Many actors who have appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have also taken on roles in Charlie Brooker’s popular dystopian anthology series, Black Mirror. British anthology series Black Mirror first hit our screens in 2011, with its The Twilight Zone inspiration meaning each new episode explores a wild new story, mostly set in near-future dystopias containing advanced science-fiction technology that often leads to dark outcomes. Black Mirror has been celebrated as one of the best shows on TV, and its acclaim has drawn the attention of some high-profile stars.
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Since each episode of Black Mirror explores a different storyline and setting, actors and characters typically only appear in one episode, with only a handful returning in more. The short-form format of these stories has allowed some major stars to take a break from busy schedules to appear in Black Mirror, and this includes many who have also taken on roles in the MCU. As of the end of Black Mirror season 7 – which included the series’ first honest-to-goodness sequel – 31 MCU actors have appeared in the iconic and twisted anthology series.
31) Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi and Bingham “Bing” Madsen
While none of the cast of Black Mirror’s first episode have appeared in the MCU (yet), the show’s sophomore story, “Fifteen Million Merits,” followed Daniel Kaluuya’s Bing on his mission to earn enough to get onto a game show where he could stage a powerful protest against the system. Seven years after his appearance in Black Mirror, Kaluuya joined the MCU as W’Kabi of the Border Tribe in 2018’s Black Panther. W’Kabi sided with Killmonger during his reign in Wakanda, which ultimately led to his incarceration.
30) Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr’s Ghost, Selma Telse, and Sonja
Hannah John-Kamen has recently returned to the MCU as a member of the New Avengers, reprising her role of Ava Starr’s Ghost from 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp. John-Kamen had a brief role as Selma Telse, an apparent success story from the Hot Shot game show, in “Fifteen Million Merits,” but had a more central role in Black Mirror season 3’s “Playtest.” Here, she played Sonya, a Londoner who dates Cooper (another MCU veteran, Wyatt Russell), and points him in the direction of an experimental game playtest at SaitoGemu.
29) Hayley Atwell as Margaret “Peggy” Carter and Martha
Hayley Atwell’s episode of Black Mirror, 2013’s “Be Right Back,” is one of the series’ most emotional and heart-breaking stories. Shortly after debuting as the MCU’s Peggy Carter in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, a role that she played until the Multiverse Saga’s What If…? series and 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Atwell played widow Martha in Black Mirror. Martha uses artificial intelligence to try and bring back her deceased partner, Ash (Domhnall Gleeson), but realizes this can’t compete with the real thing, leading to a tragic and bitter ending.
28) Alice Eve as Mary Walker and Naomi Blestow
The Defenders Saga, which originally premiered on Netflix between 2015 and 2019, was confirmed to be canon to the MCU in early 2024, which brought Alice Eve’s Mary Walker into the MCU’s official timeline. Eve had a key role as the dissociative identity disorder-afflicted mercenary in Iron Fist season 2, two years after she appeared as Naomi Blestow in Black Mirror season 3’s premiere, “Nosedive,” the first episode released on Netflix. Naomi lived in a social media approval-obsessed society, which drove a wedge between her and maid of honor Lacie Pound (Bryce Dallas Howard).
27) Michaela Coel as Aneka’s Midnight Angel, Airline Stewardess, and Shania Lowry
Acclaimed British actor, comedian, writer, and director Michaela Coel is a relatively new addition to the MCU. She first appeared as Wakandan Aneka in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where the rogue Dora Milaje member became a Midnight Angel alongside Okoye (Danai Gurira). There are hopes Coel will reprise her MCU role, unlike her Black Mirror role of Shania Lowry in season 4’s “USS Callister.” Coel didn’t reprise the role in season 7’s “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” Black Mirror’s first sequel, which revealed that Shania had been killed off-screen.
