‘Why do you need Pepper Potts without Iron Man?’: Bemused Gwyneth Paltrow fields the same tired MCU reprisal questions

Gwyneth Paltrow has finally addressed the question that the MCU fans have been asking for years now. That is, her ongoing absence from the franchise.

Paltrow, who provided an opportunity to her fans to ask her any question on her Instagram Stories, was approached by what seemed like an impatient yet die-hard fan of the franchise. This anonymous individual posed the question, “I’m asking this everytime to answer the question why did you stop with marvel and do you miss rdj?” To which she gave quite a convincing reply saying, “I just stopped doing it because Iron Man died and.. why do you need Pepper Potts without Iron Man?”

This isn’t the first time Paltrow responded to the question. In April 2023, she told during The Goop Podcast that even though there is a possibility that both Pepper and her daughter Morgan are alive, but she’s uncertain about reprising her iconic role on big screen.

It’s true that one can’t reflect on the Infinity Saga without bringing up the subject of Iron Man’s (Robert Downey Jr.) relationship with Pepper Potts (Paltrow). Potts was initially Tony Stark’s personal assistant, who grew to become the CEO of the Stark Industries.

Their romance and intimacy were in one way or another incorporated into the franchise’s plotlines. Avengers: Endgame is where we see them together for the last time, after which Pepper Potts fades into insignificance. Clearly, Paltrow has no interest in ending her sabbatical when her opposite number is no longer around.