Elizabeth Olsen’s Relentless Work Ethic Earned Her the College Nickname “The Rehearsal Nazi”
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Elizabeth Olsen may be best known to global audiences as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Scarlet Witch, but long before wielding chaos magic on screen, she was perfecting her craft with an intensity that set her apart. During her time at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, that dedication earned her a nickname she never expected: “the Rehearsal Nazi.”
From Child Actor to Serious Student
Born on February 16, 1989, in Sherman Oaks, California, Elizabeth Chase Olsen grew up in the shadow of her famous older sisters, Mary-Kate and Ashley. She appeared in some of their projects as a child but made a conscious decision to build her own career on merit.
Determined to become a serious actor, Olsen enrolled at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and even spent a semester studying at the Moscow Art Theatre School, where she trained in Stanislavsky and Chekhov techniques. That commitment paid off: before graduating in January 2013, she had already made her acclaimed film debut in Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011).
Eight Hours for Two Minutes
The nickname “the Rehearsal Nazi” emerged from Olsen’s strict adherence to NYU’s demanding rehearsal philosophy. Professors advised students to rehearse eight hours for every two minutes of performance—a guideline most of her peers ignored. Olsen, however, took it literally.
According to her 2020 interview with Cheat Sheet, she routinely rehearsed eight to ten hours for even the briefest scenes. It wasn’t until her junior year, when paired with a new classmate, that she learned how her commitment was viewed.
“Oh my God, you’re the rehearsal Nazi,” the student told her, explaining that no one else followed the rule so rigorously. Olsen’s reaction was one of surprise—and perhaps a touch of pride.
The moniker was later repeated in a 2018 episode of Off Camera with Sam Jones and on fan site elizabeth-olsen.com, cementing its place in Olsen’s NYU lore.
The Drive to Prove Herself
Olsen has been candid about the source of her drive: a fear of being dismissed as a beneficiary of nepotism.
“I had this fear that people would think I didn’t earn or deserve the things I worked for because of who I was naturally associated with,” she told Cheat Sheet.
That fear fueled her work ethic, motivating her to overprepare for every role. The “Rehearsal Nazi” nickname became shorthand among classmates for her intense dedication, though Olsen and those who used it have emphasized that it was meant in a lighthearted, non-political sense—akin to the way “grammar Nazi” describes someone with strict standards.
A Foundation for Success
Olsen’s collegiate discipline has carried into her career. Her meticulous preparation helped her navigate a diverse filmography, from indie dramas like Wind River (2017) to massive blockbusters such as Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), as well as her Emmy-nominated turn in WandaVision (2021).
Her time at NYU—and her willingness to be the one who rehearsed more than anyone else—established a professional ethos that continues to define her.
If you’d like, I can also prepare a short sidebar piece on how Olsen’s Moscow Art Theatre training influenced her Marvel performances, giving readers a behind-the-scenes look at how her discipline translated to blockbuster filmmaking. Would you like me to draft that?
