Marvel Stars That Have Taken Bows on Broadway
We're looking into the theater careers of the cinematic universe's biggest stars.
By: Taylor Brethauer-Hamling Jun. 12, 2021
UPDATED: May 2024
The name on everybody's lips is gonna be Loki this week! With Marvel projects continuing to grow and fun fan theory discussions continue on, we're looking into the theater careers of the cinematic universe's biggest stars.
Which Marvel stars have been nominated for Tony awards? Which Marvel stars have produced shows on Broadway? What are some of their upcoming Broadway projects? Read on to find out!
Iron Man- Robert Downey, Jr.
Tony Stark is coming to Broadway! Downey will make his Broadway debut in fall 2024 in Ayad Akhtar's McNeal, directed by Bartlett Sher.
Captain America - Chris Evans
Captain America himself, Chris Evans made his Broadway debut in 2018 as Bill in Lobby Hero!
Hulk - Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo made his Broadway debut in Awake and Sing! as Moe Axelrod in 2006, which earned him a Tony nomination for featured actor in a play. He recently returned to Broadway in The Price as Victor Franz in 2017 (pictured).
Scarlet Witch - Elizabeth Olsen
Even the Scarlet Witch has been on Broadway! She was an understudy in 2009's Impressionism for the role of Nicole Halliday.
War Machine - Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard was in the first Iron Man film, and then replaced by Don Cheadle in the subsequent Marvel films. He was on Broadway in 2008 in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Brick!
Falcon/Captain America - Anthony Mackie
Cut the check! Anthony Mackie is no stranger to the Broadway scene. He made his debut in 2003 in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Sylvester and the understudy for Levee. Following that role, he was in 2004's Drowning Crow as Constantine Trip and most recently in A Behanding in Spokane as Toby in 2010 (pictured). He also appeared in The 24 Hour Plays from 2003-2005 and again in 2008 and 2009.
Spider-Man - Tom Holland
While not a Broadway bow, Spiderman himself is no stranger to the stage! Tom Holland made his West End debut in the title role of Billy Elliot from 2008 to 2010.
Rocket Raccoon - Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper voices Rocket Raccoon in The Guardians of the Galaxy! He made his Broadway debut in Three Days of Rain as Theo/Pip in 2006. His turn as John Merrick in 2014's The Elephant Man (pictured) earned him a Tony nomination for actor in leading role in a play.
Okoye - Danai Gurira
Danai Gurira is not only a Broadway actress, but also a Broadway playwright! She made her acting debut in Joe Turner's Come and Gone as Martha Pentecost in 2009. In 2016, her play Eclipsed, starring Black Panther co-star Lupita Nyong'o, was nominated for Best Play at the Tonys.
Ant-Man - Paul Rudd
Paul Rudd has a long list of Broadway credits, including 1997's The Last Night of Ballyhoo as Joe Farkas, 1998's Twelfth Night as Orsino, 2003's The Play What I Wrote's Mystery Guest Star replacement, 2006's Three Days of Rain as Walker/Ned, and 2012's Grace as Steve (pictured).
Black Widow - Scarlett Johansson
Black Widow is also a Tony Award-winner! Scarlett Johansson had her Broadway debut in 2010's A View from the Bridge as Catherine (pictured), for which she won Best Featured Actress in a Play! She was recently seen on Broadway in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof as Margaret in 2013.
Loki - Tom Hiddleston
Tom Hiddleston made his Broadway debut in 2019's Betrayal as Robert. He was nominated for a 2020 Tony Award in the Actor in a Leading Role in a Play category.
Winter Soldier - Sebastian Stan
Sebastian Stan also has a few Broadway credits under his belt-- in 2007's Talk Radio as Kent and 2013's Picnic as Hal Carter (pictured).
Mysterio - Jake Gyllenhaal
Broadway fans are probably well-aware of Jake Gyllenhaal's Broadway roles-- from 2015's Constellations as Roland, 2017's Sunday in the Park with George (pictured), and 2019's Sea Wall/A Life as Abbe. But did you know he's a Broadway producer as well?
Through his production company, Nine Stories, he co-founded in 2015, he has produced Sea Wall/A Life, Slave Play, and Caroline or Change. At the 2020 Tony Awards, he was nominated three times: Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Sea Wall/A Life, and Best Play nominations for Slave Play and Sea Wall/A Life as both show's producer.
