Each of the original Avengers brings their own unique experiences and skill sets to the table. What’s more, each member has their own past, struggles, and character traits that strengthen the team. Natasha Romanoff may not seem like the strongest Avenger, but her role in the team is larger than many may have realized. Despite her complicated past, she always has her eyes on the mission. Not only that, but she keeps everyone else focused as well. She did this to the very end in trying to bring back those wiped from existence. The rest of the team had practically given up and moved on, but she clung to hope and did whatever it took to get the job done.
Scarlett Johansson is arguably the definitive Black Widow. In her earlier years, she may have portrayed the character as a heartless assassin, but she showed audiences that she was more than that. She encapsulated the no-nonsense S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and brought out her humanity. It’s hard to imagine anyone but the veteran actress playing the role, but before she was ever cast, there were other familiar names who could have been an Avenger. Here are the other actresses that were almost cast as Natasha Romanoff.
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6 Jessica Alba
Photo Credit - Sony Pictures Television, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, 2.0 Entertainment, The Brandons, Green Eggs and Pam Productions
Jessica Alba already has experience in a superhero costume. Many remember her for her role in the polarizing Fantastic Four films as Susan Storm, aka The Invisible Woman. She definitely would have been an interesting choice since her onscreen brother in the two films, Chris Evans, would ultimately go on to become Black Widow’s partner and friend, Captain America himself. Alba had a good run on the big screen in the 2000s, but she seems to have stepped away from the limelight since then to focus on business ventures. She helped to launch The Honest Company in 2012, which sells household goods and body care products. Currently, the company is valued at $1 billion, according to Forbes, with Alba as a 15-20% owner.
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5 Natalie Portman
Paramount Pictures
Before she was Thor’s ex-girlfriend and the new goddess of thunder, the Black Swan star was up for the part of Black Widow. It’s a little hard to picture this now, given that both Natalie Portman and Johansson have gone far in their respective roles. Portman would have undoubtedly brought a different essence to the character, but she arguably made a better Jane Foster. Her character in the Thor trilogy is not quite as active as she would have been playing Black Widow; Foster was mainly a backup character and love interest of little repute. However, that’s about to change as the character is set to get a serious upgrade when she takes the mantle of Mighty Thor in Taika Waititi’s next film, Thor: Love and Thunder.
4 Jessica Biel
Photo Credit - New Line Cinema, Marvel Enterprises, Amen Ra Films, Imaginary Forces, Shawn Danielle Productions Ltd.
The 7th Heaven actor was considered for the role of Natasha Romanoff, and to be honest, the idea isn’t unfeasible. The character is historically as beautiful and seductive as she is dangerous. While Jessica Biel mostly played sexy love interests in the time leading up to Iron Man 2, she did garner her share of action credits. Remember that she played Abigail Whistler in another Marvel film, Blade: Trinity. Then, there was the no-nonsense Charissa Sosa, a Defense Criminal Investigative Service Captain in 2010s The A-Team. The role may not have been too action-heavy, but her authoritative figure was a clear example of the strength and attention she commands on the screen, proving her range goes beyond just the girlfriend types. She continues to prove her skills even now as she’s taken on more serious roles, such as her character in the critically acclaimed series The Sinner, and her new role in a true-crime Hulu mini-series, Candy. Biel would have been a wonderful choice for Black Widow.
3 Angelina Jolie
Photo Credit - Regency Enterprises, New Regency, Summit Entertainment, Weed Road Pictures
The Maleficent star was considered to play the super spy before Johansson. Angelina Jolie’s acting caliber arguably stands above all other candidates on this list as she’s been nominated twice for an Oscar, winning once for her role in Girl Interrupted, and twice for an Emmy. Her acting and sex appeal would have made her the perfect candidate for the role, as well as her experience playing action-heavy roles in films such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. For the most part, she chose to avoid franchise roles, but that changed recently when Jolie took the role of Thena in Eternals. Fans will likely be seeing her again in the future, seeing as her character made it to the film’s conclusion.
2 Gemma Arterton
Photo Credit - Marv Studios, Cloudy Productions, 20th Century Studios
This actress had been making the rounds in Hollywood before Black Widow had the chance to waltz onto the screen. Gemma Arterton had already slipped on her spy shoes in the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace as Strawberry Fields. Her portrayal of the fan-favorite character put her in considerable contention for the black-clad hero before Johansson nabbed it. The actress was quickly making a name for herself in the latter half of the 2000s, with 2010, in particular, being a big year for her as Arterton would see her stock rise in the action genre with films such as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Clash of the Titans. This and her sultry presence made her a shoo-in for the role. Alas, she wouldn’t get the fateful call that would have no doubt changed her career forever. The actor is not short on talent, however. It’s not out of the question that we may one day see her mixing it up with everyone’s favorite superheroes.
1 Emily Blunt
Lionsgate
The first actor considered to play Black Widow was never even asked to audition. Emily Blunt was the first star to be offered the role. Unfortunately, she was too busy filming Gullivers Travels at the time, preventing her from entering the MCU in one of the series’ most iconic roles. Ironically, she was also offered the part of Peggy Carter, but she obviously turned that down, too. Her acting chops at such an early stage in her career must have been top-notch for her to be offered the spot. Looking at her resume, the A Quiet Place actor is more than capable of playing an action-oriented character. Just look at her in Edge of Tomorrow. There’s a strength to her roles that would have enhanced the Romanoff character in a way that Johansson wasn’t able to pull off. Sadly, we’ll never know what could have been if she had been able to don the black suit. The character may not have been the same at all. If the timing works out, perhaps one day Blunt will enter the MCU in an important role. There’s no shortage of unique characters after all.
