Honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else wearing the crown. When you think about who played Wanda in Avengers, the name Elizabeth Olsen immediately pops up, but it wasn’t always a given that she’d become the emotional heartbeat of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). She first showed up in a post-credits scene for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, looking disheveled and dangerous in a small cell.
She was just a "miracle" then.
Back in 2014, the superhero landscape was different. Most characters were quippy or stoic. Then came Wanda Maximoff. Olsen didn't just play a hero; she played a grieving, traumatized woman who happened to have the power to rewrite reality. It's a heavy lift. Most actors would have leaned into the "magic" of it all, but she focused on the hands. Have you ever noticed her finger movements? She actually worked with a movement coach, Jennifer White, to make the spellcasting look like a physical dance rather than just pointing and shooting.
The Casting of Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch
So, how did we get here? Casting director Sarah Halley Finn is basically a legend for a reason. She saw something in Olsen that went beyond the indie darling reputation she had from movies like Martha Marcy May Marlene. Kevin Feige and Joss Whedon needed someone who could stand toe-to-toe with Robert Downey Jr. and James Spader without getting overshadowed.
Olsen was 25 when she started.
She brought this grounded, almost indie-film sensibility to a multi-billion dollar franchise. While who played Wanda in Avengers is a simple trivia question for some, for fans, it represents the shift from "cool powers" to "complex mental health narratives." Olsen has been vocal about how she didn't even know if she'd have a job after Avengers: Age of Ultron. In the comics, Wanda is often a plot device or a "crazy" woman, but Olsen fought to make her human.
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The accent is a whole other story. Remember the heavy Sokovian lilt in Age of Ultron? It started to fade by Infinity War and was basically gone in WandaVision. Some fans hated that change. Honestly, though, it made sense in the context of a person trying to hide and blend in while living as a fugitive with Captain America’s crew. It’s those tiny, realistic details that Olsen brought to the role that kept the character from feeling like a caricature.
From Sidekick to the Main Event
For a long time, Wanda was just a supporting player. She was the one who accidentally blew up a building in Lagos, sparking the Civil War. She was the one who had to kill the person she loved in Infinity War, only to watch Thanos rewind time and do it again.
That’s a lot for one actor.
If you look at the trajectory of who played Wanda in Avengers, you see a massive evolution in screen time and importance. By the time we got to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, she wasn't just a member of the team. She was the antagonist. Playing a villain that the audience still kind of roots for is incredibly difficult. You have to play the pain, not just the evil. Olsen managed to make us feel bad for a woman who was literally tearing the multiverse apart to find her imaginary children.
It’s worth noting that Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played her brother Pietro, had worked with her before in Godzilla. That pre-existing chemistry helped establish the "twins" bond instantly. When he died at the end of her first real movie, you felt her scream. That "hex" blast she let out wasn't just CGI; it was a raw, visceral performance.
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Why Elizabeth Olsen’s Portrayal Stuck
Marvel has a lot of actors. Some are great, some are just... there. Olsen is different because she treats the source material with a weird amount of respect while also being willing to change what doesn't work. She’s famously said she’s "not a comic book person," but she understands the mythology.
She understands that Wanda is a tragedy.
If you're looking for the technical answer to who played Wanda in Avengers, it's Elizabeth Olsen, but the "how" is more interesting. She didn't use a stunt double for the hand movements. She didn't want the costume to be the "cheesy" leotard from the 60s comics—at least not at first. When they finally did the classic Scarlet Witch look in WandaVision, it felt like an earned moment, a wink to the fans rather than a sexist outfit choice.
The Future of the Scarlet Witch
Is she dead? Probably not. No one stays dead in comics unless their name is Uncle Ben (and even then, sometimes...).
The MCU is currently in a bit of a flux. With the Multiverse Saga expanding, there are infinite versions of Wanda Maximoff out there. But the one we care about, the one who played Wanda in Avengers through the Infinity Saga, has left a massive hole in the roster. Rumors about a solo Scarlet Witch movie have been circulating for years. Olsen herself has been hot and cold about returning. She’s mentioned wanting to explore other roles, which is fair. She’s been doing this for a decade.
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But the fans? They aren't done.
The impact of her performance has created a subculture of "Wanda stans" who see her as a symbol of grief and resilience. Whether she’s a hero or a villain doesn't really matter to them. What matters is that Olsen made her real.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Actors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the actor who played Wanda in Avengers or if you're a performer looking to learn from her technique, here are a few things to consider.
- Study Movement Coaching: Olsen’s work with Jennifer White is a masterclass in non-verbal storytelling. If you’re playing a character with "powers," don't just wave your arms. Create a "language" for those movements. It adds a layer of reality that CGI can't provide.
- Track Character Evolution: Watch Age of Ultron and Multiverse of Madness back-to-back. Notice the shift in posture, vocal tone, and eye contact. Olsen slowly transitions Wanda from a scared girl to a confident, if broken, goddess. It's a slow burn that pays off.
- Indie Roots Matter: Don’t ignore an actor’s early work. To understand why Olsen plays Wanda with such intensity, watch Martha Marcy May Marlene or Wind River. She brings that "small movie" intimacy to the "big movie" stage.
- The Power of Silence: Some of Wanda’s most powerful moments in the Avengers films are when she isn't saying anything. Look at the scene in Endgame where she confronts Thanos. "You took everything from me." The line is iconic, but the look on her face before she says it is what sells the threat.
Elizabeth Olsen didn't just play a role. She defined a generation of Marvel storytelling. She took a character that could have been a background player and turned her into the most powerful—and perhaps most tragic—figure in the entire cinematic universe. When people ask who played Wanda in Avengers, they aren't just looking for a name. They're looking for the person who made them cry over a robot and a couple of imaginary kids in a suburban house that never really existed.
To truly appreciate the craft, go back and watch the "making of" specials on Disney+. You'll see her standing on blue-screen sets, surrounded by nothing, yet reacting with 100% emotional honesty. That’s the real magic. It isn't the red energy coming out of her hands; it’s the conviction in her eyes.
Moving forward, the best way to keep up with the Scarlet Witch's journey is to follow official Marvel casting calls and production leaks for the upcoming Vision series or any rumored Scarlet Witch standalone projects. The character's journey is far from over, and whether it's Olsen or a Multiverse variant, the standard has been set incredibly high. Keep an eye on trade publications like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter for the first word on her inevitable return to the screen.