26) Wyatt Russell as John Walker’s US Agent and Cooper
Hannah John-Kamen’s “Playtest” co-star, Wyatt Russell, was gifted a huge role in the MCU’s Phase 4 as the successor to Steve Rogers’ Captain America (Chris Evans). The Falcon and the Winter Soldier introduced Russell’s John Walker to the MCU, while Thunderbolts* saw him return as US Agent, eventually becoming a member of the New Avengers. In Black Mirror, however, Russell’s backpacker Cooper had a much more tragic storyline, with his life coming to an abrupt end during a failed playtest at SaitoGemu.
25) Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, Katie, and TV Joan’s Lawyer
Before becoming Hunter B-15 and one of the new leaders of the Time Variance Authority in the MCU’s Loki series, Wunmi Mosaku also appeared alongside Wyatt Russell in Black Mirror’s “Playtest” as an employee of SaitoGemu who runs Cooper’s playtest. Mosaku returned to Black Mirror in season 6’s “Joan is Awful,” where she played the TV version of Joan’s lawyer in the titular Streamberry series. Mosaku reprised her MCU role in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, and is expected to return in Phase 6 as the TVA continues to have a crucial role in the Multiverse Saga.
24) Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer and Kelly
Five years before making her MCU debut as Ravonna Renslayer in 2021’s Loki series, Gugu Mbatha-Raw appeared in one of Black Mirror’s most popular and celebrated episodes, season 3’s “San Junipero.” As Kelly, Mbatha-Raw explored the digital afterlife of San Junipero alongside Mackenzie Davis’ Yorkie, falling in love and eventually marrying in the beautiful, 1980s-themed story. Mbatha-Raw was much more terrifying as Renslayer, a judge of the Time Variance Authority in the MCU who helped He Who Remains establish the Sacred Timeline. Her future in the MCU is uncertain after Loki season 2.
23) Benedict Wong as Wong and Shaun Li
Benedict Wong has a central role in the MCU as the Sorcerer Supreme and a staunch ally to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). It’s unclear when he’ll be returning to the MCU – perhaps in Avengers: Doomsday or the as-yet-unannounced Doctor Strange 3. In Black Mirror season 3’s finale, “Hated in the Nation,” Benedict Wong appeared as NCA agent Shaun Li, who helps to investigate the use of bee drones to carry out assassinations during the #DeathTo campaign, and he is the one who deactivates the system, causing the drones to target all those who used the hashtag.
22) Claire Rushbrook as Janice and Police Detective
English actor Claire Rushbrook has had a minor role both in the MCU and in Black Mirror. In the former, she appeared as Janice, a member of Quentin Beck’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) Mysterio crew, in 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home. Janice created Mysterio’s suit and was the first to learn of EDITH, so Beck’s plan wouldn’t have been possible without her. In Black Mirror season 4, episode 3, “Crocodile,” Rushbrook appears briefly as a police detective who uses the Recaller on a guinea pig to see Mia (Andrea Riseborough) murdering the pet’s entire family in an attempt to cover her tracks.
21) Asim Chaudhry as Teefs and Mohan Thakur
First introduced in the interactive Black Mirror episode, “Bandersnatch,” Asim Chaudhry debuted as video game company Tuckersoft manager Mohan Thakur. Thakur employs legendary game developer Colin Ritman (Will Poulter), who invented the Bandersnatch game. Chaudhry returned as Thakur in season 7’s “Plaything,” introducing the young Cameron Walker to Ritman and the Thronglets. Chaudhry had an incredibly emotional role in the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Teefs, one of Rocket’s friends and an experiment of the High Evolutionary. Teefs unfortunately loses his life during Rocket’s escape from the High Evolutionary’s laboratory.
20) Will Poulter as Adam Warlock and Colin Ritman
Chaudhry wasn’t the only actor from Black Mirror’s “Bandersnatch” to appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Will Poulter starred as game creator Colin Ritman in “Bandersnatch” and returned in “Plaything,” both before and after debuting as the incredibly powerful Adam Warlock in the MCU’s Phase 5. Adam became an official member of the Guardians of the Galaxy at the end of Vol. 3, so there are hopes he’ll return and become even stronger in the MCU’s future. Ritman could also become a recurring Black Mirror character after his return and creation of the Thronglets, who took over humanity.
