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6 Big-Name Actors Who Played Side Characters in MCU

6 Big-Name Actors Who Played Side Characters in MCU
Image credit: Walt Disney/Paramount Pictures

Let's be real, these stars could have been given a more significant part.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is like a big party with a star-studded guest list. Sure, the main characters get most of the attention, but there are also some big-name actors popping up in quieter roles, just adding a bit of extra sparkle to the scene.

Tommy Lee Jones

In 2011, Tommy Lee Jones, the face we've loved since Men in Black, portrayed Colonel Chester Phillips in Captain America: The First Avenger. Jones portrayed Phillips as a stern but engaging character.

Jones' journey with the MCU ended with this role. Fans hoped he might reprise his character in the Disney Plus’ series What If...? but alas, Colonel Phillips only made a brief, silent appearance.

Stanley Tucci

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You will probably recognize Stanley Tucci from movies like The Hunger Games and The Lovely Bones that got him an Oscar nomination. He played Dr. Abraham Erskine in the first Captain America movie. He's the brains behind the serum that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America.

Sylvester Stallone

The Rocky and Rambo legend, Sylvester Stallone, made a surprising appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Stakar Ogord, a high-ranking Ravager with a history with Yondu. Stallone’s role was brief but it certainly left fans wondering if we might see more of him in future MCU films.

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Laurence Fishburne

Known for his iconic role as Morpheus in The Matrix series, Laurence Fishburne joined the MCU as Dr. Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp. In the comics, Foster becomes the superhero known as Goliath. This character will appear in What If...? season 2.

Matt Damon

Academy Award winner Matt Damon made an unexpected cameo in Thor: Ragnarok. He played an Asgardian actor portraying Loki in a play within the movie. It was a brief but hilarious role.

Bill Murray

Bill Murray who played the character Lord Krylar in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Krylar is portrayed as the Governor of Axia, a city located in the Quantum Realm. Initially, he was an ally of Janet van Dyne, but he eventually betrayed his comrades and allied himself with Kang the Conqueror.