10 Best Performances In The MCU Phase 5 So Far Now That It’s Halfway Over

By Aarushi Bhaskaran Published 29 minutes ago

Despite less-than-stellar viewership, Phase 5 of the MCU is filled with strong actors putting on some truly incredible performances.

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Summary
10 Alaqua Cox Brings A Conflicted And Deeply Traumatized Hero To The Screen
Phase 5 Appearance: Echo Season 1
9 Chris Pratt Delivers His Most Moving Performance As Star-Lord Yet
Phase 5 Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
8 Owen Wilson Further Explores The Inner Conflict Of Mobius
Phase 5 Appearance: Loki Season 2
7 Vincent D'Onofrio Brings Back His Acclaimed Villain In A Bone-Chilling Performance
Phase 5 Appearance: Echo Season 1
6 Ke Huy Quan Steals Every Scene He's In As Ourobouros AKA "OB"
Phase 5 Appearance: Loki Season 2
5 Karen Gillan's Underrated Portrayal Shows Nebula Healing And Opening Up
Phase 5 Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
4 Chukwudi Iwuji Brings An Irredeemable Villain To Life As High Evolutionary
Phase 5 Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
3 Iman Vellani Proves She Can Hold Her Own Among MCU Veterans As Ms. Marvel
Phase 5 Appearance: The Marvels
2 Bradley Cooper Voices Rocket Raccoon To Perfection In A Deeply Moving Performance
Phase 5 Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
1 Tom Hiddleston's Portrayal Of Loki Remains Fresh And Nuanced Even After 12 Years Playing The Character
Phase 5 Appearance: Loki Season 2
Key Release Dates

Summary

Alaqua Cox shines as Maya Lopez/Echo, showcasing a conflicted, morally ambiguous hero in her first MCU leading role.
Chris Pratt delivers a moving Star-Lord performance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, playing a character at a complicated point in his life.
Tom Hiddleston continues to impress as Loki, playing the character with nuanced emotions and satisfying growth even after 12 years.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been graced by some exceptional actors since the very beginning and Phase 5 is no exception. The early phases of the MCU had quite a few movie stars and notable names, but Marvel Studios has continued to cast actors who are masters of their craft. Beginning with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Phase 5 has had some hurdles, but it has delivered several standout performances.

Three movies and a handful of Disney+ shows have been released as part of MCU Phase 5 so far. Between well-received series like Loki and Echo, and standout films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there are plenty of performances to unpack. As audiences await the upcoming Marvel movies in Phase 5, it bears recognizing the caliber of acting that has come out of so many roles from this era.

10 Alaqua Cox Brings A Conflicted And Deeply Traumatized Hero To The Screen

Phase 5 Appearance: Echo Season 1

Alaqua Cox brings to life the highly compelling Maya Lopez, the MCU's first Native American, deaf, and amputee hero. Only, she's not quite a hero yet & and that's what makes her exciting to watch. Cox plays the character as deeply conflicted, morally ambiguous, and yet capable of much more, like moments of silliness.

Cast Chaske Spencer , Zahn McClarnon , Graham Greene , Alaqua Cox , Cody Lightning , Charlie Cox , Tantoo Cardinal , Devery Jacobs , Vincent D'Onofrio Release Date January 9, 2024 Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Disney+ , Hulu

Cox plays Lopez at a crossroads in her life, unraveling the way she was raised and brought into Kingpin's fold, which is delicately delivered. Cox handles the character's stoicism beautifully, managing to eke out a moving performance nonetheless. By the end of Echo season 1, the audience is rooting for this newly-minted hero to team up with other street-level heroes in the MCU.

9 Chris Pratt Delivers His Most Moving Performance As Star-Lord Yet

Phase 5 Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Fans have leveled unjustified hate at Peter Quill's Star-Lord since the character's Avengers debut in Infinity War. Nonetheless, ChrisPratt puts on an incredible performance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, handling the fallout of that very narrative. While, perhaps ironically, not quite the star of the show this time, Pratt manages to deftly deliver a satisfying, emotionally-loaded arc as he desperately tries to save his best friend and keep the team together.

