Despite all that her character does in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Scarlet Witch actor and Marvel Cinematic Universe veteran Elizabeth Olsen doesn't think that Wanda Maximoff is the movie's villain.
While doing a Q&A session on Good Morning America's Instagram, Olsen responded to a question that asked her how fun it was to play Scarlet Witch and be a villain in Multiverse of Madness. "I will never think of [Wanda] as a baddie," Olsen replied. "She learns a lesson, but I think of her as processing big emotions [in the film]." Olsen has previously stated that while she may not see Wanda as inherently villainous, she doesn't think her character is a role model either. "And I don't like answering that question at all because she is a woman who's made big mistakes, and I don't want to think of her as a role model, encouraging kids to make similar violent mistakes," Olsen explained.
Additionally, Olsen described Scarlet Witch becoming a villain as "empowering" for her performance. "[Wanda] has a new kind of confidence that we haven't seen in 8 years, and she's really not apologizing for anything," Olsen said. "She feels very clear in her beliefs. I find it very admirable, and I enjoyed throwing her into this journey of madness. I think it's okay to play characters that people get frustrated with sometimes. I enjoy that as an actor."
Scarlet Witch Goes to Therapy
Olsen wasn't the only one to defend Scarlet Witch's antagonistic role in Multiverse of Madness. The movie's writer Michael Waldron stood by this choice as well and tied it into the Disney+ limited series WandaVision. "My interpretation of WandaVision is that she confronts her grief and she lets go of the people she has under her control, but I don't think she necessarily resolves her grief in that show, and I don't think she resolves her anger," Waldron said. "Maybe she's able to say goodbye to Vision, but I think she's really just fallen in love with [Billy and Tommy]." Waldron also discussed the complaints some WandaVision fans had regarding Scarlet Witch's character arc in Multiverse of Madness, remarking that he understood those fans' anger.
As for future MCU outings as Wanda, Olsen said she thinks she would reprise the role for a Scarlet Witch movie, though it has to be a good story. "I think these films are best when it's not about creating content, but about having a very strong point of view — not because you need to have a three-picture plan," she stated.
Directed by Sam Raimi, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney+.
Source: Instagram