Hollywood is no stranger to talent disputes over pay, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is no exception. Carrie Coon, best known for her roles in ’The Leftovers’, ‘Fargo’, and ‘The Gilded Age’, played Proxima Midnight, a member of Thanos’ Black Order, in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’.
Despite the character’s brief but impactful role in the film, Coon did not return for its sequel, ‘Avengers: Endgame’. According to her husband, actor Tracy Letts, the reason boiled down to one thing: money.
Carrie Coon Felt She Deserved A Pay Raise After ‘Avengers: Infinity War’
Speaking on The Ringer’s The Big Picture podcast Tracy Letts shared the details of his wife’s decision. “I believe Marvel went to her for the second one, and they asked her to be in the second one,” he recalled. “And she said, ‘Well, the first one is the most successful movie ever made. Are you going to pay me any more money?’ And they said, ‘No. We’re not going to pay you any more money.’”
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Given that ‘Infinity War’ grossed over $2 billion worldwide, Coon’s expectation for a pay increase wasn’t unfounded. However, Marvel reportedly pushed back, stating that she should feel “fortunate” to be part of the franchise. So, Coon declined the role. “She said, ‘Wow, you’re not going to pay me any more money, then I don’t think I’m going to do it.’”
Marvel, however, still included Proxima Midnight in ‘Endgame‘ but without new voice work from Coon. Her character appeared briefly but with no lines, as she had already been killed off in the previous film. Letts noted that he and Coon never even watched the movies. “We would’ve made a bigger deal out of this, but it would have involved us watching the movies, and we weren’t going to do that,” he explained.
Even Without Her Marvel Deal, Carrie Coon Made Her Own Path Into Hollywood
Carrie Coon’s involvement with ‘Infinity War’ was somewhat unconventional. Initially approached for a voiceover audition, she secured the role partly due to her past experience with motion-capture work. In a previous interview with EW, she explained, “They were just looking for the voice of Proxima Midnight, and they reached out] perhaps because they were interested in my voice or maybe because I’ve actually done motion-capture work previously.”
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Before breaking into Hollywood, Coon performed motion capture for video games in Madison, Wisconsin. Though her face was never seen in the MCU, her voice lent Proxima Midnight a formidable presence. Despite missing out on ‘Endgame’, Coon remains open to returning to Marvel. In another interview on PeopleTV’s Couch Surfing, she teased, “No one ever dies. It’s very possible I could have my own Avengers movie next. But I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
For now, Coon has continued to build an impressive career outside of superhero films. She stars in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 as Laurie Duffy alongside Michelle Monaghan and Leslie Bibb. She also appears in ‘The Gilded Age’, which is set to return for a third season in 2025. Moreover, Marvel’s pay structures have long been a topic of debate, with actors at different levels of fame negotiating varying deals.