19) Letitia Wright as Shuri and Nish
2018’s Black Panther introduced Letitia Wright as the Princess of Wakanda, Shuri, who ultimately became the new Black Panther after her brother’s demise in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She’s set to continue to have a key role in the MCU when she returns in Avengers: Doomsday, but will also always be remembered by Black Mirror fans as the star of one of the series’ most interesting episodes. Season 4’s “Black Museum” saw Wright portray Nish, the daughter of Clayton Leigh, the holographic main attraction in Rolo Haynes’ (Douglas Hodge) twisted museum of Black Mirror artifacts – packed with easter eggs.
18) Amanda Warren as Dr. Gallo and Angelica
While it was Letitia Wright’s Nish who took center-stage in “Black Museum,” we also caught a glimpse of her mother, Angelica, whose consciousness exists as a cookie in her mind. Angelica was played briefly by Amanda Warren, who also had a very brief role as Dr. Gallo in Jessica Jones season 1’s finale, “AKA Smile.” Gallo was one of several physicians at Metro-General Hospital who tried to operate on Luke Cage (Mike Colter), but couldn’t break his skin, leading to Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) taking over his care.
17) Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson’s Captain America and Danny Parker
Since making his MCU debut in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie has become central to the franchise as the new version of Captain America, Sam Wilson. He headlined his first solo feature film in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World, and is set to lead a new team of Avengers in Doomsday – far different from his Black Mirror role. Season 5’s “Striking Vipers” starred Mackie as Danny Parker, who reconnects with an old friend via a virtual reality video game in which they have virtual sex with each other, leading to a strain on his marriage.
16) Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams’ Wonder Man and Karl
The other half of “Striking Vipers’” virtual reality game-playing duo was Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Karl Houghton. It’s Karl who takes on the female form of Roxette – played by yet another MCU veteran – in the Striking Vipers game, and who incites a sexual relationship with his friend, Danny, in the virtual reality space. Abdul-Mateen II hasn’t yet made his MCU debut, but he’s set to appear as superpowered actor and hero Simon Williams in the self-titled Wonder Man series, which will be hitting Disney+ in December 2025.
15) Pom Klementieff as Mantis and Roxette
Roxette in the eponymous game in Black Mirror’s “Striking Vipers” is portrayed by Pom Klementieff, who became a crucial member of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise in the MCU. Roxette was the character assumed by Karl in “Striking Vipers,” who started a sexual relationship with Danny via his character, Lance (Ludi Lin). Mantis in the MCU is a vastly different character, an empathic alien and the half-sister to Peter Quill’s Star-Lord (Chris Pratt). She departed the team in 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to forge her own path, but her future in the MCU is still unclear.
14) Daniel Ings as Ty-Rone and David Gilkes
You might have missed Daniel Ings’ appearance in 2023’s The Marvels, where he showed up alongside Zawe Ashton’s Dar-Benn as the Kree Ty-Rone, helping her on her hunt for the Quantum Bands. Ings had a similarly brief role in Black Mirror season 5’s “Smithereens,” where he appeared as hostage negotiator David Gilkes, who tries to get Chris (Andrew Scott) to release hostage Jaden (Damson Idris), to no avail. Ings is better known for appearing in projects such as Lovesick, Sex Education, Instinct, and The Gentlemen, among others.