Black Panther - Chadwick Boseman
While we sadly never got to see Chadwick Boseman's light shine on the Broadway stage, his final film role is Levee in the film adaptation of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He recently won a Golden Globe posthumously for the role.
Nick Fury - Samuel L. Jackson
Nick Fury himself has also taken a few Broadway bows! Samuel L. Jackson started on Broadway in 1990's The Piano Lesson as the understudy for Boy Willie/Lymon and returned to the stage in 2011's The Mountaintop as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. opposite Black Panther's Angela Bassett (pictured).
Agatha Harkness - Kathryn Hahn
She's been on Broadway all along! Star of WandaVision Kathryn Hahn bowed on Broadway in Boeing-Boeing as Gloria in 2008!
Thanos - Josh Brolin
Even Thanos has been on the Broadway stage! He played Austin in 2000's True West.
Ultron - James Spader
Voice of Ultron, James Spader, has also been on Broadway. He made his debut in 2009's Race as Jack Lawson.
Pepper Pots - Gwyneth Paltrow
While actress Gwyneth Paltrow doesn't have any acting credits on Broadway as of now, she did produce 2018's Head Over Heels!
Jane Foster - Natalie Portman
Thor star Natalie Portman has only been on Broadway once-- as Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank in 1997.
Phil Coulson - Clark Gregg
Agent Coulson was part of the Broadway cast of A Few Good Men in 1989! He played Lt. Jack Ross and also served as understudy for the role of Lt. j.g. Daniel A. Kaffee. In 2018, he tweeted out this throwback pic with actor Tom Hulce.
Maria Hill - Cobie Smulders
Agent Maria Hill made her Broadway debut in 2017's Present Laughter as Joanna Lyppiatt.
Odin - Anthony Hopkins
Odin himself, Anthony Hopkins, was on Broadway in Equus as Martin Dysart in 1974.
Ronan the Accuser - Lee Pace
Yes, under that Ronan the Accuser makeup, it's stage and screen star Lee Pace! He was in The Normal Heart as Bruce Niles in 2011, but most recently in the award-winning revival of Angels in America: Perestroika as Joseph Pitt and The Angel Europa and Angels in America: Millennium Approaches as Joseph Pitt, Prior 1, and The Eskimo in 2018 (pictured).
May Parker - Marisa Tomei
Aunt May also has a Broadway background! She was in 1998's Wait Until Dark as Susy Hendrix, 2003's Salome as Salome, 2008's Top Girls as Isabella Bird/Joyce/Mrs. Kidd, 2014's The Realistic Joneses as Pony Jones, and most recently in 2019's The Rose Tattoo as Serafina Delle Rose.
Hela - Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett, who appeared as Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, is a Tony nominee for 2017's The Present as Anna, which earned her a nomination in the Actress in a Leading Role in a Play category.
Grandmaster - Jeff Goldblum
Grandmaster Jeff Goldblum also has his fair share of Broadway credits: 1971's Two Gentlemen of Verona as Citizen of Verona/Milan and understudy for Eglamour, 1981's The Moony Shapiro Songbook in multiple roles, 2003's The Play What I Wrote as a Mystery Guest Star replacement, and 2005's The Pillowman as Tupolski (pictured). In 2012, he joined the cast of Seminar as Leonard after replacing original cast member Alan Rickman.
Nakia - Lupita Nyong'o
Lupita Nyong'o's Broadway debut was in Black Panther co-star Danai Gurira's play Eclipsed as The Girl in 2016, which earned her a Tony nomination for Actress in a Leading Role in a Play.
Ramonda - Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett's been a star of the stage and screen for years! She began in 1984's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Dussie Mae, replacing original cast member Aleta Mitchell. In 1988, she starred as Martha Pentecost in Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Then recently in 2011, she starred in The Mountaintop as Camae, alongside Samuel L. Jackson.
Zuri - Forest Whitaker
Black Panther's Zuri was recently on Broadway in Hughie as "Erie" Smith in 2016.
Yon-Rogg - Jude Law
Captain Marvel's Jude Law is a two-time Tony nominee for his role as Michael in 1995's Indiscretions as Michael (Tony nomination for featured actor in a play) and his role as Hamlet in 2009's Hamlet (Tony nomination for leading actor in a play- pictured).
