James Gunn Weighs In On MCU's Steve Rogers Virginity Debate

By Sam Hargrave Posted:
Steve Rogers virginity James Gunn

The love lives of superheroes have always been a topic of conversation, and recently fans have been rather entangled with Captain America's virginity. His most famous on-screen romance was with Peggy Carter - along with one kiss with her niece Sharon - but many have been wondering whether he was ever with anyone before taking a time-travel trip to the past in Avengers: Endgame.

Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 1

Following She-Hulk's surprising reveal that Chris Evans' Steve Rogers lost his virginity during his 1943 USO Tour, many have been trying to determine the identity of his anonymous lover. Among the topic contenders is Laura Haddock's unnamed "Autograph Seeker," but there is far more debate surrounding her character than meets the eye.

Captain America Virgin She-Hulk
Marvel Studios

Years after her MCU debut in Captain America: The First Avenger, Haddock went on to tackle another MCU role as Star-Lord's mother, Meredith Quill. This has since led many to speculate that Rogers' infatuated "Autograph Seeker" might be the grandmother of the lead Guardian, although director James Gunn has since shut down that theory.

Laura Haddock Guardians of the Galaxy The First Avenger
Marvel Studios

Nonetheless, as the topic of Captain America's first time comes back to the forefront, Gunn has once again been dragged into the conversation to address the connection.

James Gunn Addresses Captain America's Virginity

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has weighed in on the debate that Laura Haddock's "Autographer Seeker," who approaches Steve Rogers on The First Avenger's USO tour, may be connected to Star-Lord's mother Meredith Quill as they share an actress. 

Gunn pointed out that Meredith Quill was born "in [the] late 50s/early 60s," meaning Rogers couldn't possibly be Star-Lord's grandfather, shutting down recent theories:

"True. In that case, Laura’s character who met cap in 1943 would be way too young. Meredith Quill was born in late 50s/early 60s."

Another fan later questioned if Haddock's "Autograph Seeker" could be Star-Lord's great aunt, to which Gunn jokingly agreed "sure why not."

Who Did Steve Rogers Lose His Virginity To?

Captain America Virgin She-Hulk
Marvel Studios

Unfortunately, the timelines may not align closely enough for Steve Rogers to be Peter Quill's grandfather, as hilarious as that would be. With Gunn claiming Meredith Quill wasn't born until the late '50s or early '60s, that shuts down any chance of a connection, but that doesn't necessarily mean she couldn't be a relative of Quill - such as a great aunt.

Obviously, at the time of casting there was no link intended between the two, but the MCU is famous for retconning connections into the canon. Then again, as fun as the theory may be, there's no denying that fans almost certainly will never discover for certain whether there is a direct link here.

On that same note, the MCU will likely never reveal who Rogers' first lover was, but Haddock's fan girl is the best guess for now. Of course, the exact identity of whom the First Avenger lost his virginity is far from important. What's far more interesting is that it wasn't Peggy or Sharon Carter.

The first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is streaming now, exclusively on Disney+.

- About The Author: Sam Hargrave
Sam Hargrave is the Associate Editor at The Direct. He joined the team as a gaming writer in 2020 before later expanding into writing for all areas of The Direct and taking on further responsibilities such as editorial tasks and image creation.