The Amazing True Story Behind Paul Bettany- the MCU’s Faceless Hero.

His was the voice we always heard, but the face we almost never saw.

The man had been working with Marvel’s Cinematic Universe from the very beginning.

He was there when the MCU debuted with the first Iron Man film, where he played Robert Downey Jr.’s trusty A.I, Jarvis.

As time passed, Mr. Bettany’s role only grew. And he finally got a full acting role in 2015’s Age of Ultron, where he played Vision, the sentient robot forged from vibranium.

However, there’s a little-known story behind Bettany’s MCU success. One which remains relevant to all people in stalling careers.

Before the MCU, Bettany was more-or-less your average, B-list actor.

He was out one day going about his usual business when he got a surprise call from John Favreau.

He picked up the phone, and after a bit of chit-chat, the Iron Man director succinctly said:

‘I need the voice of a personality-less robot, and I thought of you immediately.

He essentially told Paul that he was perfect for the role of Jarvis, because he had no personality.

He was as bland as they come — perfect for playing a senseless robot.

I’m sure that, at first, the actor wasn’t sure if that was an actual casting call, or a casual jab at his lackluster personality.

I imagine him pondering over it for a minute, thinking to himself, “am I a joke to this guy?”, before continuing:

“I’ll take it”

Whatever you may think of him, though, Bettany says that he has no regrets taking the role.

Because while other actors were were called in for multiple shoots, dozens of re-shoots, and long, taxing hours in the studio, Bettany only needed to enter the recording booth for 30–45 minutes and read off a couple of lines from the script.

He found easy, rewarding work in the world’s largest studio — not bad for a senseless robot.

And he got paid boatloads of money for it. That’s always nice .

However, while playing Jarvis, Bettany’s career presumably hit a slump.

Because sometime in 2014, while he was attending a meeting, a big Hollywood producer told the actor, in no uncertain terms, that he had no future. Understandable, one could argue, since his most noteworthy role so far had been a faceless software program.

This producer advised him to pack his bags, call in the curtains, and start looking for another career. Because he wouldn’t be getting any more work in Hollywood.

His career was over.

I had just had a meeting with a producer, who will remain nameless, who told me that my career was over. He said ‘You’re done, you’re done in this town.”

In retaliation, Bettany attempted to stand up to this producer.

He rose to his feet, and heroically proclaimed that “people get second and third acts in this town!”, sparking a long argument between the two.

But, after all the shouting and tough talk, Bettany knew that, deep down, he was sad.

He staggered out of the building, knees wobbling with fear, before collapsing unto the sidewalk, exhausted.

He recalled cursing himself for being such a failure.

He wallowed in pity and self-loathing.

And just then, be it by a twist of fate or dumb luck, Paul Bettany’s phone rang.

Lo and behold, the caller was none other than Joss Whedon!

“Do you want to play Vision in the next Avengers movie?”, he asked.

And the rest, as we say, is history.

Four blockbuster hits, (at least) one highly-anticipated TV show, and several millions of dollars later, and I dare say that the “big-shot producer,” whoever he was, has been proved wrong.

That brings us to the moral of this story: Don’t ever let “the man” tell you when you’re done.

You are the main character of your own play, and the curtains do not close until you say they should.

In this town, you can get a second or third act.