Mar-Vell - Annette Bening
Annette Bening was an exciting addition to the Captain Marvel cast. Bening is another two-time Tony nominee from the Marvel family-- first for her role as Holly Dancer in 1987's Coastal Disturbances (Tony nomination for featured actress in a play) and for her role as Kate Keller in 2019's All My Sons (Tony nomination for actress in leading role in a play- picture).
Isaiah Bradley - Carl Lumbly
A new addition to the MCU, Isaiah Bradley was introduced in the Disney Plus show Falcon and the Winter Soldier. While Carl Lumbly hasn't been on Broadway, he did receive a Drama Desk Award for his performance in Jitney. He's also no stranger to the regional stage, performing in Red Velvet at San Francisco Playhouse in 2016, and Between Riverside and Crazy at American Conservatory Theater in 2015 most recently.
Sarah Wilson - Adepero Oduye
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Adepero played Sam's sister Sarah in the Disney Plus show Falcon and the Winter Soldier! She made her Broadway debut in The Trip to Bountiful as a replacement for Thelma, back in 2013.
Dr. Christine Palmer- Rachel McAdams
McAdams made her Broadway debut in 2024 as the title character in Mary Jane. She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance.
Dr. Nic West- Michael Stuhlbarg
Stuhlbarg made his Broadway debut in 1993's Saint Joan as has appeared in nine total Broadway productions. For his performances in 2005's The Pillowman and 2024's Patriots, he was nominated for Tony Awards.
M.O.D.O.K.- Corey Stoll
Stoll made his Broadway debut in 2003's Henry IV and has gone on to star in Old Acquaintance, A View from the Bridge, and Appropriate- for which he was nominated for a Tony Award.
Dar-Benn- Zawe Ashton
Ashton made her Broadway debut alongside fellow Marvel star Tom Hiddleston in 2019's Betrayal.
Jarvis- Paul Bettany
Bettany made his Broadway debut playing Andy Warhol in The Collaboration in 2022.
Justin Hammer- Sam Rockwell
Before he was an Oscar winner, Sam Rockwell made his Broadway debut in 2010's A Behanding in Spokane. He has since gone on to star in Fool For Love and American Buffalo. The latter earned him a Tony nomination in 2022.
Maya Hansen- Rebecca Hall
Hall made her broadway debut opposite now husband Morgan Spector in 2014's Machinal.
Nova Prime- Glenn Close
One of the most celebrated stars of stage and screen, Close made her Broadway debut in 1974's Love for Love. She has since gone on to star in 13 Broadway shows, including her Tony-winning performances in Sunset Boulevard, The Real Thing, and Death and the Maiden.
Paxton- Bobby Cannavale
Cannavale made his Broadway debut in 2007's Mauritius and his since starred in The Motherfucker with the Hat, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Big Knife, and The Lifespan of a Fact.
Makkari- Lauren Ridloff
Ridloff was nominated for a Tony Award for her debut performance in 2018's Children of a Lesser God.
Fandral- Zachary Levi
Levi made his Broadway debut in 2013's First Date and earned a Tony nomination for his performance in the 2016 revival of She Loves Me.
Anne Marie Hoag- Tyne Daly
Daly has starred in seven Broadway shows since her debut in 1967's That Summer- That Fall. She earned a Tony Award in 1990 for her portrayal of Mama Rose in Gypsy.
Dr. Otto Octavis- Alfred Molina
Molina's Doc Oc makes an appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but he is better known to Broadway audiences for his performances in Art, Fiddler on the Roof, Red and Uncle Vanya. He has been nominated for three Tony Awards.
Peter Parker- Andrew Garfield
Garfield, who similarly enters the multiverse in No Way Home, made his Broadway debut in the 2012 revival of Death of a Salesman and won a Tony Award for his performance in the 2018 revival of Angels in America.
Agent Cleary- Arian Moayed
Moayed made his Broadway debut in 2011's Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and has gone on to star in The Human and Jamie Lloyd's 2023 revival of A Doll's House, for which he earned a Tony nomination.
Phastos- Brian Tyree Henry
Henry made his Broadway debut in the Book of Momon and starred opposite Catpain America himself, Chris Evans, in 2018's Lobby Hero.
Soo- Stephanie Hsu
Before she was an Oscar nominee Hsu was starring onstage in SpongeBob SquarePants in 2017 and Joe Iconis' Be More Chill in 2018.
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