'Thunderbolts*' Finally Lets Julia Louis-Dreyfus Bring Big Selina Meyer Energy to the MCU

One of the secret MVPs of the MCU from as far back as Iron Man isSarah Halley Finn, the casting director who's been partially responsible for one of the most well-cast franchises in film history. We wouldn't have gotten the gems of Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther or Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk without her influence, so I should have known better than to doubt her instincts. But when introduced to Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Countess Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, that casting didn't sit right with me, and it felt like Marvel just wanted a big name to fill in a generic role. However, after seeing her performance in Thunderbolts*, I've flipped and am now more enthused about seeing her presence, mainly because she's shifted into leaning into the aspects of Valentina that make her similar to one of Louis-Dreyfus' greatest creations: Selina Meyer from Veep.