Jenna Ortega's Tiny MCU Role in Iron Man 3: 'All My Lines Were Cut'

Do you remember seeing Jenna Ortega in Iron Man 3? You’d be forgiven for forgetting the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene where a very young Ortega appears in a wheelchair.

The 22-year-old star of Netflix’s Wednesday series and the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie actually made her film debut at age 11 in a minor role in 2013’s Iron Man 3. Ortega’s brief Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance sees Miguel Ferrer’s Vice President Rodriguez, who's just had a stark conversation with Iron Man over the phone, kiss his daughter on the forehead during a Christmas family function. The camera then pans down to reveal that the daughter is wheelchair-bound as a result of a lost limb.

Now, 12 years after Iron Man 3 was released, Ortega was asked by Entertainment Weekly about getting into the MCU, and she jokingly reflected on her appearance in Iron Man 3 and how Marvel Studios had significantly cut down her role.

“I did it once,” Ortega said. “It was one of the first jobs I ever did. They took all my lines out. I’m in Iron Man 3 for a quick second. I take up the frame, I have one leg and I’m the vice president’s daughter.”

Her Death of a Unicorn co-star Paul Rudd, who famously plays Ant-Man in the MCU, also humorously mentioned Marvel’s tendency to lay character breadcrumbs that could lead to something bigger and better.

“And so it might very well be that you come back,” Rudd continued, “that they are going to create something for you, ’cause they should be so lucky to have Jenna Ortega in their franchise.”

Casting doubt on the possibility, Ortega concluded her reflection on Iron Man 3: “They even took my name away,” she interjected. “I’m really… but I just… I count that, and then I move on.” Ah well.

In truth, Ortega was cast as a child actor in a role that was probably more of a subplot initially but became virtually nothing by the time Iron Man 3 hit theaters. It just so happened that this particular child actor grew up to become one of the most famous actors on the planet over a decade later. I’m sure if Marvel Studios had a new MCU role for Ortega in mind, she’d certainly consider it.

While Iron Man 3 is considered one of the weaker MCU movies, it was a smash hit at the box office, bringing in a huge $1.2 billion globally. Iron Man 3 is, in fact, the ninth highest-grossing superhero film of all time, ahead of the likes of Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Captain Marvel.

The MCU was, of course, in a very different place back then, and superhero movies nowadays have a much tougher time bringing in the big bucks. Perhaps if Ortega were ever parachuted into the current MCU, she might help Marvel out with that.

But which character would she be a perfect fit for?