On the heels of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals, Marvel Studios looks to introduce yet another new face into the MCU in the upcoming Disney+ series, Hawkeye.
In addition to Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton, Hawkeye stars renowned actress Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, a rather charismatic fan of Clint's who looks to become his protege in this Christmas-themed series inspired by Matt Fraction and David Aya's Hawkeye comics.
Fans already know that Bishop has described herself as "the world's greatest archer;" but for Steinfeld, her aim for accuracy was just as important off the Hawkeye set as it was on-screen.
Hawkeye's Hailee Steinfeld Talks Archery & "Wild Ride"
In an interview with Empire, Marvel newcomer Steinfeld shared how she prepped for her role as Kate Bishop in the upcoming Disney+ series, which included learning archery herself, sharing, "Kate is self-taught and it was important to me to take in on myself:"
“My archery is now quite good. Kate is self-taught and it was important to me to take it on myself, to be there by the time we started shooting.”
Steinfeld also teased the "wild ride" her character is in for alongside Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton in the series:
“Kate wants to do good; she has this burning desire to follow in Hawkeye’s footsteps. She’s idolized this person forever and then she finds herself on this wild ride with him.”
Is Marvel Aiming for Hollywood Star Power?
Much like Florence Pugh's casting as Black Widow's Yelena Belova, Steinfeld's casting shows Marvel Studios' interest in having high-caliber, experienced actors as part of the MCU; and it's practically a given that Hawkeye will only be the beginning of her Marvel run.
The upcoming series will no doubt benefit from the Academy Award-nominated actress' presence as she will likely broaden the series' appeal and its audience, particularly since Kate and Clint's unique dynamic looks to be the focus of this action-packed "wild ride" of a show.
However, it's also worth noting that Steinfeld's respect for her character's abilities, the project, and her commitment to on-screen authenticity lends credibility to the MCU, similar to how Academy Award-winning Chloe Zhao tackled Marvel's Eternals following her award-darling Indie film Nomadland.
If established talent continues to take the MCU and their roles within it seriously, it will be more and more difficult for some of the Hollywood elite to continue discounting the studio's string of blockbuster films and shows.
Hawkeye will premiere its first two episodes on November 24, 2021, exclusively on Disney+.
