Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man shepherded the MCU in its first three phases, leading the Avengers and being one of the leading heroes that catapulted the franchise to its peak. His journey from an arrogant and flamboyant billionaire to a selfless hero who sacrifices his life for the greater good has made him the most iconic character in the franchise.
The actor has played the character over 10 times in the MCU and that is an admirable record. However, another unlikely actor has surpassed Downey Jr. in terms of voicing several MCU characters. X-Men ’97 actor Ross Marquand now holds the record for the most voice roles in the MCU across different formats.
Ross Marquand Now Holds a Unique MCU Record for His Incredible Voice Roles
Many actors in the MCU have reprised their iconic Marvel characters in multiple films throughout the years. Samuel L Jackson, Robert Downey Jr, and Paul Bettany have made the most appearances in the MCU as Nick Fury, Iron Man, and JARVIS/ Vision respectively (via Screen Rant). However, another actor took it up a notch higher and beat them with his voice roles as multiple Marvel characters.
Ross Marquand first started his MCU journey by replacing Hugo Weaving as Red Skull in Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame, and What If?. Marquand also voiced the Ultron Sentries in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and even multiple characters in the What If? including Infinity Ultron, W.E.R.N.E.R., and Sub-Ultron Sentries. Marquand recently voiced Professor X, who made a surprising return in X-Men ’97 (via Screen Rant).
No one in the MCU comes close up to Marquand’s versatility in being able to jump between live-action and animation and doing a great job in voicing all these characters. While Downey Jr. and Jackson have made their MCU characters iconic, Marquand’s impressive record of voicing the most number of Marvel characters (via Phase Zero podcast) is a testament to his talent and commitment to his craft.
Robert Downey Jr. Has High Praise for Chris Hemsworth’s Portrayal of Thor
Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth are members of the original 6 Avengers. While Downey skyrocketed to fame playing Iron Man, Hemsworth initially struggled to enjoy playing Thor as he told Vanity Fair recently. The actor felt that the character was just a muscle for the team and he was replaceable as the character.
However, Downey Jr. has a completely contrasting view of his portrayal of Thor. He told Vanity Fair that Thor was a tricky character to adapt and the duo of Hemsworth and Kenneth Branagh elevated him where he became relatable in addition to his Godlike status. Downey Jr. also praised Hemsworth for having a lot of wit and gravitas along with a sense of restraint and gentleness. Downey Jr said,
“First off, Thor as a character was super tricky to adapt — lots of implied limitations — but he and Ken Branagh figured out how to transcend, make him somehow relatable but godlike. Hemsworth is, in my opinion, the most complex psyche out of all us Avengers,” Downey added. “He’s got wit and gravitas, but also such restraint, fire, and gentleness.”
Following his big Oscar win for Oppenheimer, Downey Jr is currently starring in the HBO series The Sympathizer. Hemsworth, on the other hand, is gearing up for the release of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, where he plays the antagonist Dementus. The film will be released in theatres on May 24, 2024.
Fans can watch Ross Marquand’s latest work/voice role as Professor X in X-Men ’97 on Disney+.
