Singer and Broadway icon Michaela Jaé Rodriguez truly has it all — she’s talented, poised, and has shown a wide range of skills in shows like Rent, The Carrie Diaries and Pose. For the latter, Rodriguez has received widespread critical acclaim for her masterful portrayal of Blanca Evangelista, most recently making history at the 79th Annual Golden Globe Awards as the first transgender actor to win an award. She’s been a pioneer in the industry for the often systemically overlooked Afro-Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities. Naturally, the world needs more of her onscreen, and there’s one place she would make waves: the MCU.
Believe it or not, Rodriguez has already appeared as the first transgender actress and character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: she played Sister Boy in an episode of Netflix's Luke Cage. It was, of course, a small part that came her way before she shot to stardom in Pose. Having already brought her incredible talent into everyone’s favorite comic book universe once, we’d love to see her take on a more prominent role as a superhero. In fact, Rodriguez is an avid comic book fan, and is even in the midst of writing her own. Here are six heroes Michaela Jaé Rodriguez should play in the MCU.
6 Wildstreak
Tamika Bowden is a fantastic example of determination and power. An aspiring Olympic medalist, she was injured in an accident that left her wheelchair-bound. Her father (an MIT engineer) crafted an exoskeleton to get her back on her feet, and she quickly realized that it gave her superhuman strength and speed. Thus, she decided to become a vigilante hero and change the world as Wildstreak.
Wildstreak has a rich, diverse portfolio of heroic adventures, but her most recent escapades make her perfect to introduce in the current MCU climate. One recent comic saw Tamika being tracked down by Spider-Man and Iron Man after refusing to comply with the Civil War/Superhuman Registration Act, but she soon broke out of custody. We'd love to see the Michaela Jaé Rodriguez put her own twist on Wildstreak's undefeatable attitude, and it would be a treat to see her working alongside Tom Holland's Spider-Man onscreen, especially since the actor himself has expressed desire for a more diverse Spidey universe.
5 Storm
You know her, you love her, and it's time for her to officially debut in the MCU! Storm is one of the most powerful mutants in history, and we know Rodriguez could bring her to life with elegance and grace. Orphaned as a young girl in Egypt, Ororo Monroe got by as a thief. As she grew, she traveled across the world and even spent time in Wakanda, where she fell in love with T'Challa. She gained the ability to control the weather under the guidance of the High Evolutionary, but disbanded to join the Avengers after realizing the magnitude of his evil plans.
What makes Storm so formidable is her passion. She isn't willing to stand by and watch the world burn, and she dedicates 110% of herself to everything she does. Imposing, confident and incredibly wise, the world deserves to see Michaela Jaé Rodriguez stand with the Avengers and X-Men that we know and love, especially since the latest trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness recently introduced someone who appears to be Professor X in the MCU, surely signalling more mutants to come.
4 Pathway
This radiant heroine has a sad origin story, but she's a beacon of representation for the Black and autistic communities alike. After realizing one of her unborn twins was an inhuman mutant, Laura Dean's mother underwent a radioactive medical procedure to kill her and spare her human child's life. Sensing danger to her twin, Laura's sister intercepted the radiation to protect her, sacrificing herself in the process. As a result, Laura was born as an only child and developed autism.
Pathway would discover that she activated her mutant abilities and teleported her unborn sister to another dimension, and the girls would reunite later in life as superheroes, working as part of Beta Flight and assisting Alpha Flight in their missions. Pathway is a brilliant mutant with incredible powers and an unbreakable bond with her sister Goblyn, and we know Rodriguez would dominate the silver screen as this unique character.
3 Silhouette
A child capable of harnessing energy from the Well of All Things, Silhouette Chord left her home in Cambodia and traveled to New York City. There, she and her brother Midnight's Fire met Night Thrasher — the trio dedicated their lives to taking out dangerous street gangs in the city, though things changed when a bad sting operation left her partially paralyzed. The accident was hardly a setback for Silhouette; she incorporated crutches into her super suit and eventually joined Captain America's team of Secret Avengers. Skilled in combat, gymnastics and Darkforce energy, this incredible heroine needs an equally incredible actress to come alive. That's where Michaela Jaé Rodriguez comes in!
2 Debrii
Sharp-tongued and abrasive, Deborah Fields was introduced to Night Thrasher's team to add some edge to the lineup. After facing discrimination and hate crimes for being superhuman, Debrii built up a hard exterior and decided she would face the negativity as an equal and opposite reaction. She's been on several superhero teams, and her powers of telekinesis allow her to use literally anything around her as a deadly weapon.
Debrii is unapologetic and knows exactly who she is, a trait she shares with the gorgeous and confident Michaela Jaé Rodriguez. There's potential for the Broadway star to take Debrii's harsh personality in any number of directions, but we're certain she would be fierce no matter how she approached the role.
1 Bling!
The daughter of two incredibly famous hip hop artists, Roxanne Washington chose to forgo the music industry and enroll in the Xavier Institute as a student. Under the guidance of Gambit, she focused heavily on improving herself as a person. Her diamond form is highly durable and allows her to expel crystaline ballistics as a weapon; she's also inhumanly strong and positively mesmerizing to look at.
The world needs more LGBTQ+ representation, and Bling! is the perfect candidate. As a woman of color and a lesbian, she would make waves in the MCU and give others like her a chance to see themselves as a superhero. Being one of the most skilled Black transgender actresses in Hollywood, Rodriguez is undeniably the woman for the job.