“I just don’t know how to be an ingenue”: how Elizabeth Olsen built her career on being uncomfortable
Being related to two incredibly successful actors has its ups and downs. Just ask Elizabeth Olsen, younger sister of former teen icons Mary-Kate and Ashley. There was a time where the twins ruled the world, and whilst this definitely helped to carve a path for Olsen, it also meant that she would be constantly compared to them. She even thought about changing her name to stand out on her own.
Thankfully, the actor was able to find her own place in the world of Hollywood. After starring in several acclaimed dramas, including Martha Marcy May Marlene, where she played a damaged ex-cult member, she broke into the mainstream in 2016 with her first appearance as Wanda Maximoff, AKA Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since then, Olsen has made a splash in both blockbusters and indie treats, and, aged just 35, she should have a long and fruitful career ahead of her.
You don’t get to where Olsen is today without a very strong understanding of oneself, as she confirmed when speaking to IndieWire in 2023. “I just don’t know how to be an ingenue,” she said. “I’ve never known how. I don’t know how to be comfortable in my skin knowing that’s the purpose I’m serving, but I think most women who are ingenues maybe don’t think of themselves as such.”
An ingenue (sometimes spelt ingénue) is defined by as “a naive girl or young woman.” It is also used to refer to a type of female character in literature; a young, innocent woman whose kindness often places them in mortal danger. Examples include Ophelia in Hamlet or Snow White, with actors like Audrey Hepburn and Judy Garland embodying the trope in the early days of cinema.
“I couldn’t play like the high school girlfriend or whatever,” the star continued. “It just doesn’t fit with my personality. It’s not about making the choice, it’s just about what I actually put off in the world and therefore I just don’t get those jobs.” When asked if she was in her “antihero era”, a reference to her love of Taylor Swift, Olsen replied, “I feel like I’ll forever be in that. I don’t know if I ever want to play the hero.” This very much applies to the actor’s most famous character, who’s been on quite the journey across the MCU. First, she was a villain, then she joined up with the Avengers before occupying a ground somewhere in between after starring in her own Disney+ miniseries, WandaVision.
In the interview, Olsen spoke about one of the things she found most strange about moving from smaller films to larger productions – working with background actors. She said that they “made me feel exposed, like a liar or something,” but that changed after she appeared in the 2014 version of Godzilla. “With those kinds of budgets, you end up having to be around hundreds of people you don’t know and interact with in this make-believe world. It makes you feel a little stupid sometimes. I remember having to be around so many extras and feeling so much pressure and so self-conscious. That was something I had to get over.”
Olsen’s most recent big movie was His Three Daughters, which she also executively produced. It stars her, Carrie Coon, and Natasha Lyonne as three sisters who reunite when their father enters end-of-life care. It is receiving some considerable Oscar buzz. Her last appearance as Wanda was in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness in 2022.
