WandaVision star Paul Bettany admits to trolling fans with ongoing ‘surprise cameo’ tease

Bettany owned up to the joke ahead of the series finale

Paul Bettany has revealed that he was tricking WandaVision fans for months by teasing a fake surprise cameo.

In various interviews given throughout the show’s nine-episode run, Bettany – who stars opposite Elizabeth Olsen as the titular superheroes – had fuelled rumours that the show would feature a cameo that will be “a surprise for everybody”.

The 49-year-old did not give any names, but stated: “I’ve been wanting to work with [this actor] forever who is just unbelievable and we have some real fireworks together.”

Bettany’s words have prompted multiple theories from fans speculating which Marvel character may crop up unexpectedly. Guesses have ranged from Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange to Michael Fassbender’s Magneto.

*Spoilers follow – you have been warned*

However, WandaVision’s final episode – which lands on Disney Plus today (5 March) – has revealed that the surprise cameo was actually Bettany himself all along. 

READ MORE: WandaVision episode 9: What is the Darkhold? Finale sets up terrifying MCU chapter

The finale features two versions of Bettany, one as Vision and one as White Vision. The pair face off in a climactic battle.

The 49-year-old explained the origins of the joke during an appearance on Good Morning America: “You know when you think something is going to be funny and you say it and then you panic about it? That’s what I did.”

“Fans started guessing who it might be,” he continued. “They were guessing people like Benedict Cumberbatch or Patrick Stewart. I was thinking, ‘God, that’s a good idea and they’re gonna be so disappointed when they find out it’s me.”

READ MORE: WandaVision fans heartbroken by episode 9 ‘death’ scene

Disney Plus’s Marvel show concluded today (5 March) with its ninth episode, but not before dropping in some Easter eggs for fans to analyse before Wanda’s return in next year’s Doctor Strange sequel.

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WandaVision is available to stream on Disney Plus.