Somehow, it’s been 10 years since Earth’s mightiest heroes teamed up in the MCU for the very first time, as The were officially assembled in 2012 to go up against (Tom Hiddleton).
Unbeknownst to the team at the time – which was made up of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr), Captain America (), Black Widow (), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) – it was really Thanos pulling the strings all along.
In the decade since, Marvel fans have seen full-blown battles waged against the Mad Titan in the films Infinity War and Endgame, breaches to the multiverse spark mayhem and fantastical creatures such as dragons become canon.
However, the ever-astonishing world of the MCU wouldn’t be what it is today if the original five-member group hadn’t been put together by Director Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) in the first place to defend the planet against its greatest threat yet.
On the 10th anniversary of The Avengers, let’s take a look back at the stars of the classic movie and where they are today.
Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man
Robert’s first spin as Tony Stark in his eponymous 2008 Iron Man film set the trajectory for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, becoming the surprise hit that sparked the resurgence of the immensely talented actor’s career.
Four years later, he was put to the test when tasked with becoming a team player, as he met Captain America, Thor, Hulk and Hawkeye for the first time (having previously become acquainted with Black Widow in Iron Man 2).
When Robert’s journey as Tony came to an end in Avengers: Endgame in 2019, fans across the globe called for him to win an Oscar for his performance.
Since the first Avengers movie, he has since appeared in films including the hard-hitting The Judge, the title character of Dolittle and is set to star in the star-studded Oppenheimer about the ‘father of the atomic bomb’.
He was an executive producer on Sweet Tooth, the Netflix series about a young boy who is a half-deer, half-human hybrid.
Robert’s two children with his wife, Susan Downey, were born in 2012 and 2014, a son named Exton Elias and a daughter named Avri Roel respectively. He also has an older son, Indio Falconer Downey, who was born in 1993 with his ex-wife, Deborah Falconer.
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America
Before he took on the responsibility of carrying Cap’s shield, Chris played a different Marvel superhero – Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, in the 2005 film Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel, Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Despite previously portraying the hot-headed and wise-cracking Human Torch, Chris was the perfect fit for the honourable Captain America, making his first appearance as the character in the 2011 film The First Avenger.
A year later, the man frozen in ice for 70 years was enlisted to join the Avengers, going up against extraterrestrial forces, proving himself as a Captain in the 21st century and teasing the tension with Iron Man that would later result in the 2016 film Civil War.
In addition to all the MCU releases that followed Avengers, Chris made his mark in Bong Joon-ho’s critically acclaimed 2013 film Snowpiercer, the 2017 drama Gifted and revelled in depicting the conniving Ransom in Rian Johnson’s spectacular film Knives Out.
He received high praise for his performance in the Apple TV Plus mini-series Defending Jacob alongside Michelle Dockery, and made his Broadway debut in the 2018 revival of Kenneth Lonergan’s play Lobby Hero.
One of his biggest upcoming roles is as Buzz Lightyear in the Pixar film about the popular Toy Story character, while he is also set to play the legendary performer Gene Kelly.
Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
Scarlett’s portrayal of Black Widow quickly made her a fan-favourite among Marvel aficionados, leading to her finally having her own solo film in 2021.
Before breaking into the MCU, the actor already had an illustrious career spanning all the way to her childhood, having appeared in films including Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Prestige and The Other Boleyn Girl.
Since the Avengers, some of her most highly-respected performances have included her voice acting in Her and her Oscar nominations for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit.
In 2018, she dropped out of a film that would have seen her play a real-life transgender man named Dante ‘Tex’ Gill following backlash.
Her performance as a cyborg in the 2017 film Ghost in the Shell also sparked controversy, as many believed a Japanese woman should have been cast as the lead in the adaptation of the Japanese manga.
In October 2020, Scarlett married Saturday Night Live comedian Colin Jost, with the couple welcoming their son in August 2021. The actor also has a daughter, born in 2014, with her ex-husband Romain Dauriac.
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Just a year after the world was introduced to the Asgardian, Thor returned in The Avengers, reuniting with his brother Loki, who he previously believed to be dead.
That same year, he appeared in the Disney blockbuster Snow White and the Huntsman, followed by performances in films including biographical racing film Rush, thriller Blackhat and the 2016 reboot of Ghostbusters, fronted by an all-female ghost-fighting team.
