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With regard to upcoming projects, Marvel Studios is renowned for taking enormous pains to maintain as many secrets as possible. As a prominent figure in the forthcoming flickThunderbolts*,Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who will be reprising her role as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, can attest to this.
Fresh off the MCU’s eminent stages ofBlack WidowandBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, the actress is all set to grace the big screen in Jake Schreier’s much-anticipated 2025 release.You must be unaware, though, of how a very casual chat helped her land a role in the MCU.
Recently, on theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, the actress, 63, shared a slice of her Marvel journey, while also confirming the production wrap-up onThunderbolts*. True to the hush-hush culture of Marvel Studios, details were scant, but what’s not a secret anymore is that her performances inSeinfeldandVeepcaptured the attention of MCU’s visionaries, Kevin Feige and Louis D’Esposito.
This is the kind of informal casting that might make Robert Downey Jr. green with envy. After all, Marvel’s initial hesitance with the actor due to his past is well-documented in Hollywood lore.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Reflects on Securing Her Role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Marvel Studios is famous for keeping a tight lid on their upcoming shows & movies, butJulia Louis-Dreyfusmanaged to spill a few beans about her highly anticipated filmThunderbolts*. In a recent interview on theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, the actress revealed that filming for Jake Schreier’s helmed flick was completed this past week.
“Can you give me the Kennedy?”: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Rejected 1 Extremely Dark Seinfeld Script Before Kevin Costner’s Controversial JFK Release
However,theSeinfeldstarcouldn’t give away too many details, as is customary for any Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film. The actress remarked in jest:
When you work with these people, you have to sign a NDA every three-and-a-half seconds.
Louis-Dreyfus plays the character Valentina Allegra de Fontaine inThunderbolts*,a roleshe reprisedfrom her earlier appearances inBlack Widow, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,andThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The actress then shared how she got involved with the MCU during the podcast interview, recounting a casual meeting with Marvel bigwigs Kevin Feige and Louis D’Esposito:
They were big Seinfeld and Veep fans. I think they just wanted to talk about those shows. We were chatting about this episode and that episode, and then they popped the question, ‘Would you ever want to do something?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, it’d be so much fun, and my boys would freak out’. That’s how it began.
The nonchalant manner in which Louis-Dreyfus landed her Marvel role is a stark contrast to the uphill battle Robert Downey Jr. faced when auditioning for the role of Iron Man.
Marvel Studios’ Initial Doubts About Casting Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark
Marvel Studios was initially doubtful to castRobert Downey Jr.due to histroubled past, which included struggles with substance abuse and multiple arrests. In relation to drug charges involving cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, the actor, 59, was arrested several times between 1996 and 2001 (seeTime).
However, the studio eventually took a chance on the actor, resulting in his iconic portrayal of Tony Stark in Jon Favreau’s 2008 film.Looking back, Feige toldCinemaBlendthat the MCU would not be where it is today without theOppenheimeractor. As a result, while it was thebiggest “risk”, it also yielded the biggest reward because it laid the groundwork for the franchise:
He wasn’t a marquee star, necessarily. And we quickly realized the risk, I’ve said this before, was not casting him. And Jon Favreau really had that vision for that movie and for Robert in that role. That decision, and the success of that decision, I think empowered us with further risks and further choices.
Needless to say, his portrayal of Iron Man became a defining role not just for the actor but also for the character in the MCU. With over $585 million in box office receipts worldwide (Box Office Mojo),Iron Man’s performance was highly praised by critics and audiences alike.
Jerry Seinfeld’s Billionaire Status is Nothing Compared to One of His ‘Seinfeld’ Girlfriend’s Net Worth (& It’s not Julia-Louis Dreyfus)
Despite Downey Jr.’s emotional exit from the franchise inAvengers: Endgame,fans continue to speculate about the character’s potential return in a future MCU project. Whether through holograms, flashbacks, or the multiverse, the desire to see Iron Man back on screen remains strong among fans.
Thunderbolts*will be released on August 08, 2025, whileIron Manis streaming on Disney+.
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
