Marvel Studios’ esteemed ensemble of talented actors has brought some of the most significant, memorable, and influential comic book and graphic novel characters to Hollywood, imbuing them with stand-out personalities that personify the human, the extraterrestrial, and the mutant species as if they were taken straight from the source material. Marvel has gifted its loyal viewers with on-screen friendships and adversaries that have generated heart-stopping scenes and stimulating dynamics.
But wait, it gets even better. Whether best friends or archenemies on screen, all of these Marvel actors are close pals in real life, making those intimate moments — for better or worse — all the more meaningful. Any dynamic, whether it be uplifting or unsettling, belongs within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a talented group of actors has breathed all-new life into ink-bound superheroes and villains.
The MCU first formed in 2008, starting with Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. From there, it became a modern-day phenomenon, spawning an entire multiverse of uniquely lovable characters and actors alike who became incredibly close on set and remained friends ’til the end. Here are the best on-screen and off-screen duos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Best friends: Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans)
It was inevitable that Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans would make the list. Although their on-screen relationship can be arguably tense and strained at times (i.e. Captain America: Civil War), Tony and Steve highly respected one another and only grew closer after the dust had settled on the whole Civil War debacle. Even before Tony Stark sacrificed himself in Avengers: Endgame, he was fighting side-by-side with Captain America the entire time. It only goes to show that Stark and Rogers are more alike than they first thought, making them life-long friends that relate to and understand one another on a personal level.
The on-screen duo is only made more significant by the fact that Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. have a “bromance” off-screen that has blossomed ever since The Avengers (2012). It should be noted that even Downey Jr. and Evans themselves have addressed their BFF status. Besides, friends that get matching tattoos together stay together.
Frenemies: Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie)
When they first met in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Mackie’s Falcon and Stan’s Bucky Barnes had an immediate dislike for one another. Further proof of this exists in Captain America: Civil War, where they are forced to work together for Team Captain America. However, especially during the television miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Wilson and Barnes gained a newfound admiration for one another and became closer, bonding over their mutual respect. Naturally, spending so much time together on set led to Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie becoming nearly inseparable.
During an interview with Disney Plus, Stan and Mackie had a “compliment showdown” to express their appreciation for each other. Mackie drew attention to Stan’s “wonderful hair,” winning personality that could “make a grown man smile,” and good looks. Meanwhile, Stan told Mackie that he has “such a big heart that’s protected by a lot of strength” and “firm and soft” thighs. “I want to remake every romantic comedy with you,” he added. Maybe there could be romance in the duo’s future.
Best friends: Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy)
When filming Marvel’s Agent Carter series, Hayley Atwell (Carter) met James D’Arcy (Jarvis) and the enchanting friendship that followed was both heartwarming and foolish, full of running gags off-screen and even on-screen, as evidenced by the Agent Carter blooper reels. In the series, Howard Stark entrusts Jarvis with the responsibility of assisting Peggy Carter with “anything she needs” as the duo attempts to clear Stark’s name after a troublesome misunderstanding. From then on, Carter and Jarvis grew closer, ultimately sharing the most vulnerable parts of themselves with each other and making Jarvis an irreplaceable companion to Carter.
When the cameras weren’t rolling, Atwell and D’Arcy would make Dubsmash videos together and goof around on set. It could be guaranteed that Atwell and D’Arcy would be splitting their sides in an interview at one point or another and the laughter was contagious. The biggest tragedy in all of history was Marvel Studios choosing to cancel Agent Carter.
Frenemies: Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston)
Playing on-screen brothers Thor and Loki meant that Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston bonded as real siblings would. Back in 2011, Hemsworth and Hiddleston met on the set of Thor, then returned to the roles for two sequels. During that time, Thor and Loki had a bumpy relationship, often consisting of Loki betraying Thor one way or another and Thor threatening to kill Loki as a result. Still, there are times that Thor and Loki have teamed up (Thor: Ragnarok, for example) and when Loki dies in Avengers: Infinity War, Thor is absolutely heartbroken and swears revenge on Thanos.