Director James Gunn Release Date May 5, 2023 Studio(s) Marvel Distributor(s) Disney Writers James Gunn Cast Chris Pratt , Dave Bautista , Karen Gillan , Zoe Saldana , Bradley Cooper , Pom Klementieff , Vin Diesel , Elizabeth Debicki

Star-Lord has several emotional and meaningful moments in this film, as he reels from his grief over losing Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and battles to save the life of Rocket (Bradley Cooper). Pratt plays a beaten down, self-destructive hero perfectly, capturing both the heartbreak and awkwardness of his interactions with the new Gamora. In the end, his decision to return to Earth is a poignant moment that feels earned.

8 Owen Wilson Further Explores The Inner Conflict Of Mobius

Phase 5 Appearance: Loki Season 2

Owen Wilson's Mobius has been a wonderful addition to the MCU since his debut in Loki season 1. The buddy-cop dynamic he plays with Tom Hiddleston's Loki is delightful, due largely to the actors' chemistry. Season 2, however, adds further weight to the character by exploring the TVA Agent's true identity in the timeline, from which his memories were wiped.

Cast Tom Hiddleston , Richard E. Grant , Erika Coleman , Gugu Mbatha-Raw , Sophia Di Martino , Owen Wilson , Wunmi Mosaku , Sasha Lane Release Date June 11, 2021 Seasons 2 Streaming Service(s) Disney+

Wilson plays Mobius' inner conflict to perfection. The character exhibits such strong denial for so much of the season, choosing not to explore who he was before joining the TVA, but finds himself beginning to break once he's forced back into the timeline. Wilson delivers a satisfying conclusion for Mobius' journey, as he decides to remain working for the TVA to track Kang variants and prevent the multiversal war Loki warned about.

7 Vincent D'Onofrio Brings Back His Acclaimed Villain In A Bone-Chilling Performance

Phase 5 Appearance: Echo Season 1

Vincent D'Onofrio brought his much-acclaimed character back to life as an official part of the MCU in Phase 4's Hawkeye, but the character made a true return to form in Echo. D'Onofrio pulls off the chilling calm facade behind which lies a brutal monster masterfully. The key to this performance lies in Kingpin's manipulative, abusive relationship with Maya Lopez, as D'Onofrio weaves a thread of genuine fondness for the hero to make his behavior that much more real & and terrifying.

Kingpin showcases all his complexity in a particularly disturbing show of violence towards an ice cream vendor. The bloody beat-down is the result of the vendor's dismissiveness of a young Lopez, perfectly capturing how the crime boss's well-manicured facade gives way to his uncontrollable rage and cruelty. The quasi-familial relationship D'Onofrio portrays between Kingpin and Lopez hides under the guise of a love that is nothing but abuse, a nuance that is not missed by D'Onofrio's powerful performance.

6 Ke Huy Quan Steals Every Scene He's In As Ourobouros AKA "OB"

Phase 5 Appearance: Loki Season 2

Ke Huy Quan was an unexpected standout in Loki season 2, and perhaps in Phase 5 overall. The character of Ourobouros, AKA "OB," may be a supporting role, but Quan steals every scene he's in. The lovable, eccentric scientist is both affable and a little bit tragic, playing a pivotal role in the success of Loki's mission throughout season 2.

Quan delivers perfect doses of comic relief through his zany, offbeat performance. There's an air of whimsy that Quan injects into the oddball genius, from his engineering expertise to his lack of human contact over the years he has spent as part of the TVA. OB is such a great addition to the franchise that it would be a shame not to see the character return to the larger MCU in some form.

5 Karen Gillan's Underrated Portrayal Shows Nebula Healing And Opening Up

Phase 5 Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Audiences watched the growth of Karen Gillan's Nebula from her first appearance, as a sympathetic but antagonistic force, to a true member of the team in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Much like Star-Lord, Nebula has lost the version of Gamora with whom she had reconciled and built a relationship, and has to deal with that. What really steals the show, however, is Nebula's dynamic with Star-Lord, who is broken down and grieving for much of the film.

The development and healing of Nebula has been an underrated and touching performance from Gillan.

