The Big Picture

• Jenna Ortega made her MCU debut in Iron Man 3 as the Vice President's daughter, playing a pivotal role in the villain's plans.
• Her character uses a wheelchair, suggesting her father's involvement with the villain is motivated by the promise of Extremis helping her.
• While it's unlikely her character will return, many actors have played multiple roles in the MCU, leaving the possibility open for Ortega's future appearances.

Fan-casting and uproarious public support gave us John Krasinski's brief cameo as Mr. Fantastic in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, and Jessica Chastain's portrayal of an adult Beverly Marsh in IT Chapter Two. With the massive slate of characters new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the way, whether it's the Mutants of the X-Men or Fantastic Four-adjacent players yet to arrive, speculation and rumors surrounding casting are already bubbling to the surface. With swiftly rising A-lister Jenna Ortega freeing herself of her Scream 7 duties, she might be ready for a new franchise, and the epic world of Marvel seems like the perfect opportunity. Believe it or not, Ortega has already made her MCU debut — over a decade ago.

Who Does Jenna Ortega Play in 'Iron Man 3'?

Jenna Ortega has long been building a promising career in film and television, with her titular turn as Wednesday Addams on Netflix and work as Scream's Tara Carpenter, bringing her further into the spotlight. Wednesday Season 2 will be hitting Netflix before we know it, and the upcoming Miller's Girl with Martin Freeman already has people buzzing. But back in Phase Two of the MCU, Ortega appeared in Iron Man 3. It's a non-speaking role, but she's at the forefront of her scene and her character is the indirect catalyst for much of the movie's central conflict.

Credited simply as the "Vice President's Daughter," Ortega played exactly that: the daughter of Vice President Rodriguez (Miguel Ferrer). In a simple, unspoken way, we learn that Ortega's character plays a pivotal part in the villain's near-victory. Before we meet Ortega's character, we find out that Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) and Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall) have been hard at work creating Extremis, a genetic modification program granting its subject regenerative abilities and a slew of fire-like powers. Killian, fueled by his disdain for Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and lust for high status, spurs a campaign of terror under the guise of The Mandarin, a fake version of an actual figure played by a bumbling actor named Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley). After tracking "The Mandarin" down and uncovering the ruse, Stark and Colonel Rhodes (Don Cheadle) pry vital information out of Slattery relating to Killian's ultimate plan.

Jenna Ortega's 'Iron Man 3' Role Is Important

Slattery lets it slip that Killian's motives somehow involve the Vice President of the United States. With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) already kidnapped and Rhodes' Iron Patriot suit commandeered, Stark and Rhodes know they have to act fast to thwart whatever Killian may have in store for the Vice President. Stark calls Vice President Rodriguez to warn him of the danger he may be facing, but he appears safe at home, preparing to celebrate Christmas dinner with his family while surrounded by members of the Secret Service. When the Vice President assures them that the President is safe as well, currently on Air Force One with Colonel Rhodes, Rhodes corrects him. "Sir, this is Colonel Rhodes. They're using the Iron Patriot as a Trojan horse. They're gonna take out the president somehow. We have to immediately alert that plane," Rhodes warns him, and the Vice President assures them that he'll alert Air Force One and ensure the president's safety.

However, when he hangs up the phone, the Vice President acts as if everything is fine and returns to his family. This is when we meet his daughter and see Ortega in her MCU debut. Her father kisses her head and tells her she's loved. We see that she's using a wheelchair. When the camera pans down, we see that one of her legs was either amputated at some point or was never fully formed at birth. This is all the information we're given, but it's all we need to see to know that the Vice President has chosen to aid Killian in assassinating the president, surely with the promise of Extremis being used to help his daughter.

Jenna Ortega Could Still Return to the MCU

Although it's highly unlikely the Vice President's daughter will show up again, there's no reason to believe Jenna Ortega couldn't have a future in the MCU. Many actors have played multiple roles in the franchise. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Michelle Yeoh appears as a Ravager clan leader, Aleta Ogord, at the emotional funeral scene for Yondu (Michael Rooker), and Yeoh would later star in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as Ying Nan.

The third Guardians installment would offer another actor's reprisal, with Linda Cardellini portraying Lylla the Otter. Cardellini has appeared in the MCU several times prior, including Avengers: Age of Ultron, Endgame, and Hawkeye, as Laura Barton. Eternals' lead player, Gemma Chan, had a feature role prior to playing Sersi, showing up as the Kree warrior Minn-Erva in 2019's Captain Marvel. These are just a few of many instances of actors playing multiple roles in the MCU. The point is, Jenna Ortega may have already made her debut in Iron Man 3, but there's still a chance we'll see her in the Marvel world again.

Iron Man 3 is available to watch on Disney+ in the U.S.

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