From E.V. to F.R.I.D.A.Y., the Oscar-Nominated Actresses Behind the MCU's Iconic A.I.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already won over the critics and fans, but Tom Holland’s fourth outing as the web-slinger has also quietly continued one of the oldest and strangest traditions in the MCU: hiring incredibly overqualified people to voice robots; and specifically Oscar winning actresses.
Ever since Paul Bettany (still in his J.A.R.V.I.S. days) uttered the immortal line “The compression in cylinder three appears to be low” at around the 12-minute mark in Iron Man, comically droll but always helpful A.I. assistants have been a cornerstone of the MCU. At first, this was all to do with Stark Tech, but since Tony’s passing and the climax of Endgame, the tradition has been carried on by his heir apparent: Peter Parker.
In the following list, you’ll find all the actors who have voiced Tony and Peter’s tech since J.A.R.V.I.S. became self aware in Age of Ultron (and later, an unlikely romantic lead). It might come as a surprise to learn that almost all of them have Oscar nominations.
Honorary Mention: Dawn Michelle King as E.D.I.T.H.
She might not have the name recognition of the other Hollywood stars on this list, but having voiced Pater’s helper E.D.I.T.H. in Spider-Man: Far From Home, it’s only right that we give a special mention to Dawn Michelle King.
King is better known in the industry for her work as an editorial assistant — a job she’s been doing since the early ‘90s, when she picked up credits on everything from Batman Returns to Heat. Since Favreau’s first Iron Man, King has been credited as editorial assistant on seven MCU movies to date including Far From Home, but that European jaunt with Peter Parker remains her only voice role.
Kerry Condon as F.R.I.D.A.Y.
Tied only with Paul Bettany for the most A.I. voice performance in the MCU is Kerry Condon. After being introduced in Age of Ultron, the Irish actress voiced F.R.I.D.A.Y. in every Marvel movie that Tony appeared in right up until his heroic demise at the end of Avengers: Endgame.
Condon got her start in the movie business when she landed a role in Angela’s Ashes as a teenager, but her career really started building some momentum with her portrayal of Stacey Ehrmantraut, Mike’s daughter-in-law, in Better Call Saul. In 2023, she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Banshees of Inisherin and hasn’t looked back since, appearing in Train Dreams and F1 in 2025 (both Best Picture nominees) and giving another lovely turn opposite Andrew Scott in Pressure this year.
Jennifer Connelly as Karen/Suit Lady
In 2017, Jennifer Connelly received her sole MCU credit for voicing the A.I. in Peter’s new Stark-tech suit in Spider-Man: Homecoming — and yes, that’s her saying “activating instant kill.” This little bit of stunt casting was also a cheeky nod to Connelly’s relationship with Paul Bettany, to whom she’s been married since 2003.
Connelly has basically been famous since the ‘80s after appearing in movies like Labyrinth and Once Upon a Time in America when she was still a teenager. Her career then peaked in the early ‘00s with a run that included Requiem for a Dream, Blood Diamond and A Beautiful Mind — the last of which set the scene for her and Bettany's romance (they co-starred in it) and earned her the Best Supporting Actress award at the 2001 Oscars.
Naomi Watts as E.V.
The MCU has always been a treasure trove of lore and Easter Eggs, so it’s no surprise that Kevin Feige decided to bring in a big name actor for Peter’s first post-Stark suit. In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter’s A.I. helper E.V. is voiced by none other than the Australian two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts — who earned those nods for 21 Grams and The Impossible in 2004 and 2013, respectively.
As any diehard Tom Holland fan will tell you, that 2013 disaster movie was the actor’s first ever screen role: he played the eldest son of Watts’ Dr. Maria Bennett, which makes her casting as a motherly assistant here feel like a full circle moment. Don’t be surprised if this new collaboration continues.
