I’ve referred to Carrie Coon as a “shapeshifter” many times, but it’s true. She’s beautiful, but her “look” can change so dramatically from role to role, it’s sometimes difficult to remember that she’s been in such a wide variety of projects. All of which to say, I had no idea that she dabbled in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She did motion capture and voice work for Proxima Midnight in Avengers: Infinity War. But that was the only MCU film she appeared in. Her husband, playwright and actor Tracy Letts, recently explained why his wife said no to appearing in Avengers: Endgame.
Carrie Coon is beloved for her work on HBO series such as “The Leftovers,” “The Gilded Age” and “The White Lotus” Season 3, but her filmography also includes a quick detour to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Coon portrayed Thanos’ henchman Proxima Midnight via voiceover and motion capture in 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War.” She did not return for “Avengers: Endgame.” Coon’s husband, the actor and playwright Tracy Letts, said on “The Big Picture” podcast (via People) that money was the reason she dropped Marvel.
“I believe [Marvel] went to her for the second one, and they asked her to be in the second one,” Letts said on the podcast. “And she said, ‘Well, the first one is the most successful movie ever made. Are you going to pay me any more money?’ And they said, ‘No. We’re not going to pay you any more money.’”
“She said, ‘Wow, you’re not going to pay me any more money, then I don’t think I’m going to do it,’” he continued. “And they said, ‘Well, you should feel yourself fortunate to be part of the Marvel Universe.’ So she declined… We would’ve made a bigger deal out of this, but it would have involved us watching the movies and we weren’t going to do that.”
This is one of the best takedowns of the MCU ever: “We would’ve made a bigger deal out of this, but it would have involved us watching the movies and we weren’t going to do that.” They didn’t even care enough about watching those movies to make a big deal out of Marvel’s constant cheapness around paying actors. That’s what gets me about the MCU too – many actors would be happy to do those films in general, but if they’re going to “sell out” for these comic-book movies, the actors want to get compensated. Instead, the actors are “degrading” their craft for relatively small Marvel paychecks. It’s a consistent complaint among the MCU actors.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Opening night party for Linda Vista held at The Ribbon restaurant.,Image: 476138580, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Carrie Coon, Credit line: Joseph Marzullo/Wenn/Avalon
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- Tracy Letts, Carrie Coon attends The premiere of “FORD v FERRARI” in Los Angeles on Monday, November 4th, 2019Photograph: © PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com,Image: 540758753, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com, Model Release: no, Credit line: PacificCoastNews/Avalon
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- SANTA MONICA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – FEBRUARY 22: Carrie Coon arrives at the 40th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards 2025 held at the Santa Monica Beach on February 22, 2025 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 967903873, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Carrie Coon, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- SANTA MONICA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – FEBRUARY 22: Tracy Letts and Carrie Coon arrive at the 40th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards 2025 held at the Santa Monica Beach on February 22, 2025 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 967933844, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Tracy Letts, Carrie Coon, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
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- SANTA MONICA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – FEBRUARY 22: Tracy Letts and Carrie Coon arrive at the 40th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards 2025 held at the Santa Monica Beach on February 22, 2025 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 967933967, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Tracy Letts, Carrie Coon, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
Good for Carrie for recognizing her worth and sticking up for herself. On a separate note, that head-to-toe yellow-gold outfit would make me look like the living dead, but she looks great.
They refused to pay her for work beyond her contract
IMDB lists her as “uncredited” in Endgame. There’s no other actress listed for the character
Good for her! MCU has made so much money from their movies and can afford to pay everyone more, especially those whose names we see briefly while waiting for the end credit scene. I understand wanting to be part of something so big and influential, but if you also need to understand your worth. Wages are low at every stage because people are afraid if they try to negotiate, they’ll lost the offer. And sometimes that happens, but not asking for more allows those controlling the finances, who get paid EXTREMELY well, to continue to undercut the people responsible for their wealth.
I’m a nerd so I love a lot of the MCU movies, and she was AWESOME as Proxima Midnight in Infinity War. She was absolutely menacing and my favorite of Thanos’s henchmen. She has some great scenes opposite Scarlet Witch/Lizzie Olsen in particular. I wondered why she wasn’t featured as prominently in Endgame. Such a shame!
I haven’t & never will watch MCU movies so this is a question:
Is lower pay related to less time working on set than for character-driven dramas or plot-driven procedurals?
Good for her. She’s one of my favorite actresses since “The Leftovers.”
Marvel has a history of treating female actors worse than males. I am over them and will not watch any more marvel movies.
No they don’t. ScarJo and Brie Larson were paid more than Evans and Hemsworth, even RDJ, when they started. The female characters may have been treated poorly in the early days when maga Ike Perlmutter was dictating things but that is long over.
Have seen her on stage several times, and she’s fantastic. Props to Carrie!
The Gilded Age is so awesomely cheesy that I just love it – and between Carrie Coon and Christine Baranski chewing up the scenery it’s great escapism! Agree she’s a shapeshifter – such difference between “Bertha” and “Laurie” it’s hard to believe they’re the same actress.
I love Carrie but this is sorta bs. She was barely in Infinity War and Proxima was just seen from a distance for a minute in endgame. Maybe she would’ve been seen more in the latter if Carrie came back but her role was easily lifted out. I get wanting your pay but she wasn’t treated badly for the size and scope of that role. It was a few days work.
And Marvel pays well, very well, depending on the role. They have no problem getting huge stars. Never have and still don’t. The cheapness was in the very beginning when no one knew what would happen with the movies, marvel was bankrupt and it was a big Hail Mary with Iron man. They would’ve lost the rights to ALL their properties, not just spidey, F4 and XMen, if it had failed.