Elizabeth Olsen Thought She Was Auditioning for Gamora Before Landing Scarlet Witch

The Marvel actress reveals she initially believed she was up for a different cosmic hero role.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 10:06pm

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In a recent panel, Elizabeth Olsen shared that she thought she was auditioning for the role of Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy when she first met with Marvel. Olsen explained that Joss Whedon, the director of Avengers: Age of Ultron, had mentioned 'Guardians characters' during her audition, leading her to believe she was up for a part in that franchise. However, Olsen ultimately landed the role of Scarlet Witch, which she has played throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Why it matters

This behind-the-scenes reveal provides an interesting look at the secretive casting process for Marvel projects, where actors often don't know which specific character they are auditioning for. It also highlights how Elizabeth Olsen's career trajectory was significantly altered by being cast as Scarlet Witch, a role she has become synonymous with in the MCU.

The details

During a panel at C2E2 in Chicago, Olsen shared that when she first met with Marvel, she thought she was auditioning for a role in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, possibly the character of Gamora. Olsen explained that director Joss Whedon had mentioned 'Guardians characters' during her audition, leading her to believe she was up for a part in that cosmic Marvel universe. However, Olsen was ultimately cast as Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch, a role she has played across multiple Avengers films as well as the Disney+ series WandaVision.

  • Olsen revealed this information during a panel at C2E2 in Chicago in 2026.

The players

Elizabeth Olsen

An American actress who has played the role of Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2015.

Joss Whedon

An American director, producer, and screenwriter who directed Avengers: Age of Ultron, the film in which Olsen made her debut as Scarlet Witch.

Zoe Saldaña

An American actress who has played the role of Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films and the Avengers films.

Chris Pratt

An American actor who has played the role of Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy films.

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What they’re saying

“I met with Marvel generally and then Joss [Whedon]. He was saying Guardians characters. I wasn't prepped for Scarlet Witch. He was saying Guardians characters, I'm pretty sure.”

— Elizabeth Olsen, Actress

The takeaway

This revelation about Elizabeth Olsen's initial Marvel audition highlights the secretive nature of the casting process for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where actors often don't know which specific character they are up for. It also underscores how Olsen's career trajectory was significantly altered by landing the role of Scarlet Witch, a character she has become closely identified with in the MCU.