In 2019, he and his Thor: Ragnarok co-star Tessa Thompson teamed up for the new iteration of Men In Black, while a year later, he achieved huge success with his action-packed Netflix film Extraction, the sequel for which is currently in development.
Having married Spanish model and actor Elsa Pataky in 2010, in 2012 the couple welcomed their daughter, before their twin sons were born in 2014.
Chris is set to appear in the prequel film Furiosa, a spin-off of Mad Max: Fury Road, with Anya Taylor-Joy playing the younger version of Charlize Theron’s character.
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk
By the time Mark made his debut as Bruce Banner in 2012, he already had plenty of big titles under his belt, from 13 Going On 30 to Shutter Island, The Kids Are Alright and Zodiac.
He’s since continued his streak of widely-revered releases, playing a police officer in Now You See Me, receiving an Oscar nomination for his performance in Foxcatcher and reuniting with his 13 Going On 30 co-star in the recently-released Netflix film The Adam Project.
Mark has earned several esteemed award nominations throughout his career, including three Academy Award nods, five Golden Globe nominations (and one win) and an Emmy win for lead actor in I Know This Much Is True.
He is frequently outspoken about political issues, supporting Bernie Sanders in the 2016 US presidential election, expressing his support for the pro-choice movement and encouraging members of the US public to vote.
Mark and his wife Sunrise Coigney, who he married in 2000, have three children together: a son named Keen, born in 2001, and daughters Bella Noche and Odette, born in 2005 and 2007 respectively.
Having made a cameo as Bruce in Shang-Chi, Mark is set to return in the upcoming She-Hulk Disney Plus series.
Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye
Before his first outing as Hawkeye in the MCU, Jeremy had already been nominated for two Oscars – first for the 2008 film The Hurt Locker in 2008 and then for the 2010 release The Town.
In the same year that he officially became an Avenger, he also joined another franchise, appearing in the fourth film in the Bourne franchise, The Bourne Legacy, with Rachel Weisz.
Aside from his other performances in the Marvel films, some of his other notable performances included his turn as Mayor Carmine Polito in American Hustle, joining the Mission Impossible franchise as William Brandt and starring opposite Amy Adams in the critically-acclaimed sci-fi extravaganza Arrival.
Last year, Jeremy appeared in his very own Disney Plus series, returning to play Clint opposite newcomer Kate Bishop, portrayed by Hailee Steinfeld.
In the show, Clint was still grappling with the loss of his best friend Natasha, aka Black Widow, following the events of Avengers: Endgame, where he also was reunited with his wife and children.
A spin-off series about newcomer Echo is set to be released on Disney Plus, leading to speculation over whether this is the last we’ve seen of Jeremy’s version of Hawkeye.
Jeremy married model Sonni Pacheco in January 2014, having welcomed a daughter, named Ava Berlin, a year previously. Sonni filed for divorce in December 2014.
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
When Tom played Loki for the very first time in Thor, it was a match made in heaven for the actor and the Asgardian God of Mischief.
However, it turns out Tom actually auditioned for the role of Thor, before Chris was cast in the role.
Thankfully, Tom’s performance as Loki has made him one of the most celebrated actors in the MCU, as he made another villainous turn in The Avengers, unleashing the alien race the Chitauri on Earth in the Battle of New York.
Loki has feigned his death on multiple occasions throughout the films, and eventually appeared in his very own series in 2021, after his hijinks resulted in him being arrested by the Time Variance Authority.
Fans were ecstatic to hear that he will be returning once again in the second season of Loki.
Tom has many worthy acting credits of note, including in the films Only Lovers Left Alive, Crimson Peak, Kong: Skull Island and of course the 2016 TV series The Night Manager, which resulted in many calling for him to be a contender for the next James Bond.
In 2016, he dated singer Taylor Swift, while in March 2022, it was announced that he was engaged to Fresh Meat star Zawe Ashton.
Samuel L Jackson as Director Nick Fury
As if Marvel could have chosen an actor more iconic than Samuel L Jackson to play the role of Nick Fury, who made his first appearance at the end of the first Iron Man film in a post-credits scene.
Samuel, whose previous roles include starring in Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas, Coming to America and Jurassic Park, is the highest-grossing actor of all time.
