James Gunn has faced quite a lot of criticism and calls of nepotism on social media for hiring his family members to play various roles in his films. But that hasn’t stopped him and why should it? After all, the MCU is littered with actors who have pulled double duty in the franchise.
For example, Gemma Chan played Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and also Sersi in The Eternals. However, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 must have set some kind of record. After all, Gunn either replaced 7 actors in the film with new ones or got actors who had already been in the Marvel universe before.
Stephen Blackehart: Steemie
Stephen Blackehart plays Steemie in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The character works on Knowhere and co-pilots the Kraglin. Also, Steemie can be seen in the film playing a card game with Howard the Duck and Broker.
This is actually his third time playing the character because he portrayed Steemie in the first Guardians film as well as the Holiday Special. But that’s not all. He also played a Ravager called Brahl in the second Guardians of the Galaxy film.
Mikaela Hoover: Floor the Rabbit
The flashback sequences of the animals in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 were gut-wrenching. One of the animals, Floor the Rabbit, is voiced by Mikaela Hoover.
The white bunny got two of her small legs replaced completely with 6 mechanized spider legs. She also had a device attached around her mouth that let her speak.
Previously, Hoover appeared with Peter Serafinowicz, Glenn Close, and John C. Reilly in James Gunn’s first Guardians of the Galaxy’s Nova Corps. But she didn’t have a speaking role there.
Judy Greer: War Pig
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 marks Judy Greer’s third appearance in the MCU. The actress had previously portrayed Scott Lang’s ex-wife, Maggie Lang, in Ant-Man 1 and 2 in 2015 and 2018 respectively.
In James Gunn’s new MCU film, she plays War Pig, developed by Chukwudi Iwuji’s High Evolutionary. She protects him when he’s attacked in his home base.
Tara Strong: Mainframe
Tara Strong is famously known for voicing Miss Minutes in the MCU. She voiced the character in Loki season 1 and is expected to play the character again in season 2 as well as in Deadpool 3.
In James Gunn’s third Guardians film, she voiced Mainframe. Strong actually replaced Grammy-nominated pop star Miley Cyrus for the role because of a scheduling conflict.
However, since the popular singer had just one line in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s mid-credits scene, it’s expected that the change will fly under a lot of people’s radars.
Miriam Shor: Recorder Vim
Miriam Shor is a part of Marvel’s expansive cast, but her connection to the MCU is a bit tenuous. This is because she played Alisa Jones in Netflix’s Jessica Jones.
In James Gunn’s GoTG 3 she plays Recorder Vim who helps the High Evolutionary go after the Guardians and Rocket. So technically, this is indeed her second Marvel role.
Nathan Fillion: Master Karja
Nathan Fillion played Master Karja, who is the chief of Orgosentries, Orgocorp’s security team, in Guardians 3. He was also in the first Guardians film in a small role.
The actor played the huge blue inmate who Groot assaulted with branches. Fillion has also collaborated on other projects with James Gunn, like in The Suicide Squad (2021) as The Detachable Kid.
Linda Cardellini: Lylla the Otter
Linda Cardellini is best known in the MCU for playing Clint Barton’s wife, Laura. Viewers saw her in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Hawkeye (2021).
In Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, she played Lylla the Otter. She had previously worked with the director in his Scooby Doo films where she starred as Velma.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is playing in theaters.
Source: The Direct
