Many cast members have had recurring roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, allowing their characters to bring a sense of continuity and growth to the overarching franchise. However, not all cast members get to portray the same character, and that’s the case with one MCU actor that was quietly recast in a new Marvel production.
The new production, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, introduces the iconic Fantastic Four superhero team to the MCU. The group includes Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Interestingly, the recast is tied to Moss-Bachrach’s character.
In the new film, Grimm happens to have a love interest named Rachel Rozman. The Rozman character works in the neighborhood where Grimm grew up, and as such, the two spark a bond throughout the movie. Natasha Lyonne plays Rozman in the film.
Interestingly, it’s the inclusion of Natasha Lyonne that has fans connecting dots. As far as being recast goes, she previously played a part in the MCU Disney Plus series What If…? as Byrdie, the daughter of Howard the Duck and Darcy Lewis. While she’s no longer playing Byrdie, at least for the time being, she’s now had the opportunity to play a different role in the MCU.
Lyonne is far from the only Marvel actor to have more than one role in the MCU, but with The Fantastic Four: First Steps being one of the latest entries in the MCU, it’s something that had fans trying to figure out why Lyonne happened to be so familiar. Now that the answer is solved, we’ll have to see if she makes another return to the MCU and whether or not it’ll be as Byrdie or Rachel Rozman next time.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we have them. For now, fans can still see The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters.