organic diamond, but did not offer a hint at the character’s occasional feats of heroism in the comics. If Annie Murphy were cast as the White Queen in Marvel Studios’ forthcoming reboot of the X-Men movies, she could portray the character’s lighter side flawlessly, however the chance to see the actress let out more of her dark side is the true reason why I would consider her for the role.
Moonstone
Another Marvel Comics character whom Annie Murphy could really let out her dark side through is Karla Sofen, who would come to be known more commonly as Moonstone in reference to the Kree device that endowed her with various extraordinary powers. An expert psychiatrist and hypnotist, Sofen used to take enjoyment in taunting and manipulating her patients before abilities like super strength or gravity manipulation gave her the opportunity to cause trouble of a more terrifying degree.
There are actually a few different ways that the Marvel Cinematic Universe could potentially induct Karla Sofen, who also went by Meteorite as a founding member of the Thunderbolts - a team of reformed supervillains that is rumored to play a major part of Phase 4. She has also assumed the identity of both Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel, which could inspire some interesting conflict between her and Brie Larson as Carol Danvers in a future sequel. Regardless of how this villain’s live-action debut would be handled, I have no doubt Annie Murphy would be stone-cold perfect.
Phyla-vell
Another character with abilities of Kree origin who also fought as Captain Marvel at one time is Phyla-vell - the openly lesbian, artificially conceived daughter of Mar-vell who succeeded the moniker from her brother, Genus, after he lost his mind. So, despite her intimidating appearance, she had no selfish reasons to take the esteemed title, but has been known to butt heads with some of her colleagues, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy, whom she joined after adopting the alias Martyr.
Here we have yet another character with a rich and unique history that would inspire a welcome induction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which only leaves one question: why have Annie Murphy play her? My answer is the same reason I wanted her to play Moonstone, but with the main difference being that she could play “bad” while still doing some good for the universe.
Lady Deadpool
Speaking of being bad while still doing some good, that sentence is a perfect way to describe the work ethic and personality of Wade Wilson, better known as Deadpool, of course. Fans who only know the Merc with a Mouth from his movies, in which he is portrayed brilliantly by producer Ryan Reynolds, may not know that there is an inter-dimensional female version of the character named Wanda Wilson - otherwise known as Lady Deadpool - whom I would give a self-regenerative limb to see show up on the big screen some day.
Because Deadpool will soon be a part of the MCU following the Disney/Fox merger and the studio has been playing around with the Marvel Multiverse a lot lately, we know that this cross-dimensional team-up between these anti-heroes’ gender-swapped doppelgängers is totally possible. Despite several wonderful choices for the role that I have already explored in the past (including Ryan Reynolds’ own real-life spouse, Blake Lively), my list of potential selections for Lady Deadpool now just begins and ends with Annie Murphy. I mean, who could be more qualified for the role than a blonde, funny, Canadian woman?
Invisible Woman
Annie Murphy’s blonde locks also played a part in convincing me that she should be cast as Invisible Woman in director Jon Watts’ upcoming Fantastic Four reboot. However, I promise that was the least important factor in my decision. The most important factor was her lead performance on the Kevin Can F**k Himself cast as a sitcom wife fed up with being sidelined by her immature husband (Eric Peterson), whom she decides she wants to kill.
Susan Richards (née Storm) is also someone who knows what it is like to put up with a good deal of immature behavior and bull-headed conflict from being part of a superhero team that also consists of her husband (Mister Fantastic), his best friend (The Thing), and her brother (Human Torch). Luckily, she knows how to defuse any internal situations that arise in Marvel’s first family without resorting to more deadly methods (not that she couldn’t). Invisible Woman would see Annie Murphy play a woman of true power, literally and figuratively, who can gracefully hold her own in a male-dominated world.
Now, I wonder if there is any way that Annie Murphy’s MCU induction could also be a Schitt’s Creek cast reunion.