Gillan's portrayal of Nebula has always been sensitive and well-etched. Viewers were first introduced to Thanos's adopted daughter as closed-off and angry, but since his defeat, Gillan has been able to introduce elements of lightness and openness to Nebula. The development and healing of Nebula has been an underrated and touching performance from Gillan in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

4 Chukwudi Iwuji Brings An Irredeemable Villain To Life As High Evolutionary

Phase 5 Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Phase 5 brings audiences yet another standout villain with Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary. The Guardians villain is the perfect antagonist for the team's last outing as a sinister and exceptionally cruel geneticist going up against a group of extraordinary misfits. The terrifying villain has no redeeming qualities, and Iwuji's performance evokes a range of emotions from heartbreak to anger in his scenes with Rocket Raccoon, who he created and tormented.

Despite having only one appearance in the MCU so far, the High Evolutionary has made quite an impression.

Although Vol. 3 brings out several strong performances, Iwuji's take on this iconic and menacing supervillain still ranks high. Despite having only one appearance in the MCU so far, the High Evolutionary has made quite an impression. There is still hope that Iwujji could bring the High Evolutionary back in the MCU's future. If ever there were a villain deserving of more appearances, it's this one.

3 Iman Vellani Proves She Can Hold Her Own Among MCU Veterans As Ms. Marvel

Phase 5 Appearance: The Marvels

Iman Vellani has demonstrated her staying power in the MCU with her standout performance in 2023's The Marvels. The fan-favorite addition debuted in Phase 4 with her solo series, Ms. Marvel, but has proven she can not only hold her own but steal the show among the strong performances of veteran MCU actors Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris, as Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau, respectively. Vellani proves why her hero is perfect to lead the MCU's Young Avengers with her screen presence and charisma.

Director Nia DaCosta Release Date November 10, 2023 Studio(s) Marvel Distributor(s) Disney Writers Nia DaCosta , Zeb Wells , Elissa Karasik Cast Brie Larson , Teyonah Parris , Iman Vellani , Zawe Ashton , Gary Lewis , Park Seo-joon , Zenobia Shroff , Mohan Kapur , Saagar Shaikh , Samuel L. Jackson

The emerging actor brings a much-appreciated youthful energy to The Marvels. She plays the young hero as bubbly, inexperienced, and full of heart. The Marvels is the perfect stepping stone for the Jersey City hero to move on to bigger things. If this appearance was a test of her mettle, Ms. Marvel & and Vellani & prove that she is more than up to the task.

2 Bradley Cooper Voices Rocket Raccoon To Perfection In A Deeply Moving Performance

Phase 5 Appearance: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Bradley Cooper's performance voicing Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was one of the best superhero performances of 2023. The third installment in the series was, at its core, all about Rocket confronting his traumatic past and reconciling what it means for his identity and relationships. Cooper voices the character to perfection, capturing the nuances of his tendency to push loved ones away as a result of his chilling history with the High Evolutionary.

Cooper carries the movie, bringing Rocket's growth into a leader to the screen beautifully.

Rocket's emotions and strength had only been touched upon in the first two Guardians movies, but they were front and center in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Cooper carries the movie, bringing Rocket's growth into a leader to the screen beautifully. The performance remains the most powerful and entertaining MCU movie performance in Phase 5.

1 Tom Hiddleston's Portrayal Of Loki Remains Fresh And Nuanced Even After 12 Years Playing The Character

Phase 5 Appearance: Loki Season 2

Tom Hiddleston has consistently delivered stellar performances since his very first appearance in 2011's Thor, and the second season of Loki is no exception. The character completes his transition to a hero, providing a satisfying potential conclusion to Loki's story in the MCU. Hiddleston's emotional scenes pack a punch and his approach to playing Loki remains as fresh as it ever was.

Audiences get to watch Loki experience his first true friendships, and season 2 makes them his core motivation. Hiddleston captures Loki's desperation to save these friends, while displaying the amazing chemistry he has with each, especially Mobius. From his frantic time-slipping and freak-outs to his enduring snark, Hiddlestone simply is Loki. If Loki season 2 is the MCU's goodbye to the new God of Time, Hiddleston delivered a worthy farewell.