Elizabeth Olsen has achieved fame and acclaim in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for her sincere portrayal of the powerful Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch. Her Scarlet Witch was first seen in the 2015 superhero film Avengers: Age of Ultron but Jac Schaeffer’s miniseries, WandaVision helped her gain more recognition.
One might assume that Olsen was aware of Marvel’s plans for her character every time. That was not the case, though. The actress once admitted she was unaware of the direction her character would take in Sam Raimi’s film, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange.
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Raimi took a chance by making Wanda Maximoff the main antagonist.
Also read: Did MCU Fire Elizabeth Olsen?- Recent Rumors About the Scarlet Witch Actor Debunked
Elizabeth Olsen Want To Break Free From The Good Girl Role?
Elizabeth Olsen has made a career out of playing strong female characters, and this is both a deliberate choice and a reflection of her belief that she is simply not suited for other kinds of roles.
In a conversation with IndieWire, Olsen discussed her thoughts on Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch becoming the main antagonist of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The actress admitted that until she was informed about it just before filming, she was unaware that the studio was developing her character into a villain:
“I just don’t know how to be an ingenue. I’ve never known how. I don’t know how to be comfortable in my skin knowing that’s the purpose I’m serving, but I think most women who are ingenues maybe don’t think of themselves as such.”
She also discovered that she felt a need for separation from stereotypes of traditionally maternal, nurturing, or sweet women. She went on to say:
“Instead of judging, I would rather get behind them and understand them.”
Therefore, when asked if she is currently in her antihero phase:
“I feel like I’ll forever be in that. I don’t know if I ever want to play the hero.”
Elizabeth Olsen’s Reaction to Her Villainous MCU Turn
Elizabeth Olsen portrayed Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, in both WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but in different roles—one as the protagonist and one as the antagonist.
The actress, 34, earlier discussed her feelings about Wanda Maximoff serving as the main antagonist in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in an interview with Buzzfeed.
“I was shocked the moment they told me what it was about. I was shocked at the moment they said, ‘You’re the villain.’ No one told me until right before we shot it, so that was shocking.”
In a separate interview with Screen Rant, she discussed the villainous turn Wanda Maximoff took, even confessing that Sam Raimi put her in situations she had not expected:
“I mean, it was fun. Initially, I was like, ‘Oh no! Not our Wanda.’ But then it became something to lean into, and Sam definitely put me in situations where I was like ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this right now,’ when I was playing the alt-Wanda often.”
Although Raimi also made sure that “her humanity” was focused on at the same time, Olsen appreciated the “evolution of the character” gave her a different feel and tone:
“I love having an evolution of the character. I love having a different tone to play. But Sam was always bringing me back to her humanity as well. As much as we were pushing elements, he always wanted to make sure that it was coming from a really pure place.”
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness received praise for its direction by Raimi, visuals, soundtrack, and Olsen’s performance.
Elizabeth Olsen was last seen as Christina in Azazel Jacobs’ drama film His Three Daughters.
Meanwhile, you can stream Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on Disney Plus.
Source- IndieWire; Buzzfeed; Screen Rant
