Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World.
One of the biggest surprises in the run-up to Captain America: Brave New World was the casting of Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, as she made her first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. While fans were undoubtedly intrigued to see her reunite with her on-screen father, now played by Harrison Ford who replaced the late William Hurt, director Julius Onah has revealed that bringing Tyler back into the MCU was not even close to an easy job, as he had to work extremely hard to make it happen. Speaking to Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Onah explained how he made a personal plea to the Lord of the Rings star to convince her to return to the franchise.
“We knew Liv was willing to come back when I had a Zoom with her,” he revealed with a laugh. “You dream these things, you work these things out, but then you just have to actually go talk to the human being.” Tyler had retreated from acting in the last few years, so it wasn’t exactly a guarantee for Onah when he contacted her, but the director explained that the process involved ensuring she was excited about the project and the direction the film was taking. He told Collider:
“She had taken a bit of a step back from acting, focusing on other things in her life, and she’s such an incredible human being. But I just went and did a Zoom and had a very honest conversation with her, like I did with every other actor who was going to become involved, as to emotionally and thematically what this movie was trying to accomplish and why I thought it would be worth their time and their talents. Luckily, she responded.”
Liv Tyler’s Return Had To Be Confirmed Very Early
The timing of the conversation was also crucial, as Onah explained that the process of securing Tyler’s return had to be finalized early enough in development to ensure her role could be properly incorporated. He said:
“It was right during the development process. I think I had the Zoom with her probably in early 2023 because it takes time to make a deal and prep and all that other stuff. So, it had to be well in advance so that if for some reason it wasn’t going to work out, whether scheduling or whatnot, we would have the opportunity to make another choice or decision.”
Tyler’s return brings an added emotional heft to Brave New World, particularly as it explores the transformation of her father into the Red Hulk, while he also struggles with his estrangement from her in the wake of his actions. Her inclusion in the film also continues Marvel’s recent trend of revisiting The Incredible Hulk, with Tim Blake Nelson also reprising his role as Samuel Sterns, now fully transformed into The Leader.
Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters now. Stay tuned at Collider for more.
Source link
