‘Klara and the Sun’ Star Jenna Ortega Recalls Limping Home After Her Tiny ‘Iron Man 3’ Debut
Long before ‘Wednesday’ turned her into a global star, Jenna Ortega was a wide-eyed child actor chasing her first big break. She began acting professionally at age 9, and that same year she landed her film debut in Marvel’s ‘Iron Man 3’, playing the vice president’s daughter opposite Miguel Ferrer.
It was a small part, and it got even smaller by the time the film hit theaters. Ortega has previously revealed that her character originally had lines and even a name, but her dialogue was cut, leaving her on screen for just a brief moment as the camera reveals the girl is missing a leg.
Now Ortega is sharing a funny behind-the-scenes story from that first movie set. In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, sitting alongside her ‘Klara and the Sun’ director Taika Waititi, the actress recalled limping home and nearly falling on her face after her day of filming.
Because her character used a wheelchair, Ortega was instructed to sit on her leg to hide it during filming. She explained that she was so excited to be on set and to be playing a character that she simply didn’t want to move, so she stayed in the wheelchair all day. The result was a classic case of a leg falling asleep. Ortega said she was limping by the time she got to the car and nearly fell flat on her face getting out of the wheelchair.
It’s not the first time Ortega has opened up about that day. In a previous Esquire profile, she described limping to the car with both smiles and tears running down her face, saying she was simply thrilled to have been on a movie set.
She also said she refused to leave the wheelchair between takes because she wanted to be ready the moment the crew needed her. It’s a sweet glimpse at the determination that has shaped her career since childhood.
Even with her lines cut, the film’s May 2013 release became a celebration. Her family, school friends, and some of her mother’s emergency-room colleagues went to a multiplex in Rancho Mirage, California, where the movie was playing on multiple screens.
Jenna Ortega confessed that her first major movie role was in Iron Man 3, but all three of her lines were completely cut "Yeah, that was the first time I was ever in a movie." "I had like three lines, they cut them out." "I had nothing to do on set all day except that, and I went home and I just was so excited about the fact that I had been on a movie set." "I had seen like what movie making was like… and I just thought, ‘That’s it, that’s what I’m going to do forever’."
— Izaya orihara (@Izaya_xbt) October 25, 2026
Fans have long hoped to see Ortega back in the Marvel universe. During a past interview with Entertainment Tonight, she joked about her blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role, noting that she appears in just a single frame.
Her ‘Death of a Unicorn’ co-star Paul Rudd, who has played Ant-Man in 5 Marvel films, chimed in at the time with optimism that the studio would create something for her. Rumors have also linked her to roles such as White Tiger in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’, though that casting never materialized.
Meet Klara. Your new best (artificial) friend. 🌞 Jenna Ortega is Klara in Director Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s #KlaraAndTheSun – coming exclusively to theatres October 23. Watch the trailer now. https://t.co/GTNCw8RBrx
— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) June 22, 2026
The ‘Iron Man 3’ story surfaced as Ortega promotes ‘Klara and the Sun’, Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel. She stars as Klara, an Artificial Friend searching for the perfect home, alongside Amy Adams and Mia Tharia.
The Sony Pictures release hit theaters on October 23, after finishing filming back in April 2024. The project marks a notable shift for Ortega, trading her horror roots for a softer, more dystopian sci-fi story.
Ortega’s journey from a cut role in a Marvel blockbuster to headlining films for acclaimed directors is a testament to her persistence. Her ‘Iron Man 3’ memory may have ended with a numb leg, but it clearly left a lasting impression.
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