Elizabeth Olsen: “Let the stunts be done by stunt doubles”

MCU portrayer of Wanda, Elizabeth Olsen, shares her perspective on her refusal to do first-person stunt work.

Being a superhero in the cinema is also, often, a “physical” role because, even with all possible computer graphics, there are some stunts to be performed for real, even if often it is not the titular actors who perform them. Mainly for a safety reason: should the lead actor get hurt, continuing the film would be very difficult. Filming of Maze Runner – The revelation suffered a year’s hiatus due to protagonist Dylan O’Brien’s injury! Not to mention, moreover, that in cases like these, a whole series of insurance problems, conflicts of cast schedules and workers, etc. are triggered. Stunt doubles (or stunt doubles) are therefore essential. Elizabeth Olsenwho plays Wanda in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, told how, in her opinion, it is logical and necessary to have this kind of scene done by those responsible, rather than doing it personally.

(during the stunts) The stomach goes on its own business. It’s like, I guess, the joy people get on a roller coaster, which I can’t fathom…but a lot of people like it. I have now recovered from my dizzy attitude. Sometimes I stand there and just think “Ok, how many more do I have to do?”, but sometimes I get a little scared. There’s a stunt in the third Doctor Strange where they had to drop me from thirty feet, they wanted to drop me pretty fast so you could get a sense of the impact, but I kept coming down looking like Peter Pan, so I said “Use stunt doubles. This is all ridiculous. They exist for a reason, use them, and then replace the face with CGI.” it’s done all the time, after all, and so they did. Otherwise it’s a waste of everyone’s time: stunt doubles do better stunts than actors.

Certainly not a matter of laziness but a reasonable consideration, also in the light of the technical innovations that allow you to easily change a face in a shot. Sure, some actors are more inclined for acrobatic scenes (see Tom Holland, chosen as Peter Parker also because of his gymnastic dexterity) but for other roles we don’t feel like blaming the American actress, who most probably, in a way or in the other, we will review in a next iteration of the MCU.

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