Elizabeth Olsen’s Heartbreaking Doctor Strange Scene: ‘I Got Smacked In The Face… Hard’

Elizabeth Olsen, the talented actress best known for her portrayal of the Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has had her fair share of emotionally and physically demanding roles. However, not every scene in her illustrious career has been a smooth ride. One particular scene from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) stood out as particularly difficult, and Olsen recently opened up about her discomfort in filming it.

The scene in question takes place during a reunion between Wanda Maximoff and her children from Earth 838. For any actor, portraying a reunion with loved ones—especially one filled with such deep emotional stakes—would be challenging. But for Olsen, the scene took a harrowing turn when she was unintentionally smacked in the face by a prop thrown by the child actors playing her children.

Olsen recounted the moment in a candid interview, stating that she was “really hit hard with a prop.” While filming, the emotional weight of the scene was already overwhelming, as Wanda, consumed by grief and power, was forced to snap at her children. The sudden physical jolt made it even more difficult for Olsen, amplifying the emotional turmoil she was already channeling. As she explained to Looper, the scene was particularly challenging because of the unexpected physicality combined with the heart-wrenching nature of the confrontation.

The emotional complexity of the moment wasn’t lost on Olsen either. According to Variety, Olsen was deeply invested in playing Wanda’s darker side, but this moment of physical discomfort still affected her deeply. “A moment where Wanda has to snap at people she loves, specifically involving her children throwing things at her, accidentally smacking her face really hard, which informed her reaction in the scene,” she revealed. The intensity of the scene, coupled with the physical hit, made this one of the most difficult moments for Olsen on set.

While many scenes in her career have been physically demanding, this particular instance stands out because it combined unexpected pain with the deeply emotional task of portraying a mother who is losing control. Olsen noted that although the scene was difficult, she used her genuine reaction to the accident to enhance the rawness of Wanda’s emotional state.

Though Doctor Strange 2 was not the only project that presented difficult scenes for Olsen, it certainly marked one of the most memorable. In her role in Love & Death (2023), for example, Olsen also faced physical challenges during a brutal fight sequence, where she had to rely on her stunt double due to the intensity of the scene. However, the physical strain in Love & Death seemed more related to physical limits rather than emotional discomfort.

Despite the challenges, Olsen’s ability to harness both the physical and emotional elements of a scene has solidified her as one of the most versatile and emotionally compelling actors in Hollywood today. The difficult experience in Doctor Strange 2 is just another testament to her dedication and skill, showing that even the hardest moments on set can lead to some of the most powerful performances on screen.

In the end, Olsen’s reluctance to shoot that particular scene in Doctor Strange 2 is a reminder of how actors often push through discomfort and hardship to bring authenticity to their roles—no matter how tough the process may be.