Xochitl Gomez has opened up about an unexpected downside of joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 20-year-old actor, who played America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, said casting teams began to see her as too pricey and too busy for the smaller films she actually wanted to make.
'I had a hard time getting roles because they were like, "She's too expensive. What if she's in this and that, her schedule?"' Gomez told Bustle in an interview published on 9 November, speaking from her home in Madrid. When asked whether people had simply assumed that, she replied: 'Yes. It was a gift and a curse because I was like, "Wait, I want to do the cool indie movies. Give me a chance, guys."'
Her comments spread quickly once a widely shared post picked them up on 12 November. They drew both support and scepticism, with some fans blaming Marvel for sidelining her and others accusing her of exaggerating.
Marvel star Xochitl Gomez says she struggled to find work after joining the MCU as everyone assumed she'd be too busy — even though her character has never returned. https://t.co/BpVsalhktM pic.twitter.com/Frg28y17YP
— IGN (@IGN) November 12, 2026
What Gomez Actually Said
Gomez was just 14 when she filmed her Marvel debut, which reached cinemas in May 2022. She described the experience as 'scary and frightening.'
Part of the viral framing also came from the post rather than from her. It stressed that her character 'has never returned,' which is accurate, since America Chavez has not appeared on screen since. Gomez herself, however, did not rule out a comeback. Asked about a possible return in Avengers: Doomsday, she said: 'Well, they own the rights to my image, so it's possible.'
Fans Divided Over Her Claim
Many fans used the moment to question how Marvel has handled the character. America Chavez can travel between universes, and Marvel's current run of films and shows is built around exactly that idea, which it calls the Multiverse Saga.
'It's just wild that they introduced a character whose power is traveling the multiverse and never used her again in their multiverse saga,' one popular reply read.
it's just wild that they introduced a character whose power is traveling the multiverse and never used her again in their multiverse saga 💀
— ᗩᑎᗩᗷEᒪᒪE 🔆 (@anabelle_dawn) November 12, 2026
Others were far less sympathetic. 'An absolute fabrication and exaggeration. Never, ever, has someone having one role stopped anyone from trying to cast them for another if they're in demand,' one critic wrote, adding: 'She is simply not in demand. At all.'
Some aimed their frustration at the post itself. 'That's absolutely not how Hollywood works and it's insane that you're repeating this lie for her,' another user wrote.
What She Has Been Doing Since
Gomez has hardly been idle since Marvel. In 2023 she won Dancing with the Stars, becoming one of the youngest champions in the show's history.
In April 2026 she led Hive, a horror thriller made for streaming service Tubi, playing Sasha, a teenager who loses the child she is babysitting. She now voices Gabby in the animated The Cat in the Hat, which opened in US cinemas on 6 November and marks her first voice role after years of auditioning for one.
She also said she now turns down roles that do not feel right. 'Sometimes there are cool projects, but something's off about it, and I end up saying no,' she explained. 'I've seen so many young people lose their spark, and I don't ever want to be in a situation where that's me.'
