MCU newcomer Xochitl Gomez speaks out on the pressures of ‘Doctor Strange 2’

Anyone who has watched the latest MCU film is aware that America Chavez is at the core of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The plot revolves around her multiversal power set, with young actor Xochitl Gomez going head-to-head with heavyweights like Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen.

That’s a lot of pressure considering Gomez was just 15 when the shooting of the film began, but she delivered her best and ensured that America will go on to have a bright future in the MCU. Now, in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gomez has gone into detail about the method she opted to approach the role:

“It was very important for me to keep that youthful, fake-it-till-you-make-it kind of vibe. In this movie, there’s a lot of heavy stuff going on. It’s not easy when you’re a teenager and you have all this pressure and crazy stuff going on around you. You have to remember that you are a kid. You’re allowed to make mistakes, and we’re all learning.”

It also seems that the MCU veterans took her under their wing, especially Elizabeth Olsen, who Gomez singles out as a source of “great advice” and guidance.

“She [Olsen] did give me great advice. She told me to never hesitate to give Marvel any notes or any opinions I have because they really want to hear my input. At first, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, really? I don’t know, okay.’ But I did take her advice, and it was really rewarding. Especially at my age, I [focused on] some of the small things that I would say, like, ‘I feel America would do this or that.’ Sam would be like, ‘Let’s do it!'”

The end result is — appropriately — marvellous and all indications are that America Chavez is destined to become a central feature in the MCU. The comics may also give us a clue as to what Marvel Studios’ eventual plans for the character are. In an issue of All-New Hawkeye, the characters travel 30 years into the future to discover that America is now ‘Captain America Chavez,’ the leader of the Avengers.

So, perhaps one day (hopefully not too soon), we may see Sam Wilson bequeath that iconic shield to Chavez just as Steve Rogers passed it down to him. It will be a long road until we get to that point, but we’re betting it’s going to be one hell of a ride.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now in theaters.