- Primary Subject: Joe Pantoliano’s guest appearance and role in Wonder Man
- Key Update: Veteran actor Joe Pantoliano joins the MCU series Wonder Man as a special guest star.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: January 28, 2026
- Quick Answer: Joe Pantoliano plays a fictionalized "Joey Pants," Trevor Slattery’s acting rival who eventually takes over Trevor’s role in the Wonder Man film during the finale.
Emmy-winning veteran actor Joe Pantoliano made an appearance in the new MCU series Wonder Man. But which role did he play?
With the series being a satirical take on Hollywood and dealing with the challenges of being a struggling actor in the industry, they brought in several Hollywood actors to add to the authenticity and star power beyond the familiar Marvel characters that we know and love. One of them is Pantoliano, who is one of the most respected veteran character actors in the entertainment industry.
SPOILER WARNING: This article includes spoilers for Wonder Man, so proceed with caution.
What is Joe Pantoliano's Role in Wonder Man?
Pantoliano showed up in the second episode of Wonder Man to play a fictionalized version of himself. He is portrayed as Trevor Slattery's long-time "rival" as they both starred together in a medical drama back in the day.
When Simon needed a quiet place to do a self-tape audition for the Wonder Man movie, Trevor reluctantly visited his old friend "Joey Pants" to ask for help and open up his mansion to Simon. However, things did not go as smoothly as planned.
The Emmy winner showed up again in the season finale when he took over Trevor's role in the Wonder Man movie after Trevor dropped out of the project and took the fall for Simon when he lost control of his powers on set.
In an interview with EW, co-creator Andrew Guest revealed that the role was not originally written for Pantoliano in the first place, nor was it written for any specific actor.
"We had a list of character actors who are some of the best actors out there who maybe not are household names, but there was such a love from every person at Marvel of so many of these people who've meant so much to so many of us. And Joey just stood out amongst the crop and was the first person we put a call into," he said.
After Pantoliano agreed to appear in the series, they revised the script to tailor it to him and his quirks.
"The wonderful thing about him is he's got so much to say about [acting and Hollywood]. He's written several books. He'll talk your ear off about acting and about his thoughts about why he got into the business and where his love of the craft comes from. And we put all of that in the script, and it's really incredible," Guest said.
What is Wonder Man About?
Wonder Man follows aspiring Hollywood actor Simon Williams, who is struggling to get his career off the ground. During a chance meeting with Trevor Slattery, an actor whose biggest roles may be well behind him, Simon learns legendary director Von Kovak is remaking the superhero film "Wonder Man." These two actors, at opposite ends of their careers, doggedly pursue life-changing roles in this film as audiences get a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II makes his MCU debut as Simon Williams/Wonder Man. Ben Kingsley co-stars as Trevor Slattery, reprising the role from his past MCU appearances.
All eight episodes of the first season were recently released on Disney+. It is part of Phase Six of the MCU and the franchise's first TV release this year.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to site for film, TV, and celebrity coverage!