Olivia Colman Shares 1 Disappointment With Her Marvel Debut

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Posted:
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While Olivia Colman is set to play a significant MCU character in Secret Invasion, the actress explained why she is a little disappointed about her Marvel debut. 

Marvel Studios already announced that the Academy Award-winning actress will portray a villain named Sonya Falsworth, an M16 agent who is committed to protecting England's national security interests amid the Skrull threat. 

In addition, Colman's character is described by Nick Fury star Samuel L. Jackson as someone who is "coldblooded and just relishes being that person.”

Olivia Colman Wanted Her Marvel Debut to Be More Superheroic

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Speaking with Empire Magazine, Secret Invasion star Olivia Colman shared that she was disappointed to find out that her arrival to the Marvel Cinematic Universe didn't come with superpowers. 

Colman said that she "kept asking" if her character has powers, but Marvel was "having none of it:"

If there was one small disappointment for Colman, it’s that her entrance into a world of superheroes didn’t come with any super-powers. “I kept asking if I could be bitten by something, or fall into a vat of something,” she says. “They were having none of it.”

In a previous interview, Colman admitted that she was "thrilled" to join the ever-expanding MCU: 

"I feel slightly unfaithful to the smaller films, but I am a Marvel fan. After every Marvel film [was released], I'd go to my agent, like, 'Can I be a superhero?' So eventually I got to do a tiny bit in a Marvel [show] and I was thrilled."

Meanwhile, Colman expressed excitement about working with Samuel L. Jackson in the MCU Disney+ series, with her describing the actor as "joyful, funny, [and] naughty:"

“I loved him! Loudest man you’ve ever met. Joyful, funny, naughty. He said he thought my trainers were ‘dope’. Didn’t take them off for a year.”

Jackson, though, mentioned that he was the one who fanboyed on the set of Secret Invasion when he worked with Colman, noting that he and his wife binge-watched Broadchurch (a series that the actress was featured prominently). 

The MCU veteran opened up about his experience working with Colman: 

“I thought, ‘How lucky can I be to know that today is finally going to be the day I get to act with Olivia Colman?' The next thing you know, we were having the most fun you could ever have, sitting there pretending to be these two people that have had a long relationship seeing each other again for the first time in years.”

Will Olivia Colman's MCU Character Receive Powers?

It remains to be seen if Olivia Colman's character is a Skrull in Secret Invasion, but her latest comments indicate that she is simply a powerless M16 agent who is well-versed in the world of espionage. 

However, if Colman's Marvel villain eventually survives after the events of Secret Invasion, then there's a chance that her character could return and receive her own set of powers in the future. 

Interestingly, Colman's character, Sonya Falsworth, already has a connection to Captain America since she shares a surname with James Falsworth, a member of the Howling Commandos. 

Given that Sonya Falsworth is not from Marvel Comics, this presents many exciting storytelling possibilities for the character, and one of them could involve a power-infused future. 

On the flip side, Colman's Secret Invasion character could also be tied to the debut of other powerful figures, namely Britain-based superhero Union Jack and Spitfire. 

While the actress' Marvel debut is off to a powerless start, many would argue that the character's impact on the MCU is not even close to being a disappointment.

The first episode of Secret Invasion is set to premiere on Disney+ on June 21.

- In This Article: Secret Invasion
Release Date
June 21, 2023
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- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.