Clearly, despite the jealousy and bitterness surrounding their upbringing, Thor and Loki end on good terms. Even better than that, Hemsworth and Hiddleston have a self-proclaimed “bromance” and worship one another for all the successful roles that followed in Thor and Loki’s footsteps. Mark Ruffalo snapped a sweet photo on the set of Thor: Ragnarok that shows Hemsworth, Hiddleston and Taika Waititi napping together on a couch. If that isn’t true friendship, then nothing is.
Best friends: Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)
Perhaps one of the most wholesome friendships (both on-screen and off) goes to Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson. They were given the chance to work together on Captain Marvel, sharing some hilarious scenes and developing a budding friendship in the meantime. In the film, Nick Fury and Carol Danvers are apprehensive of one another at first, but quickly become fast friends, effectively saving the world together on numerous occasions thereafter.
Given that Nick Fury pages Carol Danvers to help in the fight against Thanos at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, they obviously shared a connection. Since production wrapped on Captain Marvel, Larson and Jackson have remained good friends. They even sang carpool karaoke together and during the press tour, joining together in perfect harmony to perform “Shallow” from A Star is Born.
Frenemies: Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) and Kilgrave (David Tennant)
Now, this pairing is decidedly worse than the term “frenemies” can accurately describe. At least Falcon and the Winter Soldier made amends after their rocky start, which is more than can be said for Jessica Jones and Kilgrave. Krysten Ritter’s Jones and David Tennant’s Kilgrave were written to be archenemies, especially in the Alias graphic novels they originate from. Kilgrave horrendously abuses, manipulates, and tortures Jessica, making her a prisoner of her own mind for years.
By the time Marvel’s Jessica Jones series ends, Kilgrave has been disposed of — with no chance of ever igniting a friendship from the abusive, one-sided “relationship” that transpires prior. Thankfully, Ritter and Tennant don’t hate each other in reality — far from it, actually. As another pairing that religiously joked around on set and appeared all-smiles and laughs at the red carpet premieres, Ritter and Tennant spent so much time together during Jessica Jones that they formed an unbreakable bond. Naturally, Marvel fans are eager to see them return — whatever it takes.
Best friends: Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany)
We should use the term “best friends” loosely for this one, given that Wanda Maximoff and Vision marry each other. Although this was partly made possible due to Wanda’s hex (as seen in the WandaVision series), there were romantic feelings between the pair prior that had developed organically. Still, Maximoff and Vision understand one another in ways that no one else ever could, making them a match made in heaven. It felt truly magical to see the romance bloom between them as the MCU progressed through the years.
In a press interview for WandaVision, Elizabeth Olsen told Entertainment Weekly that “Doing WandaVision together really brought out their “inner children. We’re just hamming it up like we have never done in our careers before and it has been a ball.” It feels like a privilege to see Olsen and Paul Bettany’s friendship grow from their time on set and it could not be more evident that the great chemistry on-screen was transferred off-screen, too.
Frenemies: Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen)
Of course Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen had to be included. It would be criminal not to. Honestly, two 80-year-olds kissing at almost every press conference, red carpet event, and social gathering they ever attend is massively amusing, not to mention incredibly sweet. Patrick Stewart portrays Charles Xavier and Ian McKellen plays Magneto in the older X-Men films, with the exception of reprising their roles recently for X-Men: Days of Future Past. Any Marvel fan knows that Professor X and Magneto hate each other in the series, especially at first. Eventually, they learn to work together and have an on-again, off-again relationship — much like two exes who can’t make up their minds — and even have a brotherhood connection.
It seems that the apple never falls far from the tree, as Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen have been obsessed with each other ever since their very first encounter and have only gotten more “friendly” over the years, with multiple on-the-lips kisses expressing affection and admiration whenever the two reunite. Stewart and McKellen will always be the OG mutant leaders and the most down-to-earth gentlemen to ever grace the Marvel Studios cast list.