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Jenna Ortega Jokes About Tiny MCU Role in Iron Man 3: 'They Took All My Lines Out'

Authore: HazelUpdate:Mar 18,2025

Did you catch Jenna Ortega's blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in *Iron Man 3*? It's easy to forget, but the now-famous star of Netflix's *Wednesday* and the upcoming *Beetlejuice 2* made her film debut at just 11 years old in the 2013 Marvel film. Her scene shows Miguel Ferrer's Vice President Rodriguez kissing his daughter on the forehead during a Christmas gathering. The camera then pans down to reveal the daughter, played by Ortega, is wheelchair-bound due to an amputated limb.

Jenna Ortega in Iron Man 3
Jenna Ortega in Iron Man 3. Image credit: Marvel Studios.

Recently, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ortega joked about her *Iron Man 3* appearance and how significantly Marvel Studios trimmed her role. "I did it once," she said. "It was one of the first jobs I ever did. They took all my lines out. I’m in *Iron Man 3* for a quick second. I take up the frame, I have one leg and I’m the vice president’s daughter.”

Her *Death of a Unicorn* co-star, Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), playfully suggested Marvel might create a bigger role for her, adding, "they should be so lucky to have Jenna Ortega in their franchise."

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Ortega, however, downplayed the role, stating, "They even took my name away...I just… I count that, and then I move on.”

Her role was likely a smaller subplot initially, significantly reduced in the final cut. Ironically, the child actor who played that minor part has become one of the biggest stars in the world. Should Marvel offer her a new MCU role, it's certainly a possibility she would consider.

Jenna Ortega as an MCU Character?
If Jenna Ortega did return to the MCU, which character should she play? Photo by Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty Images.

While *Iron Man 3* is considered one of the weaker MCU entries, it was a box office behemoth, grossing over $1.2 billion globally. This makes it the ninth highest-grossing superhero film ever, surpassing films like *Captain America: Civil War*, *Spider-Man: Far From Home*, and *Captain Marvel*. The MCU landscape was vastly different then; superhero films today face a tougher path to such massive box office success. Perhaps Ortega's presence could boost future MCU projects.

The question remains: which character would be the perfect fit for her?