Paul Bettany Opens Up About Being ‘a Bullied Kid’ and How His Marvel Role Helped Him Heal

For the British star, the role has grown into far more than a superhero gig over the years. Beyond the robots and lasers, he hopes the new series gives viewers something deeper to think about when it comes to family and belonging.

Paul Bettany is reflecting on the personal impact of playing Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His candid thoughts come as he reprises the role in the new limited series "VisionQuest."

Paul Bettany attends the UK Premiere of Marvel Televisions' "VisionQuest" during the 70th BFI London Film Festival at BFI IMAX on October 12, 2026 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images

Bettany has portrayed the superhero android for more than a decade, with Vision first appearing onscreen in 2015's "Avengers: Age of Ultron." For the actor, however, stepping back into the role this time felt different.

He revealed that the experience took him back to his younger self, during a period when he was struggling to find somewhere to belong. "I eventually realized I was making the show for me, the character for me as a kid," he said.

He added, "I was a bullied kid. I felt like the outsider. I didn't know where I was going to fit in. I didn't know if I ever would fit in anywhere. And so that's what I've discovered about Vision."

Bettany first joined the MCU as the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S., Tony Stark's artificial-intelligence assistant, in 2008's "Iron Man," before making his on-screen debut as Vision.

Created by Ultron, the artificial being goes on to join the Avengers and forms a bond with Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, played by Elizabeth Olsen.

The pair's story continued in "WandaVision," the 2021 Disney+ series that explored Wanda's grief following Vision's death in "Avengers: Infinity War." Inside the magical world she conjures around the town of Westview, Wanda resurrects a version of Vision.

Once that world collapses, this version fades away, while a reconstructed, white-bodied Vision — dubbed White Vision — regains his counterpart's memories and departs Westview. "VisionQuest" picks up with this incarnation of the character.

Across eight episodes, the series follows Vision as he works to piece together his memories and sense of self, with several other artificial-intelligence programs, Ultron among them, influencing his path.

James Spader returns as Ultron, joining a cast that also includes Ruaridh Mollica, Todd Stashwick, T'Nia Miller, Orla Brady, Emily Hampshire and James D'Arcy.

For Bettany, Vision's ongoing journey of self-discovery helps explain why the character resonates so strongly with audiences, particularly younger fans grappling with similar questions about identity and belonging.

"I think that there is a contract between Vision, not me, Paul, the character Vision and his audience," he explained. "And I think that that contract is that he is always in a state of change and self-discovery."

Bettany noted that many of Vision's fans are "young and in the teens and 20s and 30s," and "they are in the business of self-discovery to finding out where they fit in, and it's an urgent business."

"When [showrunner] Terry [Matalas] and I first started talking about the show, I really wanted it to have a lot of male energy and in a positive way because I think there is a need for positive male role models," he shared.

He continued, "And so to that end, we wanted to make a show that was about intergenerational trauma, but with lasers and fighting and robots and for it to be entertainment."