WandaVision’s Paul Bettany Was Scared to Film in Front of a Live Audience
Paul Bettany was initially scared to film WandaVision's first few episodes in front of a live studio audience. The series, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Bettany, kicked off MCU's Phase 4 on Disney+ with its first two episodes. Those two episodes were heavily influenced by sitcoms of years past, including The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched. Nailing that tone for the MCU was going to be difficult, but, by all accounts, the studio has pulled it off.
Early reviews and reactions both praised the show for its commitment to the sitcom aspects of its early episodes and the show is currently the highest rated MCU property on Rotten Tomatoes. The sitcom aspect is just half of what's to come in WandaVision, but viewers will have to wait to see what's in store for the MCU's weirdest couple, as Disney is rolling out episodes weekly until March. To really immerse that first half in the comedy of its sitcom influences, director Matt Shakman decided to film in front of a live studio audience and, initially, Bettany wasn't a fan of the idea.
The Vision actor told Variety that, when he found out they would be filming in front of a live studio audience, he was a little scared. Bettany says he was reluctant to film in front of people, but he ultimately relented, saying that Shakman was right in that it would really help the show's atmosphere. Bettany went on to detail what it was like for the cast to film in front of the audience, who signed strict NDA's, and how it ultimately helped the show succeed.
"And while it was sort of slightly frightening initially, I was very reluctant to shoot in front of a live studio audience, but Matt was right. Matt made us do it. It really helped give us that sort of performative quality that those shows have because those shows I feel like have an audience in the room because there’s an audience in the room. You start forgetting about the cameras and just play for laughs with the audience. And by the end of it, Kathryn [Hahn], Lizzie, myself, and also Teyonah [Parris] — bless her heart, she came to see it because she’s not in the first episode — all looked at each other and kind of went, 'I guess that’s what the show is. I guess we got to nail it to the wall now.'"
One of the delights of the first two episodes of WandaVision is its commitment to the sitcom aesthetic. From the opening theme to the fake, MCU commercials in between, the show truly dives head first into its influences. The live studio audience is what helps sell that even further and it's also one of the things that make WandaVision the MCU's weirdest and most intriguing entry yet.
The show's willingness to play fast and loose with the MCU formula seems to be what has drawn in many casual Marvel fans and helped the show garner critical acclaim. Coupled with the mysterious goings on in Westview, WandaVision strikes a delicate balance between its sitcom leanings and the larger plot at hand. While fans will have to wait a few weeks for more hints as to what's to come, the sitcom influenced episodes are an effective way to trail viewers along as WandaVision explores different eras.
Source: Variety