Here's What 43 Actors Looked Like In Their First MCU Appearance Vs. Their Latest

    I feel as old as Bucky.

    Kristen Harris
    by Kristen Harris

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Steve grew elderly by the end of his final film
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He originally turned down the role of Captain America because he was worried his anxiety would get the best of him. However, a call from Robert Downey Jr. encouraged him to finally accept.

    2. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2 (2010) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Natasha grew her red hair back out after dying it blonde in between both movies
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    She dyed her hair red before booking the role in a bid to convince director Jon Favreau she was the right choice. However, the part originally went to Emily Blunt, but when she had to back out due to scheduling conflicts, it was offered to Scarlett.

    3. Zoë Saldana as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Marvel / Via Disney+

    In Guardians of the Galaxy, Gamora's complete look was created with makeup and prosthetics; there was no CGI involved.

    4. Tom Holland as Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

    Tom grew out his curly hair a bit between films
    Marvel / Via Disney+ / youtube.com

    While the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home is the last film in his Marvel contract, Tom told Collider that he'd reprise the role "in a heartbeat." He said, "It’s changed my life for the better. ... If they want me back, I’ll be there, [and] if they don’t, I will walk off into the sunset a very, very happy person because it’s been an amazing journey.”

    5. Brie Larson as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel (2019) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Carol looks powerful with her pixie cut in Endgame
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Carol's new haircut was designed to be more comic-accurate.

    6. Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Valkyrie became the King of Asgard
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    After a scene about Valkyrie's bisexuality was cut from Thor: Ragnarok, Tessa began speaking out about her character's identity. She told Time, "You don’t want to bite the hand that feeds you, but I think a friendly bite is okay. Inclusion doesn’t happen by mistake. You have to push people. Sometimes shame is a powerful tool. That wasn’t necessarily my intention, but I don’t mind it being a dare.”

    7. Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis in Thor (2011) and WandaVision (2021)

    Darcy still wore a similar style of glasses ten years later
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    In an interview with Marvel.com, Darcy pointed out a small costume detail the WandaVision costume designer included just for her. She explained, "There's a theme in Darcy's costumes that the very astute will notice, which is this teal color. Mayes is such an artist that she was like, 'Everything is teal to match your eyes.' I was like, what? That's the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me."

    8. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and WandaVision (2021)

    Wanda went from a scared girl with long, brown hair to a confident hero with shoulder-length red waves
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    She got to have a lot of input on her new costume for WandaVision.

    9. Natalie Portman as Jane Foster in Thor (2011) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Jane was more at peace on Asgard than she was on Earth
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Directors Joe and Anthony Russo told Entertainment Weekly that they used leftover footage from Thor: The Dark World (2013) for Jane's scene in Avengers: Endgame.

    10. Randall Park as Jimmy Woo in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) and WandaVision (2021)

    Jimmy Woo was the breakout star of WandaVision
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He told Marvel.com that when he was asked to reprise his role in WandaVision, he agreed before even knowing what the show was about. His response was simply, "No questions asked, I'll do it."

    11. Paul Rudd as Scott Lang in Ant-Man (2015) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Paul Rudd doesn't age, but we already knew that
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He told Variety that he's "not the first guy that people would think of when it comes to playing a big superhero." However, that motivated him to play Ant-Man as "a superhero who was kind of a regular person."

    12. Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

    Bucky looks relatively young for someone who's over 100 years old
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    While filming The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sebastian celebrated Bucky's 106th birthday by going out to dinner with a friend. They even asked the servers to sing "Happy Birthday."

    13. Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

    Ned was unchanged after coming back from the Snap
    Marvel / Via youtube.com

    Spider-Man: Homecoming was the first time the character Ned Leeds met Spider-Man in high school instead of through work.

    14. Pom Klementieff as Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Mantis's costume got a slight upgrade
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Unlike her fellow Guardians of the Galaxy, Mantis's look is mostly CGI.

