Besides creating an extremely vibrant and energetic cinematic universe, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) excels in casting great performers for each character. These actors are not only great at what they do, but they also have talents that go beyond the job descriptions. Though most are known for their film credits, several MCU cast members have also featured on stage in gripping dramas, soaring comedies, and other productions.

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Which Marvel stars have received Tony nominations? What are some of their upcoming theatrical projects? This article will answer.

Mark Ruffalo — Bruce Banner/Hulk

A man offers another man a cigarrette

In the MCU, Mark Ruffalo plays Bruce Banner, a renowned scientist and founding member of the Avengers. During one experiment, he was exposed to lethal levels of gamma radiation, culminating in Hulk's birth, a massive, rage-fueled, primitive-minded beast.

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Ruffalo is also a familiar and active face on Broadway since 1996 and has appeared in a number of famous and critically acclaimed productions, such as Kenneth Lonergan's This Is Our Youth, where he received a Theater World Award for his performance as Warren Straub. Since then, he has appeared in a number of productions, including Griller, which was performed at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, The Moment When, Awake and Sing!, The Price, and most recently, The Destiny of Me from 2018.

Chris Evans — Captain America

A police officer is waiting at the reception area

In the MCU, Chris Evans portrays Captain America, who is the alter ego of Steve Rogers, a frail young artist who, after enlisting in the military to support the American government's efforts in World War II, is transformed into the pinnacle of human perfection by an experimental "super-soldier serum."

Evans made his Broadway debut in the 2018 revival of Kenneth Lonergan's play Lobby Hero, for which he was nominated for a Drama League Award. However, before that, Evans also boasts a theater credit from a 2017 benefit reading production of 1938’s Our Town, appearing alongside his Marvel co-stars Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr.

Scarlett Johansson — Black Widow

A woman sitting on the bed in her nightgown

Scarlett Johansson portrays Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in the MCU. She is one of the world's best spies and assassins and a founding member of the Avengers. She was raised in the Red Room by General Dreykov (Ray Winstone) and was eventually recruited by Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) to join S.H.I.E.L.D.

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Johansson made her stage debut at a young age in the off-Broadway production of Sophistry with Ethan Hawke, where she had two lines. Johansson later made her official Broadway debut in a revival of A View from the Bridge, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in 2010. Then in 2013, Johansson returned to Broadway with a revival production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, which received mixed feedback from both the audiences and critics.

Paul Bettany — Vision

A man is doing art while another one stands by and films the whole thing

In the MCU, Paul Bettany portrays Vision, a vibranium-synthezoid constructed by Ultron (James Spader) and given life by the potent artifact known as the Mind Stone. The stone is the source of most of his abilities, including flight, matter phasing, and energy-based beam assaults.

Bettany made his stage debut under the direction of Stephen Daldry in the revival of An Inspector Calls. He also tried his hand at Shakespeare, performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, and Julius Caesar. Moreover, he will star as Andy Warhol in his Broadway debut, The Collaboration, in London this fall of 2022.

Benedict Cumberbatch — Doctor Strange

two men looking at different directions

In the MCU, Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Doctor Stephen Strange, a Master of the Mystic Arts who was once a brilliant but conceited neurosurgeon until being involved in a car accident that left his hands paralyzed. He was trained in the mysteries of magic and the Multiverse by the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), and he took over in her place after her passing.

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Prior to his achievements in television and film, Cumberbatch made his West End debut in Hedda Gabler in 2005. Along with Johnny Lee Miller, he starred in Frankenstein at the National Theatre, with Miller as the doctor and him as the creature. In 2015, he also appeared in Hamlet on Broadway.

Don Cheadle — War Machine

Two men, one squatting and one is sitting on a chair, talking to each other

Don Cheadle portrays Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes/War Machine, a United States Air Force member and the military's liaison with Stark Industries in the Department of Acquisitions. He is also Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) best friend.

Before his career in the film industry, Cheadle appeared in an off-Broadway production of Cymbeline in 1989, and his most recent stage appearance was in Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Topdog/Underdog in 2001.

Elizabeth Olsen — Scarlet Witch

A woman in white dress is standing in front of a woman in a pink suit

Elizabeth Olsen portrays Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, a native of Skolavia with the latent capacity to wield Chaos Magic. Wanda initially opposes the Avengers, but she later joins them and develops into one of their most potent members.

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Olsen made her stage debut when she was given understudy roles in the 2008 off-Broadway production of Dust and later in 2009, in a Broadway play of Impressionism. Her most recent appearance in New York was in Romeo and Juliet at Classic Stage Company in 2013, where she played one of Shakespeare's most well-known heroines.

Anthony Mackie — Falcon

A man standing between a man with a gun and a woman hiding behind a chair

Anthony Mackie plays Sam Wilson/Falcon in the MCU, a United States Air Force Pararescueman veteran who uses an articulated jet pack to fly. He is also a close friend and ally of Steve Rogers.

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Aside from movies, Mackie has been in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Drowning Crow, McReele, A Soldier’s Play, and Carl Hancock Rux's Talk, for which he received an Obie Award in 2002. His latest Broadway appearance was in 2010's Martin McDonagh’s A Behanding in Spokane.

Paul Rudd — Ant-Man

A man in mask is talking to a man with a woman sitting on his lap

Paul Rudd plays Scott Lang/Ant-Man in the MCU, a former felon who was having trouble paying child support. With the promise of money, he was persuaded by Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to become Ant-Man, a superhero with a cutting-edge suit that can reduce its wearer to a tiny size while boosting one's tenacity, agility, and physical power.

Rudd last appeared onstage in the play Grace in 2012, costarring with Michael Shannon, Kate Arrington, and Ed Asner. Before that, he appeared in the 2006 play Three Days of Rain alongside Julia Roberts and his MCU co-star, Bradley Cooper.

Bradley Cooper - Rocket Raccoon

two men are talking to each other

Bradley Cooper portrays Rocket Raccoon, a genetically engineered creature and member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. He is an intelligent, anthropomorphic raccoon who is a master tactician, expert marksman, and weapon specialist.

Cooper made his Broadway debut in the play Three Days of Rain in 2006, sharing the stage with Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd. In 2014, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance as Joseph Merrick in a Broadway version of The Elephant Man.

Tom Hiddleston — Loki

A man in rag is standing in front of a bunch of people

Tom Hiddleston plays Loki in the MCU, God of Mischief, adopted son of Odin and Thor's brother. Loki has usually been a villain in the MCU, attempting to either conquer Asgard or Earth and teaming up with stronger antagonists to further his agenda.

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Hiddleston recently starred in Jamie Lloyd's West End production of Harold Pinter's Betrayal, for which he was nominated for a Tony award for his performance. Hiddleston's other theater credits include Hamlet, Coriolanus, Ivanov, Othello, Cymbeline, and The Changeling.

Sebastian Stan — Winter Soldier

two men sitting and talking in the front porch

Sebastian Stan plays James ‘Bucky’ Barnes/Winter Soldier in the MCU, a World War II veteran, a former officer of the 107th Infantry Regiment, and Steve Rogers' closest friend since childhood. When HYDRA captured his regiment, Barnes was given a variant of the Super Soldier Serum by Arnim Zola (Toby Jones).

Stan made his Broadway debut in Talk Radio in 2007 before playing Captain America's troubled friend Bucky Barnes. Additionally, in 2013, he appeared in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of William Inge's Picnic.

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