Elizabeth Olsen Says Doing Marvel Movies Gives Her 'Insurance' to ‘Choose Other Jobs'

Elizabeth Olsen doesn't see a need to replace her work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with strictly smaller-budget indie films. While speaking at the Vulture Festival over the weekend, the actress, who plays Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch in the superhero franchise, explained that she's fulfilled working on both types of projects.

"I’d never really had the mentality of 'one for them, one for me,'" Olsen said. "Marvel has been such a consistent thing I’ve been able to return to and has created — what’s the word? — some feeling of insurance in my life that has given me freedom to choose other jobs. So I haven’t felt like, 'And then I’ll do this to do this.'"

Coming back to the MCU "has always felt like a choice" to Olsen, who will next star in animated miniseries Marvel Zombies in October 2025. "Every time, it’s character-driven," Olsen added about Marvel projects. "It’s always like, 'We have this idea, and that’s why we want you to come back.' It’s not like, 'Just throw her in something.'"

Olsen added that she doesn't "have an interest in making" things that will only be available on streaming, and showed enthusiasm that her 2023 movie His Three Daughters was shown in theaters weeks before coming to Netflix. The actress also admitted that Marvel films "pay the rent" for struggling theaters that also show indie features.

Olsen, who also executive produced His Three Daughters, is now assisting filmmaker Todd Solondz with funding for tge upcoming dark comedy Love Child, which she'll star opposite Charles Melton.

"I’m not a producer on it, but I’ve never hustled more for a movie that’s having a hard time being made," Olsen said.

Watch more clips from Olsen's Vulture Festival appearance below.