Marvel heads were shocked when they learned that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the MCU’s latest show, had a special guest star: none other than Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The Seinfeld and Veep star played mysterious operative Valentina Allegra de Fontaine — a classic character who was supposed to debut in Black Widow, only for a certain pandemic to scuttle those plans. (You can call her Val.) Her appearance was a well-guarded secret — and we now know the producers went to great length to keep it that way.
They snuck me onto set every day in this stunning hooded cloak. I have worn it every day since. Obviously. @MarvelStudios @falconandwinter #Val #ContessaValentinaAllegraDeFontaine pic.twitter.com/3ACQh5Olw6
— Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) April 23, 2021
Louis-Dreyfus posted a short video on her Twitter account, showing her being draped in a giant black hooded cloak, making her almost like a Druid preparing for an ancient ceremony — or, you know, to prepare for a Marvel show. “They snuck me onto set every day in this stunning hooded cloak,” the actress wrote. “I have worn it every day since. Obviously.”
It seems ridiculous, but apparently it worked! People had no idea the erstwhile Elaine Benes was going to hobnob with a Captain America, even if her famously Superman-loving Seinfeld co-creator would perhaps prefer she grace the DCEU instead. It’s yet another case of everyone at the MCU keeping a lid on some big reveal. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that people were doing epic double-takes when Evan Jones swung by WandaVision to play a character he’d previously played for Fox pre-Disney absorption. What random celebrity will be next to go MCU? Our money’s on Jason Alexander.
(Via The AV Club)