10 Times The MCU Completely Transformed Actors' Careers
The fall and rise of the man behind Iron Man's mask...
By and large, an actor who lands a plum role in an MCU movie could be forgiven for thinking they've won the lottery.
The audacious cinematic experiment begun by Marvel and Disney in 2008 has reaped unimaginable benefits both financially and artisitically. Financially, for obvious reasons - over $20 billion from box office sales alone - and artistically by providing the best long-term storytelling in any medium of the last decade. (Anyone who says they didn't cry at either Infinity War or Endgame is either lying or has been replaced by a pod person).
Of course, the actors who have breathed life into the MCU's characters have also shared in the wealth. As this list will show, minus a couple of notable exceptions Marvel's Cinematic Universe has been an incredible boon to the careers of those involved in it.
From turning TV and stage actors into major movie stars, to launching careers, to offering a real-life redemption story worthy of its own movie, these are ten actors who have had their lives forever changed by their involvement in the MCU.
10. Chadwick Boseman - From Portraying Legends To Becoming One
Before Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman had made his name by depicting real-life African American icons on screen. Portrayals of Jackie Robinson and James Brown brought the actor critical acclaim, but unfortunately little in the way of commercial success.
However, just as it looked like Chadwick would spend his career as a critical darling rather than a superstar, Black Panther changed the game.
Amassing $1.8 billion in ticket sales, Black Panther was a cultural phenomenon. To this day black athletes are still celebrating victories with the Wakanda Forever salute, and the movie has cemented itself as a milestone in cinematic history - something even Marvel didn't see coming, as seen by Black Panther's limited role in Infinity War and Endgame.
As the actor chosen to play the eponymous king, Chadwick Boseman has cemented his place in cinematic history. No longer portraying African-American heroes, he has now become one in his own lifetime.