    15. Karen Gillan as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Nebula got some cyborg upgrades
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    She told Fandom in 2020, "I feel like [Nebula's] story might just be beginning. "

    16. Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

    Sam went from meeting Captain America in the park to fighting alongside him
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He landed his first audition for the MCU by emailing Marvel Studios that he "would love to work with you guys." Though he didn't book the role of Mandarin (the villain in Iron Man 3), he caught the attention of Captain America director Joe Russo. He auditioned again without knowing exactly what role it was for. Then he found out he'd be playing Falcon two months before production began.

    17. Zendaya as Michelle Jones in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

    MJ parted her hair differently and did her makeup differently in the second film, but she wore the same denim jacket
    Marvel / Via youtube.com

    Zendaya's version of MJ pays homage to Mary Jane from the original comics.

    18. Letitia Wright as Shuri in Black Panther (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Shuri was a scientist in her first movie but a warrior in the second
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    She told Variety that the role appealed to her because "[Shuri] was so far from the stereotypes that we see all the time."

    19. Martin Freeman as Everett Ross in Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Black Panther (2018)

    Everett Ross grew facial hair during his time in Wakanda
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He told Digital Spy that he's glad he doesn't play a major role in the MCU because it "hasn't felt restrictive at all."

    20. Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange (2016) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Dr. Strange had more gray hair after spending three years running the New York sanctum
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    When Benedict passed on the role because of a scheduling conflict, director Scott Derrickson pushed back the original shooting dates to accomodate him because he "thought Benedict was perfect as Doctor Strange."

    21. Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor (2011) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Thor grew out his hair and beard and had a different body type in Endgame
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He told Elle Man that he has no plans on leaving the MCU anytime soon. He joked, "Thor is way too young for that. I’m only 1,500 years old!"

    22. Danai Gurira as Okoye in Black Panther (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Okoye wore more detailed armor in Endgame
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    She told NPR, "What's really exciting to me is the idea that it's a blockbuster where I'm speaking Xhosa." She explained that Xhosa, which is from the Cape Region of South Africa, was chosen to be the language spoken in Wakanda because "Mr. John Kani, who plays T'Challa's father, T'Chaka, he's Xhosa."

    23. Tom Hiddleston as Loki in Thor (2011) and Loki (2021)

    Loki was nervous and afraid in the first film but confident and chaotic in his new show
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He told EE that he can't believe he's still playing Loki 10 years later. He said, "I'm honored that I am still, he's been a huge part of my life. I've realized I've played him for a quarter of my life."

    24. Benedict Wong as Wong in Doctor Strange (2016) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Wong grew facial hair for Endgame
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He told the Hollywood Reporter that he uses a lot of kung fu moves he learned as a kid for Wong's magical hand movements. He said, "I just did my own thing, to be honest."

    25. Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson in Iron Man (2008) and Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. (2020)

    Marvel / Via Disney+ / Netflix

    Though he died in The Avengers, Coulson was resurrected to star in Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. While none of the Avengers learned about his survival on screen, Clark told GameSpot, "I feel like Tony Stark knows things — he just finds a way to know things — but I think the two of them have had a blunt conversation about it and decided not to share it further. And then we had Lady Sif promise not to tell Thor — but I don't know how much I believe that...I think everyone else is just keeping it a secret."

    26. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Iron Man (2008) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

    Nick Fury has sported his iconic eye patch since his first appearance in the Iron Man post-credit scene
    Marvel / Via Disney+ / youtube.com

    When the comic version of Nick Fury was revamped in 2002, the artists modeled him after Samuel L. Jackson. The actor opened up a copy of The Ultimates, saw his own face, then had his representatives get in touch with Marvel to secure the role for him.

    27. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts in Iron Man (2008) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    By Endgame, Pepper was an Avenger
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    While Marvel hasn't announced the return of Pepper Potts in any upcoming films, Gwyneth told People she'd be open to returning to the role "if it was a small part that [she] could do in like a day or two."

