Since 2008, Paul Bettany has had one of the most important roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but you may not have realized it.
He's appeared behind-the-scenes in five Marvel movies as the voice of Tony Stark's A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S.
When "Avengers: Age of Ultron" hits theaters May 1, fans will see him for the first time on screen in a very different role when he steps out as the superhero android Vision.
As a result, he'll be the first — and most likely only — actor to play two different Marvel characters on screen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.*
During an interview for "Age of Ultron" with Business Insider, Bettany said if it wasn't for director Joss Whedon, we very well may have seen another actor play Vision on the big screen.
"They [Marvel] have a rule, that you’re not allowed to play more than one character in the Marvel universe," explains Bettany. "So, they broke the rules … they bent the rules slightly for me because Joss really wanted to bring the Vision into the film world, and he really wanted me to do it."
The 43-year-old actor described the transition from A.I. to a physical presence in the films as a bit of a double-edged sword.
"Before I used to turn up for two hours and get paid a silly amount of money for … I used to feel like a pirate running off with a bag of cash at the end of the day," jokes Bettany. "Now, I actually have to show up and stuff."
However, the experience of being on set with the other actors has been a refreshing change from what he was used to previously.
"It’s really lovely to finally be working with these people that I’ve been working with for 10 years already," says Bettany. "It’s a bunch of really creative, talented, funny people who are all playing at the top of their game, and I don’t just mean the cast — who were incredibly welcoming — but I also mean Kevin Feige and [executive producer] Jeremy Latcham and Joss Whedon. They really know how to make these movies."
Bettany's take as the Android is one of the most enjoyable bits of the "Avengers" sequel.
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" is in theaters May 1.
*Editor's note: Several readers have pointed out that Chris Evans has also played two Marvel characters in separate films. Before he was Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he played Johnny Storm (the Human Torch) on screen in Fox’s “Fantastic Four.”
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