Marvel.com: How are you having fun with the program now, because it looks like you’re having fun with everything.
Paul Bettany: I’m loving this. I’m loving being promoted to the fans. And I love how frustrated they are at not being able to see everything at once. I love to read your theories about what can happen. And some of them are incredibly accurate, actually. I keep thinking, “Marvel should give that person a job.”
It was really fun to watch them go through this. I mean, I know they’ve been waiting a long time. So, we have. It is very special to watch on the platform without my name in the middle [on early screeners]. So yes, it was a lot of fun.
Marvel.com: When you signed up to give JARVIS a voice in the beginning Iron Man, did you ever think you would end up here, a Marvel sitcom dad with two twin boys?
Paul Bettany: Yes, it was part of my plan, my cowardly plan. [laughs] No, I, of course, had no idea. I mean, I was kind of … kind of started as a favor to Jon Favreau thinking, “Well, this is going to be fun.” I’ve never done this before. And, in fact, it ended up being a lot of fun. And I really liked the people involved and I felt aligned with them creatively. I found it really fun to be around fun people.
Then, slowly but surely, I managed to join the Marvel company. And slowly but surely, I am planning to take over. I read it on social media the other day – someone really surprised me [when they said] that i have been [involved with] Marvel spanning two decades!
And I was like, what? And it’s true. I mean, it’s true. And it’s so good to do that.
Marvel.com: you’ve met every step of the way with WandaVision what was happening? I talked to other cast members and I was in the dark about many things. But I suppose you immediately knew the beginning, the middle and the end of the show.
Paul Bettany: Well, not immediately. Kevin Feige’s speech was very abstract and more about feelings and [what the] big, big ideas [were] about – and, in fact, sitcoms.
So [Kevin] launched this idea. It was a kind of crazy mashup between two ideas with sitcoms. It looked so crazy. I wanted to be part of that. But yes, very early, I understood where that was. I knew where I was going.
And it was always exciting. It was like Christmas day. Frankly, this is how the release went for each of the episodes. It feels like Christmas day every Friday. You can see people’s reactions and stuff, you know, the reactions of real people. I don’t read comments. But it is beautiful to see the reactions of the fans.
Marvel.com Have you been watching them every Friday when they come out?
Paul Bettany: I have, every Friday or Saturday, with my children.
Marvel.com: Aren’t you waking up at 3:00 am like the rest of the internet to watch as soon as they’re on Disney +?
Paul Bettany: You know what? The truth is, I am not because I saw them. But I am watching them with my children without my name on them and with all the effects finished. Sometimes, I have watched episodes where I still have white dots on all my clothes.
Marvel.com: You have been playing Vision for a long time. When you received the scripts, it got to the point where you thought, “Ooh, Vision wouldn’t do that. The vision would not say that. “I know it’s a new sitcom world on television, but have you offered any input?
Paul Bettany: Clear. But mostly, it was about syntax and British and stuff. Because that was a hard thing to find, it was the paradigm for a Brit in a 1950s American comedy, because it is different. In the past, there was a lot of study of people like Dick Van Dyke, and etc., etc. There was also a study by John Cleese and well, many, many, many British comedians.
Marvel.com: can you suggest what’s next WandaVision?
Paul Bettany: I will not answer because I am very superstitious. The number of times I’ve talked about things that don’t happen, so I’m going to keep my mouth shut. And I’ll keep my mouth shut and my fingers crossed.
I love that. I love this journey. And it is a pleasure to go back and revisit this character and a privilege to work – you know that when you go to work, you will be working with the best technicians that the industry has to offer. And this is so exciting for someone who loves cinema and learning about cinema and seeing all the new processes, devices and tricks is just fascinating to me. I love that.
Yes, and I just can’t – it’s strange, isn’t it? I mean, I don’t know. I find that really moving. I am very excited for it to end and for people to reach the end. And then it’s out there. Do you know what I mean?
It has been a very interesting and different feeling to spread this over eight weeks.
Marvel.com: Okay, and I have one last question. It’s fun. Are you a father. Vision is a father now. Do you have any kind of wise and wise vision advice for new parents?
Paul Bettany: Oh yes, my advice to new parents is this. And in the first year, your partner is always right about absolutely everything. Just accept.
Want to know what happens next? Watch a new episode of Marvel Studios’ WandaVision this Friday, broadcast exclusively on Disney +!
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