Morena Baccarin is a captivating actress who recently debuted in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but she came close to joining the cast ofThe Avengersback in 2012, which could have made for a very different MCU. Baccarin is a sci-fi icon with roles in shows likeFirefly,Stargate, andV.
On top of that,Morena Baccarin has a long history of doing voicework for the DC Animated films, with the actress tackling notable roles like Talia al Ghul, Black Canary and Cheetah. However, one of her biggest roles to date isplaying Vanessa opposite Ryan Reynolds' Wade Wilsonin theDeadpoolmovies.
Morena Baccarin’s Role In The Deadpool Series Led To Her 2024 MCU Debut With Deadpool & Wolverine
Vanessa Is A Big Part Of Deadpool’s Story
As Vanessa Carlysle, Baccarin is the only person known to have captured Wade’s heart in the FoxX-Menmovies. However, theirrelationship has been rocky ever since Wade’s mutationbroke out, and he decided to avoid Vanessa, leaving her to believe he had died.
Despite their distance,Deadpool & Wolverinesaw the pair assume a more platonic friendship role, though there are definitely still sparks. And thanks to theacquisition of Fox by Disney, thisthird entry in the series is officially in the MCU.
That means Baccarin is now part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there is potential for her to return in future films. However,Baccarin had a shot at joining the most explosively successful franchise of all time way back in 2012, even before she was cast inDeadpool.
Morena Baccarin Reportedly Almost Debuted In The MCU Over A Decade Earlier
Maria Hill Could Have Been Completely Different In The MCU
The Hollywood Reporterreported back in 2011 that there werefour main contenders for a big role in the upcomingAvengersmovie. Samuel L. Jackson, who plays Nick Fury, revealed that the role in question was for his “sidekick,” aka Maria Hill.
Along with Cobie Smulders, who would land the part and become an important part ofThe Avengersmovies, Baccarin was in the running. And considering her link todirector Joss Whedon, who she’d worked with onFireflyyears before, she wasspeculated to be one of the most likely candidates.
I’m Still So Curious About How Morena Baccarin Playing Maria Hill Could Have Changed The Character
Morena Baccarin Would Have Played A Very Different Version Of Maria Hill
Obviously, Baccarin didn’t end up playing Maria Hill. But, it is interesting to think about how the character might have been different if Baccarin had been cast to play the part. BothBaccarin and Smulders can play confident, strong women incredibly well.
However, Baccarin is also often cast in roles where she uses her femininity more aggressively. Potentially, this could have ended up being very similar to how Scarlett Johansson plays Natasha Romanoff, which may bepart of the reason why Baccarin wasn’t cast.
Both Baccarin and Smulders can play confident, strong women incredibly well.
Ultimately, Smulders was the right pick for the role, and it led to some incredible moments for her character in future projects. However, now thatMorena Baccarin is finally in theMCUas Vanessa, it’s exciting to imagine where the character could go, especially considering their larger role in Marvel Comics.
In Marvel Comics, Vanessa Carlysle is a mutant who uses the alias Copycat. The MCU could potentially explore this version of the character with Morena Baccarin in future projects.
