Summary

• Several actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have played multiple roles, often starting with minor characters and later taking on larger parts.
• Actors like Alfre Woodard, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Gemma Chan have portrayed different characters in both Marvel Television shows and MCU movies.
• The pattern of actors assuming more than one role in the MCU will continue, with Mahershala Ali set to play Blade after previously portraying Cottonmouth in Luke Cage.

Most of the actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been confined to one single character, but there have been several over the years who have played multiple roles. In franchises as big as Marvel Studios' shared universe, minor actors often find themselves assuming larger roles down the line or taking up voice roles that keep their appearance off-screen.

While the Multiverse Saga has meant that more multiversal variants have been popping up - usually portrayed by their original actor - a multitude of actors have also portrayed very separate characters in the MCU. Several of these actors portrayed characters on Marvel Television's shows, including Agents of SHIELD and Netflix's Defenders shows, but there are also a few who played minor roles in the MCU proper before being gifted larger parts. This pattern is set to continue when Mahershala Ali assumes the role of Blade in the the MCU timeline.

Alfre Woodard Played Mariah Dillard & Miriam Sharpe

Appeared Luke Cage & Captain America: Civil War

Alfre Woodard debuted as Mariah Dillard in Netflix's Luke Cage, the cousin to Mahershala Ali's Cottonmouth, who eventually succeeds him as the owner of Harlem's Paradise. With the release of 2016's Captain America: Civil War, Woodard became one of the first actors to assume a double role in Marvel-related projects, as she had the minor role of Miriam Sharpe, a woman who approached Tony Stark about the untimely death of her son in Sokovia. Woodard's appearance in these two projects raised many questions about the continuity and canonicity of Marvel Studios' films and Marvel Television's shows.

Benedict Cumberbatch Played Doctor Strange & Dormammu

Appeared In Multiple MCU Movies

Benedict Cumberbatch is best known in the MCU for portraying Stephen Strange, a.k.a. Doctor Strange, but the Sherlock actor also assumed the role of Dormammu in 2016's Doctor Strange. Cumberbatch provided the motion capture and voice for the looming villain in the Dark Dimension, designed to act as an evil reflection of Strange himself, so there was perhaps no better actor for the job. With Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' post-credits scene teasing Doctor Strange and Clea's journey into the Dark Dimension, it's possible that Cumberbatch will assume the role of Dormammu once again in the MCU's future.

Clancy Brown Played Surtur & The Blacksmith

Appeared In Thor: Ragnarok & Daredevil

Clancy Brown has a long history of both voice acting and live-action performances, and both have been on display in the MCU. Brown voiced Surtur in Thor: Ragnarok, the villain who was instrumental in bringing about Ragnarok and destroying Asgard. Brown also appeared in live-action as Colonel Ray Schoonover, a.k.a. the Blacksmith, in Netflix's Daredevil and The Punisher, one of the leaders of Operation Cerberus who was responsible for Frank Castle's family's deaths. Brown marked another actor who made the move from Marvel Television to the MCU proper, though not in the same role like Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, or Jon Bernthal.

Damion Poitier Played Thanos & A Crossbones Mercenary

Appeared In The Avengers & Captain America: Civil War

All eyes were on Damion Poitier in The Avengers' post-credits scene, where the actor portrayed the original version of Thanos in the MCU. The role of the Mad Titan would later be taken over by Josh Brolin, who played Thanos from Guardians of the Galaxy until Avengers: Endgame, with his appearance changing drastically from the deep purple alien in The Avengers to the more natural Thanos showcased in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. While Poitier missed out on playing Thanos permanently in the MCU, he would later appear in 2016's Captain America: Civil War as one of Crossbones' mercenaries in Lagos.

Enver Gjokaj Played Officer Saunders & Daniel Sousa

Appeared In The Avengers & Agents of SHIELD

Enver Gjokaj originally appeared in The Avengers as New York City Police Officer Saunders during the Battle of New York, but this minor role led to a much larger part to play in Marvel Television's Agent Carter and Agents of SHIELD. In the former, Gjokaj debuted as Daniel Sousa, a worker at the SSR and love-interest to Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter. Gjokaj would reprise this role for the final, time-traveling season of Agents of SHIELD, where the original plan was to have Sousa and Saunders revealed to be the same person, though this idea was eventually scrapped.

Gemma Chan Played Minn-Erva & Sersi

Appeared In Captain Marvel & Eternals

After portraying the blue-skinned Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel, a member of the elite Kree team, Starforce, and one of the film's minor antagonists, Gemma Chan went on to have a starring role in a Phase 4 MCU project. Eternals saw Chan assume the lead role of Sersi, a member of the Eternals who defies the mission of her Celestial creators. Gemma Chan is much more likely to return as Sersi, potentially in the MCU's Eternals 2, particularly since there have been calls for a continuation of the story set up in Eternals, as the Phase 4 film is widely regarded to have failed the interesting and complex characters.

Imogen & Isabella Poynton Played Duranna & Lila Barton

Appeared In Guardians Of The Galaxy & Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Imogen and Isabella Poynton are twin actors with a history of sharing roles, which they’ve done twice in the MCU. The Poynton sisters first appeared briefly in Guardians of the Galaxy as Duranna, the daughter of Nova Corps agent Rhomann Dey, residing on Xandar, who were saved by Rocket during the film's final battle. The two actors later played the young Lila Barton in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but were eventually replaced by Ava Russo after several years had ed for the events of Avengers: Endgame and Hawkeye.

Joe Russo Has Played Many MCU Roles

Appeared In Multiple MCU Movies

The Russo Brothers are best known for their directorial contributions to the MCU, but Joe Russo has also featured himself in his various Marvel Studios projects. Russo portrayed Dr. Fine, the doctor who operated on Nick Fury, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He later played Theo Broussard in Captain America: Civil War, the psychiatrist who was killed and impersonated by Baron Zemo. Russo's most recent role in the MCU came during the opening moments of Avengers: Endgame, where the director played Bobby, a member of Steve Rogers' group who opened up about his life during the Blip.

Judy Greer Played Maggie & War Pig

Appeared In Ant-Man & Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Known for her voice acting roles, Judy Greer appeared in live-action for Peyton Reed's Ant-Man, assuming the role of Cassie Lang's mother and Scott Lang's ex-wife, Maggie. Greer reprised this role for Ant-Man and the Wasp, though she was curiously absent from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, despite Cassie having a much larger role in the Phase 5 film. Greer more recently voiced War Pig in the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, one of the High Evolutionary's creations who seeks to capture Rocket, though she is quickly killed by Adam Warlock.

Kenneth Choi Played Private Jim Morita & Principal Morita

Appeared In Captain America: The First Avengers & Spider-Man: Homecoming

Unlike most of the other actors on this list, Kenneth Choi's two MCU roles are actually connected in-universe. Choi made his MCU debut in Captain America: The First Avenger as Private Jim Morita, a member of Steve Rogers' Howling Commandos, who battled with Captain America during WWII. He reprised this role for Agent Carter and briefly in Agents of SHIELD. Choi later appeared as Principal Morita in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, the principal of Peter Parker's high school, and also the grandson of his The First Avenger role - memorabilia and photos of his grandfather can be seen in his office.