Gwyneth Paltrow Reminisces On Bad Wig Days During ‘Iron Man’

Gwyneth Paltrow Pepper Potts Iron Man Marvel Cinematic Universe

It’s interesting to think back and consider how the wide, fictional world that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off way back in 2008 with a film called Iron Man. The film starring the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, and others helped kick start the ongoing MCU, and as is the case with any franchise, there are lessons learned as the journey continues. And one of those lessons involves hair. And lots of it.

In the book Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years, Paltrow, along with Downey Jr. and the film’s director, Jon Favreau, discussed their experiences being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And one such experience surrounded Paltrow’s screen test for Iron Man, which apparently involved a very bad looking wig:

“Remember how bad my wig looked?” This prompted Robert Downey Jr. to chime in as well, noting “And we’ve been chasing that ever since!”

To Paltrow’s credit, at least, for the most part, Pepper Potts has maintained one hairstyle from film to film compared to how Black Widow’s hair, starting with whatever she had on her hair in Iron Man 2, has always looked different in every film. Though hopefully the wigs weren’t as costly as what Tessa Thompson wore during the reshoots for Thor: Ragnarok. Still, Downey Jr. was certain of one thing: he certainly wasn’t going to be the one in a wig:

“We don’t want me in a wig. If we get to that point, we should’ve hung up our jerseys already.”

Gwyneth Paltrow, ever the spoiler, posted a selfie of her in the Rescue armor, so perhaps she’ll have a new wig or hair style for Avengers: Untitled? Who knows? Let us know your thoughts on what Paltrow has brought to the role of Pepper Potts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting with Iron Man and beyond, in the comments below.

Directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man was released in 2008 and stars Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub, and Gwyneth Paltrow. The film is available now on Digital HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD.

Source: Marvel Studios: The First Ten Years

Omari Daniels

Omari Daniels

Guy mostly into journalism and interested in geek culture. So...why not write about it? Get the best of both worlds that way.