DOCTOR STRANGE Actress Details Her Scrapped Scene Playing Stephen Strange's Sister Donna

Concept art has previously shown us that Marvel Studios planned to include Stephen Strange's Donna in an earlier cut of 2016's Doctor Strange, and the actress who shot those scenes has now spoken out.

By JoshWilding - May 22, 2023 05:05 AM EST

Filed Under: Doctor Strange

A decade ago, actress Lulu Wilson (who had previously worked with filmmaker Scott Derrickson on Deliver Us from Evil) found herself joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Strange's Donna Strange.

In a flashback, we'd have learned that Stephen Strange's younger sister died in an accident when the siblings were playing on a frozen lake. When that cracked, she drowned, with Stephen unable to save her. As a result, he was inspired to become a doctor in order to save lives, and Marvel Studios even considered revisiting this crucial piece of backstory when Nightmare was set to be the sequel's main villain.

Derrickson has previously revealed that the emotional sequence was cut because it didn't fit Doctor Strange's narrative, and while he shared his hopes at the time for it to be released as a deleted scene, that's never happened.

Talking to ComicBook.com. Wilson said she'd love to reprise the role if the opportunity presents itself (which is doubtful given her age) and reflected on the experience.

"On that one, I was in fifth grade and was really, really young. It was just a couple of days of me on set and I'm not going to say what I did," she recalls. "I died and that's the whole thing because Donna Strange is dead and Doctor Strange is like, 'My sister is dead!'"

"So I died and remember being a little bit pissed because come on, that would have been a good moment and would have been good for me."

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness referenced Donna's death, and it definitely feels like the door could be open to revisiting the hero's childhood in the not-too-distant future. Whether that will happen remains to be seen, but it's easy enough to understand why Wilson is so disappointed to have never seen her scenes!

Doctor Strange 3 is rumoured to be in development but doesn't have a confirmed release date.

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19 Comments

Origame - 5/22/2023, 6:06 AM

Yeah I really don't get the logic of the reason why Stephen is the way he is apparently has nothing to do with his arc.

Plus, it led to a big wtf moment when he referenced his sister in the sequel (at least for people unfamiliar with the comics).

AC1 - 5/22/2023, 6:44 AM

@Origame - Wasn't really a wtf moment, just an unexpected revelation about his past. It didn't conflict with anything we've seen in any of Strange's previous MCU appearances.

Origame - 5/22/2023, 6:51 AM

@AC1 - just because it didn't conflict with anything doesn't mean it wasn't a wtf moment.

For example, you can explain that during the battle of new York dr strange was abducted by the chitauri. Technically that doesn't contradict anything assuming he was brought back before the events of his movie, but if we learned that now after all his appearances with zero references to it before, that would be a wtf moment. Same here.

Him suddenly having a sister who died and said death was such a defining moment for the character it's used to identify him to another strange is on that same level.

bobevanz - 5/22/2023, 6:16 AM

Reposting my comment for the morning peoples:
movie ticket release times: AMC theaters get dibs for the first 15 mins, other theaters and apps start after so.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny(6/30) – On sale Monday, 5/22 at 8:40-9:00 am est
The Flash (6/16) – On sale Tuesday, 5/23 at 11:40 am est
Asteroid City (6/16 limited | 6/23 wide) – On sale Wednesday, 5/24 at 7:40-8:00 am est
Oppenheimer (7/21) – On sale Thursday, 6/1 7:40-8:00 am est

DevilsDreams - 5/22/2023, 6:18 AM

Dr Strange's sister was Gretta Thunberg?

Fogs - 5/22/2023, 6:42 AM

@DevilsDreams - damn, stole my comment. LOL

DevilsDreams - 5/22/2023, 7:24 AM

@Fogs - ah man, perfect lost opportunity there to use this;

Fogs - 5/22/2023, 7:29 AM

@DevilsDreams - LOOOL

GeneralZod - 5/22/2023, 9:27 AM

@DevilsDreams -

MikeyL - 5/22/2023, 7:33 AM

“I’m not going to say what I did”
Says what she did

GhostDog - 5/22/2023, 10:17 AM

Would've liked to have seen this. Anything that colors in more on the character is appreciated

solskulldeath - 5/22/2023, 10:46 AM

I hope there's another universe where Stephen Strange didn't exist, but Donna Strange as the Dr. Strange.

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DOCTOR STRANGE Actress Details Her Scrapped Scene Playing Stephen Strange's Sister Donna

Concept art has previously shown us that Marvel Studios planned to include Stephen Strange's Donna in an earlier cut of 2016's Doctor Strange, and the actress who shot those scenes has now spoken out.

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