EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — We caught up with Marvel TV stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany about the highly anticipated new Disney+ series Wandavision, which brings back their Avengers superhero characters Wanda Maximoff — A.K.A. "Scarlet Witch" — and "Vision," respectively.
5 Things You Need to Know:
- The story takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame, where their characters now live in a Bewitched-type sitcom, trying to conceal their powers while suspecting things are not what they seem.
- Along with Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprising their respective roles as Wanda Maximoff and Vision, also co-starring in the project are Debra Jo Rupp, Fred Melamed, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris, Randall Park, and Kat Dennings.
- Some backstory on these two Avengers: Wanda Maximoff ("Scarlet Witch") is an Avenger who can harness magic, engage in telepathy, and telekinesis and alter reality. "Vision," meanwhile, is an android and former Avenger created after using the artificial intelligences J.A.R.V.I.S. and Ultron as well as the Mind Stone, who was killed during the events of Avengers: Infinity War. Bettany has mentioned he was influenced by Dick Van Dyke and Hugh Laurie for his WandaVision performance.
- 31 year-old Olsen had her breakthrough in 2011 when she starred in the independent thriller drama Martha Marcy May Marlene, for which she was nominated for the Critics' Choice Movie Award and Independent Spirit Award. She subsequently starred in the films Silent House, Liberal Arts, Oldboy, Godzilla, I Saw the Light, Wind River, and Ingrid Goes West. She is known more for her indie roles than this blockbuster franchise. "It really allows for opportunities," she said. "Being a part of an international film will always allow for opportunities with smaller projects, so I’m grateful for that."
- Bettany has a pretty extensive career, having also been featured in the Avengers movies and Captain America: Civil War. He first made his break to mainstream audiences in the British film Gangster No. 1, and then appeared in A Knight's Tale, A Beautiful Mind, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Dogville, Wimbledon, The Da Vinci Code, Margin Call, and Solo: A Star Wars Story. He'll next be seen portraying Alexander Nix in an upcoming film about the Cambridge Analytica scandal. He's been married to Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Connelly since 2003, and they have 2 children together.