Marvel wasn’t his first rodeo in a global franchise, having previously appeared as Jedi Master Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequel films.
He has continued to appear in the MCU as Nick Fury, revealing some of the mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. agent’s backstory in the 2019 release Captain Marvel, which also revealed how the spy lost his left eye, explaining why he wears an eyepatch in the present day.
The actor is set to star in the Disney Plus show Secret Invasion opposite Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, and is also producing a live-action film adaptation of Afro Samurai.
In March this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honoured him with an Honorary Governors Award, which is intended ‘to honour extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy’.
Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson
In the first Avengers film, fans were devastated when Agent Coulson was seemingly Ki**ed by Loki in cold blood.
However, in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spin-off TV show, it was revealed that he was still alive – although whether or not the series is canon to the MCU has been a continued subject of debate among the fandom.
Clark Gregg continued to voice the character in the 2021 animated series What If…?, as well as appearing as the younger version of the agent in Captain Marvel, when he was a recent S.H.I.E.L.D. hire.
Following The Avengers, he has appeared in films including Labor Day, Live By Night and Being The Ricardos with Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem.
In July 2020, Clark and Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey – who he married in 2001 – announced that they were separating, with their divorce finalised in February 2021.
They share one daughter together, Stella, who was born in 2001.
Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill
Cobie Smulders gained worldwide recognition for her performance as Robin in sitcom How I Met Your Mother, a role she continued to play until the show’s conclusion in 2014.
Having made her debut as Agent Maria Hill in The Avengers, she has continued to play the role for the past decade, and will reprise the character with her Nick Fury co-star Samuel in Secret Invasion.
In 2016, she appeared in the Jack Reacher sequel Never Go Back with Tom Cruise in the tile role, while she went on to portray the mother of the Quagmire children in the Netflix show A Series of Unfortunate Events, based on the books of the same name.
From 2017 to 2019, she appeared in the Netflix comedy Friends From College, while she has also been in Impeachment: American Crime Story and the crime drama Stumptown.
The same year that The Avengers came out, Cobie married actor and comedian Taran Killam, with whom she shares two daughters, born in 2009 and 2015.
In 2015, she revealed that when she was 25 years old and filming How I Met Your Mother, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had surgery to remove two tumours from her ovaries.
Four years later, the actor revealed that she was in remission.
Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig
Stellan Skarsgård has boasted many impressive acting credits throughout his career, from his performance in the 1990 spy film The Hunt for Red October to portraying Professor Gerald Lambeau in Good Will Hunting, opposite Matt Damon and Robin Williams.
In 2018, he returned to the world of Mamma Mia for the sequel Here We Go Again, playing the role of Bill Anderson once again, while last year, he terrified audiences across the globe Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve’s epic masterpiece Dune.
Stellan is part of the famous Skarsgård acting family, with four of his sons – Alexander Skarsgård, Bill Skarsgård, Gustaf Skarsgård and Valter Skarsgård – also joining the profession.
He is set to appear in the upcoming sequel of Dune, while he has also been cast in the Star Wars show Andor, following the lead character Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) from the 2016 anthology film Rogue One.
Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts
Gwyneth Paltrow only made a brief appearance in The Avengers, showing up as Pepper Potts at the beginning with Tony at Stark Tower and then at the end when Loki and his army had been defeated.
Nonetheless, her role continued to be pivotal in the MCU, as she donned one of Tony’s suits in Avengers: Endgame, fighting alongside her partner before his tragic death.
Pepper and Tony ended up having a daughter, Morgan, together, whose iconic line in Endgame – telling her dad that she loves him 3,000 – has become one of the most beloved quotes in the franchise.
Following The Avengers, Gwyneth returned to play Holly Holiday in Glee, while also starring in the Netflix series The Politician, alongside Ben Platt.
The actor, who won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love in 1999, has continued to develop her sometimes-controversial lifestyle company Goop, starring in a 2020 documentary about the firm called The Goop Lab, which came out on Netflix.
In 2014, Gwyneth and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin split up, famously saying that the end of their 10-year marriage was a ‘conscious uncoupling’. The couple’s two children, Apple and Moses, were born in 2004 and 2006 respectively.
She married Glee producer Brad Falchuk in 2018.
The Avengers is available to watch on Disney Plus.