13) Ruibo Qian as Mei, Detective Angie Kim, and Penelope Wu
Following her appearance in 2025’s Daredevil: Born Again, Ruibo Qian became one of the plethora of MCU actors who have portrayed more than one character. She previously appeared as Mei, Hope Shlottman’s former roommate in Jessica Jones, before having the more substantial role of Detective Angie Kim in Born Again. She’s expected to return in Daredevil: Born Again season 2 in 2026, giving her a bigger role that that in Black Mirror’s “Smithereens,” where she appeared as Smithereen COO Penelope Wu, who gets in touch with Chris and facilitates Chris’ conversation with enigmatic CEO Billy Bauer.
12) Miley Cyrus as Mainframe and Ashley O
Miley Cyrus’ role in the MCU is barely worth mentioning. She appeared very briefly as the voice of Mainframe in one of the post-credits scenes of 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, only for her to be recast with Tara Strong – the voice of Loki’s Miss Minutes – in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Cyrus has a much bigger role in Black Mirror as pop star Ashley Ortiz and as the voice of the aritifically-intelligent Ashley Too. Ashley Too is revealed as a copy of Ashley O’s consciousness, which unravels a dark storyline with Cyrus delivering a brilliant performance.
11) Angourie Rice as Betty Brant and Rachel Goggins
Black Mirror season 5’s “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too” not only starred Cyrus as the eponymous Ashley O, but also Angourie Rise as the similarly-eponymous Rachel Goggins. Ashley O fan Rachel is gifted the Ashley Too doll, which kick-starts the episode’s dramatic story, while Rice’s Betty Brant has also found herself in the midst of some of the MCU’s most intense storylines as a student at Spider-Man’s school. We don’t know whether Rice will be returning as Betty Brant in the MCU’s future, since she forget Peter Parker along with everyone else in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
10) Salma Hayek as Ajak, TV Joan, and Herself
Black Mirror season 6’s premiere, “Joan is Awful,” explored a surprising and subversive story that saw Salma Hayek not only portray a fictionalized version of herself, but also star as the AI-created Joan Tait in the Streamberry TV series, Joan is Awful. Hayek delivered a memorable performance in Black Mirror, just as she did in 2021’s Eternals as the leader of the titular team, Ajak. She was initially the Prime Eternal who had contact with the Celestial Arishem and healing abilities, but she was killed by Ikaris (Richard Madden) and Deviants so that the Emergence would still take place.
9) Rob Delaney as Peter Wisdom and Mac
“Joan is Awful” was packed full of MCU veterans, as Rob Delaney also had a key role. Delaney appeared as Mac, the man trying to win back ex-girlfriend Joan (Annie Murphy), but he is perhaps better known for his role in the MCU. He first appeared in 2018’s Deadpool 2 as Peter Wisdom, the human member of Deadpool’s X-Force team, and he reprised this role in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine after being saved in Deadpool 2’s post-credits sequence. Peter formed a romantic bond with Time Variance Authority higher-up B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku), which could lead to his return in the MCU’s future.
8) Ben Barnes as Billy Russo’s Jigsaw and TV Mac
While Rob Delaney portrayed the version of Mac from the reality where Joan was played by Annie Murphy, in the layer below, where Joan was played by Salma Hayek, Mac was played by Ben Barnes. He appeared only very briefly during “Joan is Awful’s” restaurant scene, but Barnes had a much more substantial role in The Punisher as Billy Russo, Jigsaw. Russo was the former best friend to Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), but it’s revealed that he betrayed Castle and knew of the plot to kill the latter’s family, leading to their battle, Russo’s disfigurement, and his eventual death.
7) Leila Farzad as Talia and Mona Javadi
Best known for her role in I Hate Suzie, Leila Farzad also appeared in Black Mirror’s “Joan is Awful,” as the CEO of Streamberry and the mind behind the Is Awful brand, Mona Javadi. By the nature of her character, she comes into opposition by Joan and Salma Hayek, while her role in the MCU was more heroic. She debuted in 2023’s The Marvels as Talia, an employee of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) aboard the SABER Space Station, where she investigates the appearance of Flerkin eggs and helps the Marvels and the Khan family.
