There’s a sizable collection of actors who have appeared in both James Gunn’s Marvel and DC movies and shows, and the list will continue to grow with upcoming films such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. With Gunn having crossed over from the MCU to the DCU and back again in recent years, he’s also brought a handful of actors along for the ride. As such, it’s always a lot of fun to spot those who’re part of Gunn’s consistent circle, regardless of whether the actors’ roles are large or small.
Many of these actors have been friends of the accomplished director/producer for years, having starred in previous movies beyond Gunn’s Marvel and DC work. Likewise, some actors came to impress Gunn so much that they were brought on for subsequent projects. While certain actors are family and have become dedicated parts of Gunn’s work, one casting came entirely by accident. There are currently 12 actors and actresses who’ve starred in both Marvel and DC projects by James Gunn.
12 Michael Rooker
Having been in several of Gunn’s feature films since 2006, Michael Rooker is one of the most well-known actors who has frequently collaborated with the Marvel and DC director. In the MCU, Rooker played the Ravager captain Yondu Udonta, the pirate who raised Peter Quill’s Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. He also played the mercenary Savant in The Suicide Squad, having been captured by Task Force X and subsequently murdered by Amanda Waller after he tried to escape the trap laid for the diversion team on Corto Maltese.
11 Sean Gunn
Brother to James Gunn, Sean Gunn holds the rare honor of playing multiple characters in the MCU as well as in the DCEU. In the Guardians of the Galaxy films, Sean has a live-speaking role as Kraglin, one of the few Ravagers who survived the mutiny against Yondu and remained loyal, eventually inheriting his whistling arrow and joining the Guardians. He’s also done the motion capture for every appearance of Rocket Raccoon in the MCU. In The Suicide Squad, Sean similarly plays the incarcerated Calendar Man while also doing the mo-cap for the ever-disturbing Weasel.
10 Sylvester Stallone
A former Ravager ally to Rooker’s Yondu, Sylvester Stallone played Stakar Ogord as an MCU cameo seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. In DC’s The Suicide Squad, the iconic actor best known for playing Rocky Balboa was hilariously the voice for Nanaue, otherwise known as the dim-witted King Shark. As lovable as he is bloodthirsty, this iteration of King Shark is one of James Gunn’s greatest contributions to the DC Universe thus far, and the character was elevated so much more thanks to Stallone providing his voice.
9 Pom Klementieff
Although she’s best known for playing Mantis in the MCU’s Guardians films, Pom Klementieff also had a secret cameo in The Suicide Squad at the request of Gunn. During the bar scene where the squad is waiting for the Thinker to arrive, Klementieff can be seen in the background as one of the dancers on stage. Likewise, Dave Bautista (who plays Marvel’s Drax alongside Mantis) was originally meant to have a cameo as well, though plans reportedly fell through due to scheduling.
8 Steve Agee
Steve Agee was another one of the Ravagers in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Having worked on movies such as Brightburn and Super, Agee is another actor who is a part of Gunn’s circle of actor friends. Agee also played DC’s John Economos in both The Suicide Squad and the spin-off series Peacemaker starring John Cena. Likewise, Agee provided the mo-cap for King Shark while Stallone did Nanaue’s voice.
7 Flula Borg
Having played Javelin in DC’s The Suicide Squad, Flula Borg had a minor role as part of the diversion team, which was quickly slaughtered in the movie’s first act. However, he did give his javelin to Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, who used it to great effect against the movie’s ultimate villain, Starro. In the MCU, Flula Borg can be briefly seen in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, playing the role of a bartender who interacts with Mantis and Drax, who’ve come to Earth.
6 Nathan Fillion
Another actor who’s great friends with Gunn, Nathan Fillion can be seen in a handful of previous movies such as Slither and Super. In the MCU, Fillion voiced the large blue alien prisoner who threatened Quill in the Kyln before Rocket and Groot stepped in. However, Fillion had a brief live-action role in The Suicide Squad as The Detachable Kid, wielding his own floating arms he could ridiculously control autonomously.
5 Mikaela Hoover
Having two of the shortest roles in both the MCU and DC Universes, Mikaela Hoover is another of Gunn’s friends with roles in his previous works such as Super and The Belko Experiment. Gunn is also the godfather to Hoover’s daughter. In the MCU, Hoover can be seen in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film as one of Nova Prime’s assistants on Xandar. In The Suicide Squad, Hoover similarly plays an aide to the President of Corto Maltese.
4 Elizabeth Ludlow
Elizabeth Ludlow had a brief role as “Easik Mother” in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. She then had a bigger role in DC’s Peacemaker as Keeya, wife of Leota Adebayo (daughter of Amanda Waller). However, James Gunn humorously had no idea he’d already cast and worked with Ludlow with Marvel due to the extensive make-up she was wearing as the alien mother.
3 Stephen Blackehart
Although Sean Gunn may have four different roles in the Marvel and DC Universes, Stephen Blackehart holds the record for having been cast the most by James Gunn, even more than Rooker, Fillion, or Sean himself. Overall, Blackehart has been cast as an actor in 10 different Gun projects, and the pair have collaborated on more than that as well.
In the Guardians movies and Guardians of the GalaxyHoliday Special, Blackehart played a dispatcher on Knowhere, a Ravager name Brahl, and a Knowhere citizen celebrating Christmas with the Guardians named Steemie. This ties him with Joe Russo for the most roles in the MCU, who also played three different characters in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Civil War, and Avengers: Endgame, respectively. In the DC Universe, Blackehart played a helicopter pilot in The Suicide Squad and did the mo-cap for Charlie the Gorilla in Peacemaker.
2 Daniela Melchior
Although Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has yet to release, the Super Bowl 2023 trailer confirmed that Daniela Melchior will have a role in the upcoming film. In The Suicide Squad, Melchior played Ratcatcher-2 as one of the few members of Task Force X to actually survive the movie. Although it’s not fully known what her role will be in the MCU, it does look as though she’s a guard or attendant in a facility where Guardians have seemingly become incarcerated, hence their matching jumpsuits.
1 Chukwudi Iwuji
Chukwudi Iwuji played Peacemaker’s Clemson Murn and will soon play the High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Seeking to create a perfect society through genetic experimentation, the High Evolutionary is a major Marvel villain. According to James Gunn, he was very impressed with Iwuji on the set of Peacemaker: “After working with him on Peacemaker I wasn’t about to let go of one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with — so I gave him the role most every big name actor in Hollywood wanted”. As such, it will be very exciting to see Iwuiji in the MCU with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
