Elizabeth Olsen has praised her Doctor Strange co-star Benedict Cumberbatch as “one of the greatest actors around”, adding that she would like to have “another, more heady experience” working with him.
The actress reprises her role as Marvel sorceress Wanda Maximoff, also known as Scarlet Witch, in the Doctor Strange sequel – the 28th film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The 33-year-old stars in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness alongside British actor Cumberbatch, who recently earned a best actor nomination at the Oscars for his role in psychological drama The Power Of The Dog.
The Marvel film sees Cumberbatch’s superhero wizard struggling to deal with the fallout from a spell he cast which opened up the world to the multiverse.
Olsen, who is the cover star of Harper’s Bazaar, told the magazine: “He’s one of the greatest actors around right now and I wanted to see his process.
“I hope to work with him in a non-Marvel way as well, because I would really like to have another, more heady experience with him.”
Speaking about her role in the superhero film, Olsen said it was “so fun” because for years she has been playing a character who is struggling.
“Now, she has clarity for the first time, she knows exactly what she wants, and she doesn’t want to apologise for it,” she said.
“I think there’s a womanliness that comes with that – a strength in feeling completely entitled.
“I love playing characters whose actions people disagree with. In a world where we don’t really care to understand other points of view, if we as an audience can have empathy for people we don’t agree with, that’s a good thing.”
The actress is the younger sibling of twins Mary-Kate and Ashley, former child stars who rose to fame in the TV series Full House.
She said: “I’ve always felt that presence (her sisters’ success), which made me work harder, and maybe have a chip on my shoulder to be over-prepared and disciplined, so I could feel like I’m really earning it.
“I always knew that it was what I wanted to do, I just had a lot of insecurities about wanting to do it.”
Olsen added that is is an “amazing feeling” being the younger sibling to twins.
“If I was spoiled by one, the other one wanted to match it. I loved it,” she said.
– Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness is released in UK cinemas on May 5.
