The MCU’s conquering of the big screen was incredible to witness, and after over a decade of massive films, the franchise has turned its attention to the small screen to dominate there, as well. WandaVision was a tremendous success, and currently, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is doing even bigger numbers.
Wyatt Russell was cast as John Walker, the man taking up the mantle of Captain America, and his performance on the show has been spectacular. He’s a fresh star, and people want to know who he was before taking on the villainous role of John Walker.
Let’s see who Wyatt Russell was before the MCU.
His Parents Are Kurt Russell And Goldie Hawn
It’s not uncommon for a number of up-and-coming performers to have connections in the industry, and it just so happens that Wyatt Russell‘s parents are none other than Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, who are two legends of the industry themselves.
Interestingly, Wyatt Russell actually appeared in the film Overboard when he was still just a baby, and this movie is noteworthy because it starred his parents. He may have no recollection of appearing in the movie, but it must have been great for his parents to have been able to include their kid in a successful film.
Prior to acting, however, Wyatt was a stud hockey player who played at the college level and even the professional level. Injuries ultimately cut his time as a hockey player short.
On top of being the son of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Wyatt also happens to be siblings with Kate and Oliver Hudson, who have both been successful in their own right. This family just can’t miss, and while the Russell name certainly helped, Wyatt has been putting in years of work to make it in the business.
He’s Been Putting In Work For Years
Some people would assume that because he comes from a famous family, Wyatt Russell would have been immediately given huge roles, but this could not be further from the truth. The actor has been in the movie industry far longer than people would expect, and he has appeared in a number of smaller projects that have all been building towards where he is now in his career.
Prior to landing his role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Wyatt Russell had not done a whole lot of work on television, but he does have a few noteworthy credits to his name. He did appear in on Arrested Development and Black Mirror, and he was a featured performer on the show Lodge 49.
Russell really got into acting at the onset of the 2010s, and he had a number of roles in in films. He has appeared in movies like Goon, Cowboys & Aliens, This Is 40, and 22 Jump Street, among others. He’s wasn’t always landing huge roles in these movies, but it doesn’t negate the fact that he was still stacking up credits and getting plenty of experience in front of the camera.
All of this was instrumental in getting him to where he is now.
‘The Falcon And The Winter Soldier’ Has Been A Huge Success
As great as it is that he put in the work to hone his craft and earn his place in the entertainment industry, people at this point have an interesting opinion on Wyatt Russell based on his time as a John Walker in the MCU. This is indicative of both how huge the role has been for him and how incredible of a job he has done in the several episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier that he has appeared in.
Joining a franchise that has already established itself is not an easy thing to do, and the fact that he has come in and cemented himself as one of the most talked about characters in recent memory just goes to show how well the role was written and how brilliantly he has played the character. It was clear from the very beginning that people were going to hate John Walker’s Captain America, and having Russell play the role so well is what has truly put it over the top.
Because we are currently in the midst of the show, we have to wait and see how things play out, but if John Walker is here to stay even without the shield, expect him to remain a talked about character that people will be interested in seeing from here on out. This would be huge for Wyatt Russell, who could continue to cash in on the role for as long as Marvel keeps him around.
While he does come from an acting family, Wyatt Russell took his time and has turned into one heck of an actor.