    28. Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa in Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    T'Challa rose to the challenge and became a great king
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Several months before Chadwick was cast as Black Panther, Charles Carter, a security guard and lifelong Marvel fan he bonded with on the set of Gods of Egypt, told him he'd be perfect for the role. Charles later gave his first edition Black Panther comic to Chadwick.

    29. Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne in Ant-Man (2015) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    She had a short bob in her first movie and a long ponytail in the last
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    In Ant-Man and the Wasp, she became the first woman to be a titular character in the MCU.

    30. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner in The Avengers (2012) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    By his last movie, Bruce had achieved a permanent, peaceful Hulk state
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Marvel hasn't been able to make a standalone Hulk film starring Mark Ruffalo because Universal still holds the first right of refusal for the distribution of any Hulk-led films, even after Marvel was bought by Disney.

    31. Jaimie Alexander as Lady Sif in Thor (2011) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2015)

    Sif wore medieval armor in Thor and modern clothes on Agents of Shield
    Marvel / Via Disney+ / Netflix

    Sif didn't appear in Thor: Ragnarok because of scheduling conflicts with Blindspot, an NBC series Jaimie starred in.

    32. Winston Duke as M'Baku in Black Panther (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    M'baku fought in the final battle against Thanos
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    While attending the Yale School of Drama, he became close friends with Lupita Nyong’o, his future Black Panther costar. They met in an acting club that was founded by fellow future costar Angela Bassett.

    33. Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan in Iron Man (2008) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

    Happy grew facial hair and embraced gray hair by the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home
    Marvel / Via Disney+ / youtube.com

    He also directed Iron Man and Iron Man 2, and he served as the executive producer for every Iron Man and Avengers movie.

    34. Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig in Thor (2011) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

    Though he's since disappeared from the MCU, Selvig was always there when Thor needed help
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Fellow Marvel actor Paul Bettany, who plays Vision, and his wife Jennifer Connelly named their son after Stellan Skarsgård.

    35. Dave Bautista as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Drax's character makeup is subtly different between the two
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Drax's makeup and prosthetics took five hours for five makeup artists to put on.

    36. Don Cheadle as James Rhodes in Iron Man 2 (2010) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Don Cheadle replaced Terrence Howard in the role after the first Iron Man movie. He told NPR that when Marvel first called to offer him the role, he was at his daughter's laser tag birthday party, so they gave him two hours to make his decision.

    37. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in Iron Man (2008) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Stan Lee, the creator of Iron Man, once said, "That man was born to be Iron Man, you know? He’d be on the top of the list."

    38. Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

    After the events of Winter Soldier, Sharon went off the grid in Madripoor
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    She told CTV News that she was surprised when Marvel told her they wanted to bring Sharon Carter back five years after her initial appearance. She said, "The idea of finding out what happened was very intriguing to me."

    39. Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton in Thor (2011) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Clint shaved the sides of his head before Endgame
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    Jeremy was disappointed with the fact that Hawkeye was under Loki's mind control for most of The Avengers. He said, "At the end of the day, 90% of the movie, I'm not the character I signed on to play."

    40. Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    In Endgame, Peggy finally got the happily ever after she deserved
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    On a D23 panel, Hayley said the role "feels like the gift that keeps on giving" because of how many times the fans' love for the character has brought her back into the MCU.

    41. Paul Bettany as Vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and WandaVision (2021)

    The true Vision did not look the same as the man Wanda fell in love with
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He first joined the MCU as the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S., Tony Stark's helpful AI, in Iron Man.

    42. Chris Pratt as Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    After spending a few years guarding the galaxy, Star Lord's hair was longer, and his beard was scruffier
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He originally didn't even want to audition for the role, but Marvel casting director Sarah Finn told Variety that she "kept insisting that Chris Pratt was the guy for the part."

    43. And Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo in Captain America: Civil War (2016) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021).

    Zemo dresses fabulously now that he's not in prison
    Marvel / Via Disney+

    He told Entertainment Weekly that the costume design in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, especially the furry coat, helped him transform the character. He said, "That whole outfit helped me a lot to re-create and reinvent Zemo."