6) Kate Mara as US Marshal and Lana
You’d be forgiven for having forgotten Kate Mara ever appeared in the MCU, as she only had a seconds-long role as a US Marshal in 2010’s Iron Man 2. She flirts with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and shows him her badge before he swiftly drives away. Mara had a larger role as Sue Storm in 2015’s reviled Fantastic Four reboot, but her role in Black Mirror season 6’s “Beyond the Sea” received wide praise. Mara appeared as Lana, the wife of Cliff Stanfield (Aaron Paul) who becomes embroiled in the trauma of his crewmate, David Ross (Josh Hartnett).
5) Danny Ramirez as Joaquín Torres’ Falcon and Hector
With Sam Wilson’s promotion to Captain America, the MCU was in need of a new Falcon, and Danny Ramirez’s Joaquín Torres was a fantastic candidate. He suited up as the Falcon in Captain America: Brave New World, and will return in Doomsday and beyond. This heroic role was far different from Ramirez’s appearance in Black Mirror season 6’s “Mazey Day,” where he portrayed paparazza Hector alongside Bo (Zazie Beetz). On their quest to find the missing Mazey Day (Clara Rugaard), Hector and Bo find themselves in danger when she transforms into a werewolf, and Hector is ultimately killed.
4) Anjana Vasan as Reporter, Tranquility Space Cop Fan, Nida Huq, and Unnamed Player
Few characters have played as many Black Mirror characters than Anjana Vasan, who has played three different characters – a fan of the in-universe Sea of Tranquility series in “Nosedive,” an unnamed player of the Infinity game in “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” and, most notably, Nida Huq. Huq was the star of season 6’s “Demon 79,” which saw her fall under the curse of the demon Gaap (Paapa Essiedu), who urges Huq to commit three murders to save the world. Vasan had a minuscule role as a reporter in Spider-Man: Far From Home, which was of no consequence whatsoever.
3) Chris O’Dowd as Richard and Mike
Black Mirror season 7 opened with the truly tragic “Common People,” which starred Irish actor Chris O’Dowd as Mike, the husband to Rashida Jones’ Amanda. Mike signs Amanda up to Rivermind to save her life from an inoperable brain tumor, but this starts their descent into an ad-ridden, sleep-heavy life of financial problems and trash streaming. O’Dowd’s appearance in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World was small in comparison, and a lot less harrowing, as he debuted as Richard, a regular human who goes on a date with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) before she reunites with Chris Hemsworth’s Thor.
2) Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova and Dorothy Chambers
The past and future collided in Black Mirror season 7’s “Hotel Reverie,” which starred Emma Corrin as golden age actress Dorothy Chambers, who had the leading romantic role of Clara in the titular movie. Dorothy falls in love with the ReDream recast Alex Palmer (Issa Rae) in “Hotel Reverie,” and delivers a truly heart-wrenching performance, but it’s hard to imagine Corrin’s MCU character pulling off such an emotional storyline. Deadpool & Wolverine debuted Corrin as Cassandra Nova, the powerful sister of Professor X who tries to unravel the multiverse with the TVA’s Time Ripper, but is ultimately defeated.
1) Awkwafina as Katy and Kimmy
While Issa Rae and Emma Corrin lead “Hotel Reverie’s” cast inside the virtual reality of the titular movie, Awkwafina’s Kimmy acts as the representative of the entertainment technology company ReDream. It’s Kimmy who facilitates Brandy Friday’s (Rae) role in the rebooted “Hotel Reverie,” and later helps Brandy to communicate with Clara’s simulated consciousness at the end of the episode. Awkwafina’s MCU future after 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings hasn’t been confirmed, but she proved herself to be an incredibly gifted archer as Katy, Shang-Chi’s closest friend, so it would be fantastic to see her return.
Who are your favorite actors who have appeared in both the MCU and in Black Mirror? Let us know in the comments!
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Image courtesy of Lucasfilm.
