20 Years Later, Seinfeld Fans Realize a Marvel Star Was Hiding in Plain Sight

Seinfeld is not only regarded as one of the most defining TV shows of the 1990s but is generally regarded as one of the greatest TV shows of all time, period. Since its debut in 1989, it quickly developed a reputation for its unique sense of humor which often focused on trivial everyday interactions that the ensemble cast would make far too much of, to the point that it became known as “a show about nothing.” The hilarious plotlines, the endlessly quotable dialogue, and the quirky cast of quirky supporting characters kept the show in the audience’s minds well after the final season. And speaking of quirky supporting characters, do you know which MCU star made their first television appearance on Seinfeld?

Believe it or not, it is Jon Favreau, who played Tony Stark’s loyal friend and bodyguard Happy Hogan, and also directed the first two Iron Man films. Many fans on Reddit are freaking out about this fun little fact, laughing at the fact that the man who helped kick off the massively successful Marvel Cinematic Universe got his start as a minor character on a ’90s sitcom.

He was seen in the Season 5 episode, “The Fire,” wherein he played Eric the Clown at a kid’s birthday party. George Costanza (Jason Alexander) is in attendance and strikes up a conversation with Eric, only to get bothered with him for not having heard of Bozo the Clown. Eric is obviously confused as to why George would be so hung up on a clown who was most famous decades earlier. However, George really ends up playing the fool when a small fire breaks out and he shoves women, children, and Eric out of the way to get out of the apartment first.

[RELATED: Deadpool & Wolverine: Ryan Reynolds Thanks Jon Favreau for Bringing Happy Back]

While most celebrities may shy away from their earlier, less impactful work, Favreau doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. In fact, when actor Frank Avruch – one of the many to have portrayed Bozo the Clown – passed away in 2018, Favreau tweeted a Seinfeld clip of himself as Eric as a tribute to the late performer.

Considering how many actors have graced Seinfeld and who’ve appeared in the ever-expanding MCU, there’s bound to be some overlap between the two series. As expected, Favreau isn’t the only Seinfeld actor to later join the cinematic juggernaut.

One of the most prominent crossover examples is Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine Benes), who is now playing Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and has appeared in in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and will reprise the character in Thunderbolts*. Ultron actor James Spader played George’s old friend Jason Hanky who has severe anger issues. And then there’s Patton Oswalt, who voiced Pip the Troll at the end of Eternals; like Favreau, Oswalt made his television debut with Seinfeld, playing a video rental clerk.

If the MCU keeps growing at this rate, it’s only a matter of time before the entire cast of Seinfeld appears in it.

Seinfeld is available to watch on Netflix.