Elizabeth Olsen has become one of the most recognizable faces in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the powerful and emotionally complex Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch. However, behind the superhero costume and the glowing red magic, Olsen has been trying to find a balance.
A balance between the super-commercialized Marvel and her own evolving identity as an actor with deep artistic roots. While she herself doesn’t enjoy the films, she is forever grateful.
Elizabeth Olsen Says Her Career In Marvel Doesn’t Align With Her Personal Taste
In a recent appearance on NPR’s Wild Card with Rachel Martin, Elizabeth Olsen opened up with striking honesty about her Marvel career. While her Marvel career has been very rewarding, it doesn’t necessarily reflect her personal artistic tastes. “I think I haven’t always successfully made choices in my work that are aligned with my personal taste,” she admitted.
“That is something I feel like I’m still trying to prove when I meet people. Especially if it’s a work-type meeting to be able to express my personal taste in films and literature.” While she’s proud of her achievements as Wanda ever since her debut in 2014, she made it clear that superhero stories aren’t exactly what she gravitates toward as a consumer of art.
“As much as I love being a part of this world and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to do with the character, it’s not really the art that I consume,” she explained. “Which I have been very honest about.” However, this doesn’t come from a place of snobbery. In fact, Olsen’s admiration for the genre’s storytelling roots runs deep.
She was originally drawn to Marvel’s epic narratives, saying she viewed them as “great Greek-type scale stories that reflected politics, culture in a really lovely way.” Despite her ambivalence about Marvel films, she has always acknowledged the significant role the franchise has played in shaping her career and providing stability.
In a conversation with Vulture Festival, she credited Marvel with offering “some feeling of insurance in my life that has given me freedom to choose other jobs.” That sense of creative flexibility is rare in Hollywood. Perhaps what makes Olsen’s journey so intriguing is that she didn’t feel trapped by Marvel.
The actress chose to return because of the character-driven approach the studio offered her. “It has always felt like a choice,” she emphasized. “Every time, it’s character-driven. It’s always like, ‘We have this idea, and that’s why we want you to come back.’ It’s not like, ‘Just throw her in something.’” This level of intentionality has allowed Olsen to explore a rich character arc for Wanda Maximoff.
Will Elizabeth Olsen Return As The Scarlet Witch?
The big question, of course, is whether Elizabeth Olsen would ever reprise her role as the Scarlet Witch. And her answer? A warm, thoughtful maybe. In an interview with Collider, Olsen acknowledged how rare and special it is to play a character for over a decade. “It’s something that’s been incredible,” she said.
In case you missed it: Elizabeth Olsen Says Returning To Marvel Has “Always Felt Like A Choice”
“To be able to return to a character and continue to move them forward has been so much fun for me.” She credits ‘WandaVision’ with offering her a breakthrough and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ with taking her character on a “wild and crazy turn.” While the future of Wanda Maximoff in the MCU remains uncertain, Olsen’s appreciation for the journey remains.
“I do feel very lucky that I’ve been able to play a character for over 10 years of my life, and I’d love to keep doing more,” she said. It’s clear that she is proud of her performance. However, she is also still hungry for roles that speak to the kind of art that first inspired her to act. Elizabeth Olsen doesn’t reject her Marvel legacy, she simply refuses to be defined by it.
