Elizabeth Olsen is definitely a tried-and-true Marvel Cinematic Universe veteran at this point. She’s not only appeared in a total of five films in the superhero franchise but also headlined her own series, WandaVision (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription). Olsen’s future in the role of Wanda Maximoff seems uncertain though, and that’s not just because Marvel Studios has yet to announce her next appearance. As of late, the fan-favorite actress has expressed interest in taking some time away from the character. Olsen even previously explained that she doesn’t miss Wanda all that much at the moment. She recently got real yet again about her feelings on playing the character moving forward.
It’s somewhat hard to believe that at this point, the actress has portrayed the powerful metahuman for nearly a decade. This fan still remembers when she debuted in the role by way of a cameo in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But considering just how long it’s been, it’s understandable that the 34-year-old star would be ready to step back from the MCU for a while. She sat down with The Times of London, during which reflected on her time with the cinematic universe and how she views Wanda at this point:
I don’t want… it’s not that I don’t want to be associated as just this character. But I really feel like I need to be building other parts back up for balance. I so much want to do films right now. And I hope some of them come together in the way I feel like they can.
So it sounds like Elizabeth Olsen is certainly not ashamed of the role and wants nothing to do with it at this point. Instead, she simply feels the need to try other ventures at this point in her career. A prime example of that would be her recent turn in Max’s true crime limited series Love & Death. That production, which saw her play the role of Candy Montgomery, a Texas woman who murdered the wife of her lover. Olsen was truly able to flex her acting muscles as a result of that show, and it seems she’s keen on branching out even more:
But yeah, that’s something that I need. I just need other characters in my life. There’s no longevity in one character.
As a fan of the actress, I would certainly hope she gets to play a wide range of characters as time goes on. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve greatly enjoyed what she’s brought to the role of Wanda Maximoff. Yet I’d be disappointed if she had to play that character almost exclusively in the years to come. To that end, Elizabeth Olsen even gave advice to prospective MCU stars, advising them not to sign an extensive contract up front. In short, Olsen has some serious acting chops and should be able to star in fare like Wind River and Ingrid Goes West when she sees fit.
Elizabeth Olsen’s desire to try new endeavors doesn’t mean she’s done with the MCU altogether either. This past summer, she admitted she still has a desire to explore Wanda’s mutant heritage and connections to the X-Men, who are set to arrive in the fictional universe at some point. Hopefully, Olsen is afforded that opportunity as well as the chance to spread her wings and jump into plenty of projects that don’t require her to dress in a super suit.
Those who do long to revisit all of her Marvel performances, though, can do just that by streaming the movies and TV shows on Disney+.