For many actors, playing a Marvel hero — or villain! — is the role of a lifetime. Usually, lightning doesn't strike twice, but some actors have gotten the chance to bring multiple iconic comic characters to life.
On the other hand, however, Marvel's original casting choices don't always work out, a character is recast for a reboot, or certain characters require separate body doubles or voice actors. In these circumstances, one character is played by multiple actors.
Here are 21 actors who've played multiple Marvel roles:
1. Gemma Chan played Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel.
She also played Sersi in Eternals.
2. Kenneth Choi played Jim Morita of the Howling Commandos in Captain America: The First Avenger.
He also played Jim's grandson, Principal Morita, in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
3. Mahershala Ali played Cornell Stokes/Cottonmouth on Luke Cage.
He also made a (voice-only) cameo as Eric Brooks/Blade in the Eternals post-credit scene. He's set to star in the upcoming Blade.
4. Patton Oswalt has played five roles in the MCU — identical brothers Eric, Billy, Sam, Thurston, and Ernest Koenig on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
He also played Hedges in Blade: Trinity.
#tbt goofin' around on the BLADE 3 set
5. Rebecca Romijn played Joan in The Punisher.
She also played Raven Darkholme/Mystique in X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, and X-Men: First Class.
6. Chris Evans played Johnny Storm/Human Torch in Fantastic Four (2005) and its sequel.
He later played Steve Rogers/Captain America in the MCU from Captain America: The First Avenger until Avengers: Endgame.
7. Michael B. Jordan played Johnny Storm/Human Torch in Fantastic Four (2015).
He also played Erik Killmonger in Black Panther.
8. Stan Lee played the Watcher Informant (aka all of his iconic cameos) in the MCU from Iron Man to Captain Marvel.
He also appeared as a debonair gentleman on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a man on a bench on Agent Carter, and Irving Forbush on several Marvel Netflix shows.
9. Olivia Munn played Elizabeth Braddock/Psylocke in X-Men: Apocalypse.
She also played Chess Roberts in Iron Man 2.
10. Aaron Taylor-Johnson played Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver in Captain America: the Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Now, he's set to play Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter in Sony's upcoming production of Kraven the Hunter.
11. Ryan Reynolds played Wade Wilson/Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
He also portrayed a revamped version of Deadpool in the Deadpool trilogy.
He also played himself (and read the Green Lantern script!) in Deadpool 2.
Additionally, he played Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity.
12. Idris Elba played Heimdall from Thor to Avengers: Infinity War.
He also played Moreau in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
13. Josh Brolin portrayed Thanos from Guardians of the Galaxy to Avengers: Endgame.
He also played Nathan Summers/Cable in Deadpool 2.
14. Kate Mara played a US Marshal in Iron Man 2.
She later played Susan Storm/Invisible Woman in Fantastic Four (2015).
15. In the MCU, Jon Favreau has played Happy Hogan since Iron Man.
He also played Foggy Nelson in Daredevil (2003).
16. Anthony Mackie has played Sam Wilson/Falcon/Captain America since Captain America: the Winter Soldier.
He also portrayed Conrad Mac/Smiling Tiger on an episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
17. Ray Stevenson played Volstagg in the Thor trilogy.
He also played Frank Castle/Punisher in Punisher: War Zone.
18. Ben Foster played Warren Worthington III/Angel in X-Men: The Last Stand.
He also played Spacker Dave in The Punisher (2004).
19. Tony Curran played Bor in Thor: the Dark World.
He also played Finn Cooley on Daredevil.
20. Damion Poitier played Thanos in The Avengers, though it was uncredited.
He also played one of Crossbones' mercenaries in Captain America: Civil War.
21. Alfre Woodard played Miriam Sharpe in Captain America: Civil War.
She also played Mariah Dillard/Black Mariah on Luke Cage.
And here are 21 Marvel characters who've been played by multiple actors:
22. In the MCU, Natalie Portman usually plays Jane Foster.
When she was unavailable during reshoots for Thor: the Dark World, Elsa Pataky — who's married to Chris Hemsworth — stepped in as her body double for a kiss scene.
23. Azari Akbar played Monica Rambeau as a five-year-old in Captain Marvel.
Her older sister Akira Akbar played the same character at age 11.
Teyonah Parris played the grown-up version on WandaVision.
24. Cassie Lang was played by Abby Ryder Fortson in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Emma Fuhrmann took over the role when the character aged up in Avengers: Endgame.
However, for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania (2023), she was replaced by Kathryn Newton.
25. Max Favreau originated the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the MCU as a young version of the character in Iron Man 2.
Tom Holland took over the role in Captain America: Civil War.
Previously, the older version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man was played by Tobey Maguire in the Spider-Man (2002) trilogy.
Andrew Garfield played the role in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and its sequel.
26. Howard Stark has been played by three different actors in the MCU, starting with Gerard Sanders in Iron Man.
John Slattery played him in Iron Man 2, Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame.
Dominic Cooper played him in Captain America: The First Avenger and Agent Carter.
27. Terrence Howard played Rhodey/War Machine in Iron Man.
However, Don Cheadle took over the role from Iron Man 2 onward.
28. Scarlett Johansson played Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in the MCU.
However, Ever Anderson played the younger version of her in Black Widow.
29. In the MCU, Groot is voiced by Vin Diesel.
His motion capture work has been performed by four actors, including Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and his brother Sean Gunn.
30. Eric Bana played Bruce Banner/Hulk in The Hulk (2003).
Then, the role was played by Edward Norton in The Incredible Hulk (2008).
Mark Ruffalo has been in the role since The Avengers.
31. Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver was played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the MCU.
Gabriel Gurevich played the younger version of him on WandaVision.
Evan Peters played the same character in the X-Men franchise.
32. Damion Poitier played Thanos in The Avengers.
Josh Brolin took over the role from Guardians of the Galaxy onward.
33. Joshua Dallas played Fandral in Thor.
Zachary Levi replaced him in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
34. Chris Evans played Johnny Storm/Human Torch in Fantastic Four (2005) and its sequel.
Michael B. Jordan played the same role ten years later in Fantastic Four (2015).
35. Elizabeth Olsen plays Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch in the MCU.
Michaela Russell played the younger version of her on WandaVision.
36. In Captain America: The First Avenger, Hugo Weaving played Johann Schmidt/Red Skull.
In Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, he was replaced by Ross Marquand.
37. Hayley Lovitt played Janet Van Dyne in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Michelle Pfeiffer was introduced as the older version of the character in Ant-Man and the Wasp, taking over the role.
38. Eugene Lazarev played Anton Vanko in Iron Man 2.
Costa Ronin played the younger version on Agent Carter.
39. Rebecca Romijn played Raven Darkholme/Mystique in X-Men, X2: X-Men United, and X-Men: The Last Stand with a cameo in X-Men: First Class.
Jennifer Lawrence played her in X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Morgan Lily also played a young version of Raven in X-Men: First Class.
40. Chris Evans played the MCU's Steve Rogers/Captain America, but both his first and last appearances required a body double.
Leander Deeny was a body double for pre-serum Steve in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Patrick Gorman doubled as the older version of Steve in Avengers: Endgame.
41. Black Widow introduced Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova.
Violet McGraw played the younger version of the character in the beginning of the movie.
42. And finally, in the MCU, Rocket Raccoon is voiced by Bradley Cooper.
Sean Gunn does his motion capture work.
