ROTTEN TOMATOES: Gwyneth Paltrow to Play Pepper Potts in "Iron Man"

Gwyneth Paltrow to Play Pepper Potts in "Iron Man"

by Scott Weinberg | January 17, 2007

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I definitely had a handful of "Iron Man" comics when I was a kid, but I don't think I remember this Pepper Potts character. Apparently she's Tony Stark's secretary, so to call her a potential love interest would seem kind of redundant. Anyway, you guys can stop worrying if the movie version of Pepper is going to be cute: She's going to be played by Gwyneth Paltrow.

According to Variety, Ms. Paltrow joins Robert Downey Jr. and Terrence Howard in the Jon Favreau-directed Marvel Comics adaptation, and .... well, gee. That's all we got, fresh news-wise, but I have to assume this is fairly big "geek" news: Gwyneth Paltrow in a superhero movie? The indie darling and award magnet? That gal?

Paltrow in "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow"

Well, sure. Say what you like about "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow," but I say the actress jumped into the geek/technology pool with both feet, and actually added some tongue-in-cheek charm to the movie. ("Sky Captain" rocks; I say give it a second chance!)

So it looks like the "Iron Man" cast is shaping up pretty nicely. Fingers crossed on the screenplay.

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Movie:	Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
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(1-20 of 24 posts) | Reply

Darth_Ninch writes:
on Jan 17 2007 06:09 AM

[b]What's Iron Man?[/b]
?!?!?!?!?!

(Reply to this)

MaximilianIII writes:
on Jan 17 2007 06:26 AM

Gwyneth Paltrow?!?!?!

Not really jumping out of my seat, but as a secretary, could be OK

(Reply to this)

tyler8186 writes:
on Jan 17 2007 06:39 AM

ugh
really?

(Reply to this)

synergyred writes:
on Jan 17 2007 07:47 AM

She's quite an actress. I'd be interested to see what she does with this rather different role.

(Reply to this)

Merlin235 writes:
on Jan 17 2007 08:00 AM

I'm not too familiar with Potts character, but it seems Paltrow is an interesting choice. At least she can act. Still, an odd choice. Wouldn't someone younger make more sense?

(Reply to this)

mizzoucritic writes:
on Jan 17 2007 09:02 AM

She's a good actress, but why couldn't it be someone more attractive?

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Jan 17 2007 09:55 AM

In reply to this comment (#853295)
Why would they need some one younger, she's playing oppisite of Downey Jr.?

(Reply to this)

the-russian writes:
on Jan 17 2007 10:39 AM

In reply to this comment (#853296)
And someone more attractive? What the hell is wrong w/ you? That's a dumb statement on multiple levels.

(Reply to this)

arpeggio191 writes:
on Jan 17 2007 11:13 AM

In reply to this comment (#853298)
i agree. well said.

(Reply to this)

lrm8 writes:
on Jan 17 2007 11:24 AM

she's alright looking, for a superstar actress. weird choice but adds legitimacy to the already pretty sterling project.

(Reply to this)

alsanali writes:
on Jan 17 2007 12:40 PM

So much for the Rachel McAdams rumors... :(

(Reply to this)

Aftermath_1551 writes:
on Jan 17 2007 02:08 PM

"you guys can stop worrying if the movie version of Pepper is going to be cute: She's going to be played by Gwyneth Paltrow."

WTF is that supposed to mean. This is a movie site not some bitchy gossip column

(Reply to this)

Merlin235 writes:
on Jan 17 2007 02:32 PM

In reply to this comment (#853297)
Like I said, I'm not all that familiar with Potts character from the comics. But here is my reasoning behind saying I thought she'd be younger:
1. Sequels
2. Target Audience - I doubt Gweneth Paltrow is high on teenage boys "hottie list" (see Katie Holmes in Batman Begins)
3. She plays a secretary. While not a rule, generally I'd say secretaries are played by either younger women, or older women. You don't see a lot of middle aged women in those roles in film.

I think she'll do a fine job. She's a great actress. I was just suprised by that decision.

(Reply to this)

Mr.Pibb+RedVines writes:
on Jan 17 2007 03:21 PM

In reply to this comment (#853303)
I think that she is perfect for the role and she is one of the greatest actresses in all of hollywood and plus she bring a level of class to the movie

(Reply to this)

Maverick4527 writes:
on Jan 17 2007 04:05 PM

Paltrow is ok, although Rachel McAdams would have been a much better choice.

(Reply to this)

mizzoucritic writes:
on Jan 17 2007 04:36 PM

In reply to this comment (#853305)
Agreed.

(Reply to this)

wilkiedriver writes:
on Jan 17 2007 07:59 PM

Rachel McAdams would've been the better choice. I wonder if Paltrow's performance in the CGI-laden "Sky Captain" had anything to do with her being chosen for the role in "Iron Man"? McAdams would've handled any physical "stunt" (running, falling) better (look at "Red Eye") than Paltrow, but Gwyneth was pregnant through some of the filming of "Sky Captain" so I'll give her another chance.

(Reply to this)

TheAnswerMVP2001 writes:
on Jan 17 2007 09:25 PM

Well I hope this means Rachel McAdams is going to be in Dark Knight, that would be a better film for her to be in anyways. I think Iron Man is going bomb I might rent it but definitley am not going to pay big bucks to see it right away, none of those actors I like that much at all.

(Reply to this)

lrm8 writes:
on Jan 18 2007 09:32 AM

i dont much like robert downey or gwyneth paltrow (i agree with ari from entourage when he said anybody who put her head in a box is ok with me. well not that extreme, but you get the idea) and i think terrence howard, though a good actor, has gone from seriously underrated to incredibly overrated.

BUT

this movie is shaping up to be very interesting. im glad marvel went with real actors instead of plugging in, i dont know, josh hartnett and brittany murphy (sorry, just watched sin city, stuck in my head). i will definately pay to see this, and while my enthusiasm level isnt at say, Dark Knight levels, i am very interested to see how this all pans out.

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Jan 18 2007 12:58 PM

In reply to this comment (#853309)
Not sure what your saying about Sin City but that's a great movie and both Hartnett and Murphy did just fine in it. As for Hartnett he's a good actor, just last night I watched Mozart and the Whale which was really good, one of the best films of last year, and Hartnett does a very good job in it.

(Reply to this)