Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has just been released to universal acclaim, and one of the biggest talking points is the new MCU villain Namor, which has led to fans already debating where in the MCU he could show up next. Namor is one of the most unique antagonists there has been in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a long time, and that's partially thanks to Tenoch Huerta's incredible performance.
Huerta is imposing and commanding as the Sub-Mariner, but it's far from the first MCU performance that has swept audiences off their feet. Given that the franchise is full of award-winning actors, their performances are almost as much of a selling point as the action sequences. Between seasoned Marvel actors, fresh newcomers, and some one-off appearances, the MCU is stacked with talent.
Elizabeth Olsen As Wanda
A deleted user argues that Elizabeth Olsen's portrayal as Wanda, especially in recent releases, is the best performance in the universe. The Redditor posits, "Elizabeth Olsen takes the cake for me. She conveys Wanda’s heartbreak son incredibly well."
Wanda outshined Doctor Strange in his own movie, as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness depicted Wanda as what fans had been waiting to see her as for seven years – the Scarlet Witch. Olsen is genuinely terrifying as the supernatural villain, and with help from director Sam Raimi's signature horror style, she turns Wanda from a secondary MCU superhero into the most fearsome antagonist in the franchise.
Taika Waititi As Korg
Beedant believes Taika Waititi as Korg is the best performance in the MCU, adding, "I love every scene of every movie Taika Waititi had a role, he was hilarious in Ragnarok." Waititi plays Korg in the franchise, most notably in Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, and he's mostly comedic relief.
It's almost as if Korg's dialogue is made up of all of the MCU's cringey one-liners, but Waititi somehow makes it work. Waititi depicts Korg as innocent and slightly air-headed, and that combination makes the character so adorable. The actor has a unique sense of humor that he carried over to the MCU from his original movies like the vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, and Korg is the perfect vessel for it.
Tom Hiddleston As Loki
Thefifthbest thinks Tom Hiddleston gives the best performance in the whole of the MCU, noting, "Tom Hiddleston pretty much stealing the show in the Thor films." While Hiddleston totally brought Loki to life in the Thor movies, just like Elizabeth Olsen, Hiddleston's best performance as Loki is his most recent venture. There's so much more depth to the character in the Disney+ series Loki.
It's the first time the character has clearly displayed how regretful he is about some of his past actions. It's hardly surprising that MCU actors are giving their best performances so many years after first being cast. After featuring in so many movies, these actors know their characters better than anyone, and now that they're getting their own platforms to shine and their biggest roles in the MCU yet.
Kathryn Hahn As Agatha
Zoecornelia points to one of the MCU's newcomers as the actor who delivered the best performance, commenting, "Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness was fabulous." The Redditor is spot on, as "fabulous" is exactly the right word to describe the over-the-top witch. Hahn has only recently been inducted into the MCU, as she played Agatha in WandaVision, but she left a huge impression on viewers.
The actor played the witch with major Hocus Pocus vibes, and while that doesn't sound like it'd work in the MCU on paper, Hahn totally made it work. Hahn is getting her own Disney+ series in 2023, which is titled Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and it could lowkey be the most exciting MCU project of the year, even despite huge releases like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians Vol. 3.
Chadwick Boseman As King T'Challa
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GregThePrettyGoodGuy mentions one of the more obvious incredible performances in the cinematic universe. The Redditor comments, "Chadwick in Black Panther is so far beyond any of the other leads in the MCU it’s unfunny." The user is not wrong, and as great as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is, there's no denying that Boseman's absence from the film is felt, and the sequel doesn't feel like the same series without him.
T'Challa is one of the very few characters who doesn't joke whatsoever and doesn't undermine his own comments with goofy one-liners, and though writers might think those moments of levity are necessary, Boseman proved that they absolutely are not essential. Every word that came out of Boseman's mouth in character as King T'Challa was so powerful, and audiences hung on every one of them. No other actor has more of a commanding on-screen presence in the MCU than Boseman.
Tony Leung As Wen Wu
Fatbrucelee picks Tony Leung as Wen Wu, the real Mandarin, as the best performance of the MCU. The Redditor notes, "He did a bang-up job with Wen Wu. I knew who he was but was not familiar with his work. For me, he made the movie." While general audiences might not recognize Leung, he is one of the most beloved Hong Kong actors of all time, having starred in classic romantic dramas such as In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express.
The MCU superproducer Kevin Feige even admitted that Leung is the only actor he's ever been starstruck by. As one of the behind the scenes facts about Shang-Chi, Feige called the Wen Wu actor an "otherworldly star directly from the sky," and that ora is clear on screen too. Not only that, but Leung portraying Wen Wu grieving over his wife throughout Shang-Chi is what elevates it from a fun superhero movie to the best that the MCU has to offer.
Hailee Steinfeld As Kate Bishop
Hailee Steinfeld is another newcomer, as she first appeared in Hawkeye as Kate Bishop, but hmbse7en doesn't hesitate to say that it's one of the best performances the franchise has to offer. The Redditor notes, "She didn't have the major emotional scenes we've seen from other characters, but she was so compelling when she was in a scene, dropping brilliant subtleties to highlight the path of Kate's growth as a person."
Steinfeld has been a force to be reckoned with ever since she was 14, as she was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in 2010's True Grit. And she now has a chance to bring that powerful performance to the MCU, as Kate Bishop could show up in any upcoming Marvel releases. Her performance in Hawkeye was just a taste of much bigger things to come.
James Spader As Ultron
Avengers: Age of Ultron is one of the most criticized MCU movies, and while it faced high expectations following The Avengers, it didn't even come close to meeting those expectations. However, 3_Eyed_Ravenclaw states the movie's saving grace, mentioning the titular villain. The Redditor posits, "James Spader as Ultron. Say what you want about that movie, but he nailed that character."
While it might only be a voice role, that type of performance can often be harder than a live-action role. Voice actors have to project a lot more, and they don't have the benefit of facial expressions and body language to express themselves. And in that respect, Spader does a superb job as Ultron. Spader is menacing with his slow, deep voice, and audiences understand exactly where he's coming from.
Oscar Isaac As Moon Knight
NotAble2LiftMjolnir throws Oscar Isaac's hat in the ring when debating the best performances in the universe. The Redditor explains, "My personal favorite is Oscar Isaac in Moon Knight. Especially the scene where his mom died. He really is amazing." While Redditors have mentioned tons of newer actors in the MCU, some fans might have recency bias, but even then, there's no denying how great of a performance Isaac gives in the Moon Knight limited series.
The movie star essentially plays two different roles, and they're entirely different, and despite being in some high-caliber dramas like Inside Llewyn Davis, Moon Knight is the best display of Isaac's range. Unfortunately, while Moon Knight needs a second season, it seems unlikely, as Isaac only signed a one-season contract with Marvel Studios.
Vin Diesel As Groot
Tornado31619 has a left field choice when it comes to the MCU's best performances, citing Vin Diesel as Groot. The Redditor mentions, "On a serious note, at least he knows how to deliver them each time." Diesel only says the same three words as Groot, which are, "I am Groot," but depending on what the character is actually trying to say, the actor puts a different kind of inflection on those three words every time.
"I am Groot" is never once said in the same way, which must be extremely difficult to master. Not only that, but Diesel revealed that he learned the three words in every language and recorded all of them, all with different inflections, so the character didn't have to be dubbed over by dozens of foreign voice actors (via Time).