If anyone knows what kind of pressure comes with landing a superhero role in a major comic book movie franchise, it's Brie Larson.
Out of all the actors who've suited-up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years, the Captain Marvel and The Marvels star has arguably faced the most scrutiny and backlash, which was at least partially due to comments she made in interviews that a particular section of the fandom latched onto in an attempt to cast the Academy Award-winner in a certain light.
While speaking to THR for a roundtable interview with several other actresses, Larson was asked about "the vitriol you’ve received from the male-dominated superhero world for playing Captain Marvel."
"I don’t know if it’s specific to Marvel," she replied. "I only know my experience, and my experience is being underestimated at times."
Larson went on to reveal that she is always the first person to reach out to someone who has been cast as a superhero to offer advice on how to navigate the playing field... and make sure they're prepared for the bathroom situation!
"I’m the first person to email everybody because it’s very specific and very strange. People are like, 'I don’t know how to do this.' Yeah, no one does. Why would you? I’ll say, 'Train, because you’ll want to be as prepared in your body as you possibly can because it only gets harder as the job goes on. And really understand how to be able to go to the bathroom in your suit.' The first Captain Marvel, it was a 45-minute thing to get me in and out of that costume."
"It’s a whole thing, and it’s a lot of pressure," she continued. "And I think it’s a strange thing, especially when you’re a newcomer and you’re tasked with being the most powerful blah, blah, blah of blah, blah, blah, and you feel scared. It’s so hard to be the cool, confident one when you’re like, “Do I know what I’m supposed to be doing?”
We don't know when we'll Danvers in the MCU again following the events of The Marvels, but Larson does full intend to reprise the role.
"I think there is still so much inside of Carol," she said in a 2023 interview. "I feel like getting to be on this team just cracked her open in a way that she hadn't been and I really loved that for her. I don't want Marvel to come for me, but there is something. There is definitely something."
"In Marvel Studios’ The Marvels, Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as The Marvels.”
The film also stars Zawe Ashton and Park Seo-joon. Nia DaCosta directs, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Mary Livanos and Matthew Jenkins serve as executive producers. The screenplay is by Megan McDonnell, Nia DaCosta, Elissa Karasik and Zeb Wells.
The Marvels is now available to stream on Disney+ and to purchase on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD.