15 Actresses Perfect for the Role of the Gwenpool in the MCU

Gwen Poole—better known as Gwenpool—originated as a fan-inspired mashup before becoming an official Marvel Comics character created by writer Christopher Hastings with art by Gurihiru. The character first appeared in backup stories in ‘Howard the Duck’ before headlining ‘The Unbelievable Gwenpool’, where she’s depicted as a genre-savvy outsider who knows she’s in a comic, breaks the fourth wall, and uses that meta-awareness alongside quick wits and eclectic combat skills. Across her runs, Gwen interacts with street-level and cosmic corners of Marvel continuity, and her tone blends satire, action, and self-referential humor under creators such as Hastings, Leah Williams, Gurihiru, and David Baldeón.

With that blend of comedy, action, and meta-text, the on-screen version would benefit from performers who have demonstrated range across high-energy comedy, stunt-ready action, and sharply timed dialogue. Below is a curated lineup of living actresses who have built résumés that include lead roles in genre projects, work with notable directors and writers, and experience in productions that balance humor and spectacle. Blake Lively is included, and the rest of the choices avoid performers with prior or confirmed future appearances in the MCU.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively led ‘The Shallows’, a survival thriller directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, and starred in ‘A Simple Favor’ under director Paul Feig from a script by Jessica Sharzer adapted from Darcey Bell’s novel. Her filmography also includes ‘The Age of Adaline’, directed by Lee Toland Krieger, where she played the title role opposite performers such as Harrison Ford and Michiel Huisman, and early breakout work on television in ‘Gossip Girl’, developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. She has experience with large-scale shoots and promotional campaigns tied to studio features and television.

Beyond acting, Lively has producing credits and has been attached to projects across thriller, drama, and romance, collaborating with filmmakers including Oliver Stone on ‘Savages’ and Ben Affleck on ‘The Town’. She made her feature directorial debut with the music video ‘I Bet You Think About Me’ and has been linked to book-to-screen adaptations such as ‘It Ends with Us’, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, demonstrating familiarity with literary properties and the development process from page to screen.

Kiernan Shipka

Kiernan Shipka headlined ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’, developed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa from Archie Comics characters, portraying Sabrina Spellman across multiple parts with a writers’ room that blended horror and coming-of-age elements. She previously portrayed Sally Draper on ‘Mad Men’, created by Matthew Weiner, appearing opposite a large ensemble led by Jon Hamm and January Jones and working under directors such as Phil Abraham and Lesli Linka Glatter. Her film credits include ‘The Silence’, directed by John R. Leonetti, and ‘Let It Snow’, based on the novel by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle.

Shipka has also appeared in genre projects like ‘Totally Killer’, a time-travel slasher directed by Nahnatchka Khan, balancing comedic beats and suspense mechanics. Voice work includes roles in animated productions, adding experience with ADR and vocal performance, and she has participated in crossover appearances within the Archie television universe, demonstrating comfort with shared-continuity storytelling.

Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning starred in ‘The Great’, created by Tony McNamara, where she also served as an executive producer, leading a historical satire with rapid-fire dialogue and stylized tone. Her film work includes ‘Super 8’, directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg, ‘The Neon Demon’, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, and ‘20th Century Women’ from writer-director Mike Mills, collaborating with ensembles that include Annette Bening and Greta Gerwig.

Fanning portrayed Aurora in Disney’s ‘Maleficent’ and its sequel, directed by Robert Stromberg and Joachim Rønning respectively, working with large-format visual effects pipelines. She has credits in independent cinema such as ‘Ginger & Rosa’, directed by Sally Potter, and ‘Teen Spirit’, directed by Max Minghella, which involved musical performance and choreography, demonstrating versatility across production scales.

Anya Taylor-Joy

Anya Taylor-Joy’s breakout came with ‘The Witch’, directed by Robert Eggers from his original screenplay, a period horror piece noted for language fidelity and atmospheric design. She worked with M. Night Shyamalan on ‘Split’ and ‘Glass’, part of a grounded superhero trilogy that required sustained tension and ensemble interplay. Her filmography includes the title role in ‘Emma.’, adapted by screenwriter Eleanor Catton from Jane Austen’s novel and directed by Autumn de Wilde, and ‘Last Night in Soho’, directed by Edgar Wright from a script co-written with Krysty Wilson-Cairns.

Taylor-Joy has led action projects such as ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’, directed by George Miller from a screenplay co-written with Nico Lathouris, involving extensive stunt and driving sequences. She has also performed in limited series like ‘The Queen’s Gambit’, created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott from Walter Tevis’s novel, requiring technical consultation for chess scenes and period accuracy in design and costuming.

Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter starred in ‘Girl Meets World’, developed by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly, and led ‘Work It’, a dance-driven film directed by Laura Terruso with choreography central to its set pieces. She appeared in ‘Clouds’, directed by Justin Baldoni and based on the memoir by Laura Sobiech, and ‘Emergency’, directed by Carey Williams from K.D. Dávila’s screenplay, which blends thriller pacing with social commentary.

Carpenter’s background includes extensive touring and recording as a pop artist, bringing experience with stage performance, timing, and music video production. Additional acting credits span ‘Tall Girl’ and ‘Tall Girl 2’, directed by Nzingha Stewart and Emily Ting respectively, and voice roles in animated projects, adding ADR and booth experience to a screen résumé that crosses family comedy, drama, and musical storytelling.

Samara Weaving

Samara Weaving led ‘Ready or Not’, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from a script by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, combining horror with dark comedy and practical effects work. She also appeared in ‘Scream VI’ from the same directing team and in the action-comedy ‘Guns Akimbo’, directed by Jason Lei Howden, performing physically demanding sequences alongside genre-bending humor.

Her television credits include ‘SMILF’, created by Frankie Shaw, and ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’, created by David E. Kelley from Liane Moriarty’s novel, where she worked opposite ensembles led by actors such as Nicole Kidman. Weaving’s early career included ‘Home and Away’, and her filmography features ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’, written and directed by Martin McDonagh, adding prestige drama experience to her genre credentials.

Zoey Deutch

Zoey Deutch starred in ‘Set It Up’, directed by Claire Scanlon from a script by Katie Silberman, and ‘Before I Fall’, directed by Ry Russo-Young from Lauren Oliver’s novel, which required repeating narrative structures and precise continuity performance. She appeared in ‘Zombieland: Double Tap’, directed by Ruben Fleischer, integrating comedy with action choreography in a returning ensemble.

Deutch’s credits include ‘The Politician’, created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, and ‘Not Okay’, directed by Quinn Shephard, which explored social media-driven storytelling. She has also worked in biographical and true-crime material such as ‘The Outfit’, directed by Graham Moore and co-written with Johnathan McClain, acting opposite performers like Mark Rylance and Dylan O’Brien.

Lili Reinhart

Lili Reinhart is known for ‘Riverdale’, developed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa from Archie Comics characters, where she portrayed Betty Cooper across multiple seasons involving noir, musical, and supernatural episodes. She starred in ‘Hustlers’, written and directed by Lorene Scafaria and inspired by a New York magazine article, acting alongside Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, and Keke Palmer.

Reinhart led ‘Chemical Hearts’, adapted from Krystal Sutherland’s novel by writer-director Richard Tanne, and served as an executive producer, working across development and post-production. Additional credits include appearances in ‘Galveston’, directed by Mélanie Laurent from Nic Pizzolatto’s novel, and independent features that explore character-driven drama.

Chloë Grace Moretz

Chloë Grace Moretz’s genre breakout included ‘Kick-Ass’, directed by Matthew Vaughn from a script co-written with Jane Goldman based on Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s comic, followed by ‘Let Me In’, directed by Matt Reeves and adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel. She voiced the lead in ‘Nimona’, based on ND Stevenson’s graphic novel, directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, involving animation performance techniques.

Moretz headlined the science-fiction series ‘The Peripheral’, developed by Scott B. Smith from William Gibson’s novel with executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, incorporating motion-capture and VFX-heavy worldbuilding. Her filmography also includes ‘Carrie’, directed by Kimberly Peirce from Stephen King’s novel, and ‘Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising’, directed by Nicholas Stoller, spanning horror, sci-fi, and comedy.

Emma Stone

Emma Stone won the Academy Award for ‘La La Land’, directed by Damien Chazelle from his original screenplay, and starred in ‘Easy A’, directed by Will Gluck from Bert V. Royal’s script, a contemporary high-school comedy of manners. She portrayed Gwen Stacy in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ films, directed by Marc Webb from scripts involving screenwriters such as James Vanderbilt and Alex Kurtzman, contributing experience with comic-book adaptations and large-scale stunt units.

Stone re-teamed with Yorgos Lanthimos on ‘The Favourite’ and ‘Poor Things’, the latter adapted by Tony McNamara from Alasdair Gray’s novel, demonstrating collaboration across period design and surrealist storytelling. Additional credits include ‘Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)’, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and ‘Zombieland’, directed by Ruben Fleischer, spanning prestige drama and ensemble comedy.

Thomasin McKenzie

Thomasin McKenzie’s breakout in ‘Leave No Trace’, directed by Debra Granik from Peter Rock’s novel ‘My Abandonment’, paired her with Ben Foster in a survival drama that required naturalistic performance. She appeared in ‘Jojo Rabbit’, written and directed by Taika Waititi and adapted from Christine Leunens’s novel, blending satire with wartime narrative elements.

McKenzie starred in ‘Last Night in Soho’, directed by Edgar Wright and co-written with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, incorporating thriller and psychological horror components. Additional credits include ‘Old’, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and adapted from the graphic novel ‘Sandcastle’ by Pierre Oscar Lévy and Frederik Peeters, and ‘True History of the Kelly Gang’, directed by Justin Kurzel from Peter Carey’s novel.

Haley Lu Richardson

Haley Lu Richardson led ‘Columbus’, written and directed by Kogonada, known for architectural framing and quiet, dialogue-driven scenes opposite John Cho. She starred in ‘Five Feet Apart’, directed by Justin Baldoni from a script by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis, which required research into medical procedures and hospital environments for accuracy.

Richardson appeared in ‘Split’, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and in ‘The White Lotus’, created by Mike White, contributing to an ensemble that balances satire with character study. Her additional filmography includes ‘Support the Girls’, written and directed by Andrew Bujalski, and ‘The Edge of Seventeen’, written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, adding experience in comedy-drama and coming-of-age narratives.

Margaret Qualley

Margaret Qualley starred in ‘Maid’, created by Molly Smith Metzler and inspired by Stephanie Land’s memoir, delivering a lead performance across a limited-series format. She appeared in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, and ‘Stars at Noon’, directed by Claire Denis and co-written with Denis Johnson and Léa Mysius, engaging with auteur-driven productions.

Qualley’s credits include ‘Sanctuary’, directed by Zachary Wigon from a script by Micah Bloomberg, focused on intense two-hander dynamics, and ‘The Leftovers’, created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta from Perrotta’s novel, where she worked within a complex ensemble. She has additional experience in voice and performance capture for video games, including roles in projects directed by Hideo Kojima, adding cross-media familiarity.

Hunter Schafer

Hunter Schafer’s television debut came with ‘Euphoria’, created by Sam Levinson, where she also co-wrote an episode and served as an executive producer for a special, contributing to creative development beyond on-screen performance. She appeared in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’, directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt adapted from Suzanne Collins’s novel, joining a major franchise ensemble.

Schafer’s background includes modeling and activism, collaborating with fashion houses on global campaigns, which involves coordination with large production teams and international promotional circuits. She has additional screen credits in projects spanning thriller and fantasy, and experience with press tours and panel events tied to franchise releases.

Emma Mackey

Emma Mackey starred in ‘Sex Education’, created by Laurie Nunn, acting opposite an ensemble that includes Asa Butterfield and Gillian Anderson, and working with multiple directors across seasons. She portrayed Emily Brontë in ‘Emily’, written and directed by Frances O’Connor, a period drama requiring dialect work and collaboration with heads of department on costuming and production design.

Mackey appeared in ‘Death on the Nile’, directed by Kenneth Branagh from Michael Green’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel, integrating ensemble mystery staging. Additional credits include ‘Eiffel’, directed by Martin Bourboulon, and festival-screened independent films, providing experience across French and English-language productions.

Share your thoughts in the comments on who you’d cast as Gwenpool!