You’ve probably seen her face a dozen times and thought, "I know her from somewhere." Honestly, Amy Rutberg is one of those actresses who just fits everywhere. She’s got this sharp, intellectual vibe that makes her the perfect choice for a high-stakes lawyer or a CIA operative, but then she’ll turn around and do a comedy sketch that’s actually funny.
Most people know her as Marci Stahl from the Marvel universe, but if you look at the full list of Amy Rutberg movies and tv shows, you’ll realize she has been grinding in the industry since she was a teenager. She isn't an overnight success story. It’s more of a "slow burn" career that finally caught fire when she landed in Hell’s Kitchen.
The Marci Stahl Factor: More Than Just Foggy’s Girlfriend
Let’s talk about Daredevil. When Rutberg first showed up as Marci Stahl, she was basically meant to be a one-off character. A "disposable" ex-girlfriend for Foggy Nelson. But Rutberg did something interesting with the role. She made Marci smart, a little bit mean, and strangely likable.
Fans loved the banter. The chemistry with Elden Henson (Foggy) was so undeniable that the writers kept bringing her back. By the time Season 3 rolled around, she wasn't just a guest star; she was a moral compass in a very dark show.
She even jumped over to The Defenders. It’s rare for a non-superpowered character in the MCU to feel essential, but Rutberg pulled it off. She played a lawyer who actually felt like a lawyer—probably because she studied law at UCLA before she went all-in on acting.
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Beyond the MCU: That Wild NCIS: New Orleans Arc
If you’re a procedurals fan, you definitely saw her on NCIS: New Orleans. This is where her career gets kinda weird in the best way. She played Megan Sutter, a CIA agent. Standard stuff, right?
Well, she died.
Usually, that’s the end of the road for an actor on a show. But the producers liked her so much they brought her back as "The Angel." She basically became a figment of Pride’s (Scott Bakula) imagination, acting as a sort of guide while he was clinging to life. It was a very "New Orleans" supernatural twist, and Rutberg leaned into the "flirty angel of death" vibe perfectly.
A Career Built on Guest Spots and Character Work
Before she was a Marvel staple, Rutberg was doing the rounds on every major New York-based show. If it filmed in NYC between 2008 and 2018, she was probably in it.
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- The Law & Order Gauntlet: She’s one of the few actors who has appeared in the original Law & Order, Criminal Intent, and SVU as completely different characters.
- The Comedy Roots: You can find her in episodes of Inside Amy Schumer and Broad City. She even has a credit for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where she frequently popped up in sketches.
- Dopesick: More recently, she appeared in the critically acclaimed Hulu series Dopesick as Alice Fisher. It’s a small role compared to Marci Stahl, but it shows she’s still picking projects with high-tier writing.
Why You Don't See Her in Many Lead Movie Roles (Yet)
It’s a fair question. Why hasn't she headlined a massive blockbuster?
Rutberg is a classic "character actress." She’s the person you hire to ground a scene. In movies like Rebel in the Rye (the J.D. Salinger biopic) or the indie comedy Hard Sell, she provides the texture that makes the world feel real. She also spent a huge chunk of her early career on Broadway and in musical theater, which is a massive time commitment that often keeps actors away from the "movie star" track.
She’s also been pivoting lately. If you’ve been watching the credits of the newer NCIS seasons or NCIS: Hawai'i, you might have noticed her name moving into the producer and writer columns. She’s clearly looking to control the narrative more, which is a smart move for any veteran in the 2026 TV landscape.
Fact-Checking the "Overnight Success" Myth
There’s a misconception that she just appeared out of nowhere in 2015. Nope. Rutberg was a professional poker player for a minute. She was also a child actor who got her start at age nine. She’s been working for thirty years.
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She’s often cast as the "girl with a job"—the D.A., the surgeon, the agent. She’s even joked in interviews that she’s "died on every network," from The Blacklist to Blindspot to Elementary. If you’re a director and you need a woman who looks like she can handle a billion-dollar merger or a crime scene, Rutberg is the first call.
Notable Credits at a Glance:
- Daredevil / The Defenders: Marci Stahl (The role that changed everything).
- NCIS: New Orleans: Megan Sutter / The Angel (The role that wouldn't stay dead).
- Dopesick: Alice Fisher (High-brow drama).
- Rebel in the Rye: Betsy Hopkins (The film side).
- FBI: Stacy Harper (Continuing the procedural streak).
What’s Next for Amy Rutberg?
As of 2026, her trajectory is looking more behind-the-scenes. While fans are still holding out hope for a Marci Stahl cameo in the new Daredevil: Born Again iterations, she’s been busy producing and writing for the NCIS franchise.
If you want to catch up on her best work, start with Daredevil Season 1, specifically the episode "World on Fire." It’s where you see the "cold" Marci Stahl start to melt, and it’s arguably some of the best character development in the entire Marvel/Netflix era. After that, check out her recurrences in NCIS: New Orleans Season 5 to see her range.
The best way to track her current moves isn't just through IMDb. Keep an eye on the writing credits for major network dramas. She’s transitioning from the person in front of the camera to the person deciding who gets to be in front of it.
If you’re looking to break into the industry yourself, take a page from her book: don't wait for the "lead" role. Take the one-episode guest spot, kill it, and make them want to write you back into the script. That's exactly how she built a career that survived three decades of Hollywood shifts.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out the "Perfect Harmony" musical recordings if you want to hear her theater roots.
- Watch "Hard Sell" (2016) for a look at her work in the indie film space alongside Kristin Chenoweth.
- Follow her latest writing credits on NCIS to see how she's shaping the show's 2025-2026 seasons.