‘Thunderbolts*’ star Julia Louis-Dreyfus jokes about 'Doomsday' absence

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Now that she’s part of the Marvel family thanks to her role in Thunderbolts*, Julia Louis-Dreyfus isn’t saying someone is getting fired for omitting her name from the studio’s 5.5-hour cast reveal for next summer’s Avengers: Doomsday.

But she’s not denying it either.

“I can’t say too much about that,” Louis-Dreyfus, 64, tells Postmedia with a laugh during an interview at a downtown Toronto hotel. “But I will say the following. I love working at Marvel and I look forward to doing more with them and … I can’t say anything more beyond that.”

After debuting as nefarious CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the 2021 Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Louis-Dreyfus has been lurking in the background, operating outside the lines in various Marvel projects, including Black Widow and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

As her shadowy operations catch up with her in Thunderbolts*, now playing in theatres, Val and her assistant Mel (Geraldine Viswanathan) ensnare some of her biggest assets — including Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) and a rando named “Bob” (Lewis Pullman) — in a plot to cover up her crimes.

Val’s plan involves having her “disposable delinquents” kill one another to hide her crimes. Of course, Marvel’s ragtag group of misfits have other ideas and band together — alongside Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes and David Harbour’s Red Guardian — to stop Val and put an end to her evil government programs.

As it delves into the interior lives of its damaged antiheroes who are wracked by malaise and depression, Thunderbolts*, which is directed by Jake Schreier and penned by Joanna Calo and Marvel vet Eric Pearson, ends up being one of the most emotional superhero movies the studio has released since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.

“This was a real opportunity. There was a lot of Val, a lot of meat on the character’s bones of this particular story,” Louis-Dreyfus says. “It was a true delight to peel back some layers on Val. You get to understand maybe why she’s built the way she is. The trauma she may have suffered in her youth, and how that informs her insatiable desire for power and control.”

Below, the 11-time Emmy winner, whose career has been shaped by roles on TV’s Seinfeld, The New Adventures of Old Christine and Veep, spoke more about her new era as part of the MCU.

You’re no stranger to franchises. Thunderbolts* is the 36th film in the MCU. What’s it been like to become a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

“It’s been awesome. I came onboard six years ago. I knew, because they pitched it to me, what was going to happen with Valentina. They pitched me Thunderbolts* many years ago. Even the end of the movie they pitched to me and I kept my mouth shut the whole time. But it’s such an iconic genre and to be a part of that gives me an enormous amount of pride.”

Tell me about that pitch. Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige calls you and says…

“Kevin and (producer) Louis D’Esposito call and they say, ‘We’ve got this character — Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. We would love for you to play her.’ To be honest they had me at the name. The name is so groovy. I remember thinking she sounded incredible. Then they pitched me what the story was going to be and how it would all unfold. But the idea of playing somebody who is manipulative and three steps ahead of everyone around her all the time? It’s just fabulous.”

I mentioned that Thunderbolts* is the 36th film in the MCU, which has been going for 17 years. Do you have a favourite Marvel movie?

“I don’t have one favourite. I have a number that I love. I loved Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther, Iron Man, of course. Just to name a few.”

So we saw Val’s name was not part of the Avengers: Doomsday casting announcement, but she has great chemistry with everyone she interacts with. If she does return, is there someone from the MCU, hero or villain, that you would like to see her link up with?

“It would be great if she could meet Nick Fury. It would be great if she could meet Tony Stark. I it would be great if she could meet the Hulk. I love Mark Ruffalo. There are a lot of folks that it would be fun for her to interact with.”

We’ve spoken a few times, so you know that I love Seinfeld. Which Seinfeld character would be the one to ruin the surprise ending of Thunderbolts*?

“Oh gosh … (laughs) George.”

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theatres.

mdaniell@postmedia.com