Director Julius Onah reveals how Liv Tyler joined Captain America: Brave New World so long after her last MCU appearance in The Incredible Hulk. Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross made her MCU debut in Louis Leterrier’s 2008 The Incredible Hulk, where she reunited with Bruce Banner a few years after his Gamma incident. After supporting Banner in his escape from the authorities, Betty cut ties with her father, and Banner left on his own. Since then, Bruce Banner and Betty Ross haven’t crossed paths in the MCU, though Betty and Thaddeus Ross finally reunited in Captain America: Brave New World‘s ending, thanks to Captain America.
Speaking to Collider, Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah recalls reaching out to Liv Tyler directly to offer her another go at the role of Betty Ross in the Phase 5 movie. Onah confirms that Betty Ross was already in the Captain America: Brave New World script in early 2023, when he had a videocall with Liv Tyler. Read Onah’s full comments:
“You dream these things, you work these things out, but then you just have to actually go talk to the human being. She had taken a bit of a step back from acting, focusing on other things in her life, and she’s such an incredible human being. But I just went and did a Zoom and had a very honest conversation with her, like I did with every other actor who was going to become involved, as to emotionally and thematically what this movie was trying to accomplish and why I thought it would be worth their time and their talents. Luckily, she responded.”
“It was right during the development process. I think I had the Zoom with her probably in early 2023 because it takes time to make a deal and prep and all that other stuff. So, it had to be well in advance so that if for some reason it wasn’t going to work out, whether scheduling or whatnot, we would have the opportunity to make another choice or decision.”
What The Captain America: Brave New World Director’s Liv Tyler Comments Mean
Liv Tyler Seems To Be Fond Of Her MCU Betty Ross Role
Despite her break from acting, Tyler seemingly didn’t hesitate to join Captain America: Brave New World. Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross only appeared at the end of the movie to visit her father Thaddeus at the Raft, following their agreement to reunite before President Ross’ Red Hulk transformation. Prior to Captain America: Brave New World, Liv Tyler played Michelle Blake in 9-1-1: Lone Star, Eve McBride in 2019’s Ad Astra, and Meg Abbott in 2017’s The Leftovers. Currently, it’s unknown whether Tyler will reprise her MCU role in a future project.
Our Take On The Captain America: Brave New World Director’s Liv Tyler Comments
Captain America: Brave New World May Have Wasted Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross Appearance
While Liv Tyler’s return as Betty Ross may have been emotional for Marvel fans who have followed the MCU since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, Betty only appeared on screen for a second at the very end of Captain America: Brave New World, and she was barely visible from Thaddeus’ point of view. Before her blink-and-you-miss-it on-screen appearance, Tyler only had a couple of lines in her voice call with President Ross, which seems to have been a late addition to the story in Captain America: Brave New World‘s reshoots.
Behind-the-scenes footage has revealed that Captain America: Brave New World originally included a funeral scene, which Betty Ross and a beaten-up Sam Wilson would have attended. This scrapped scene may have changed Thaddeus Ross’ MCU fate, and it would probably have given Betty a bigger role in the movie. But now that Captain America: Brave New World establishes that Thaddeus Ross is safe from the Leader’s manipulation and imprisoned in the Raft, there’s a high chance that he and Betty will eventually make another MCU appearance.
Source: Collider
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