Warning: This article contains spoilers forAgatha All Alongepisode 5.
The original star who played Billy Maximoff has reacted to the reveal of Teen’s identity in the newMarvel Cinematic UniverseDisney+ showAgatha All Along. Teen, the character played byHeartstopper’s Joe Locke, has been a part of theAgatha All Alongcastfrom the first episode, though his true identity was hidden behind a magical sigil that prevented the witches working alongside him from discovering who he was. However, the final moments of episode 5 revealed that he is Billy Maximoff, the son of the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).
On his official X account,Julian Hilliard, who played Billy Maximoff in five episodes ofWandaVisionand the follow-up featureDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, in which Scarlet Witch was the primary antagonist, has responded to his character being recast. The young actor, who has also appeared inThe Haunting of Hill HouseandThe Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do Itshared that “Joe Locke is awesome y’all,“saying that “I fully support whatever role he plays in the MCU"and following his comment with an emoji of a grinning face wearing glasses. See HIlliard’s post below:
What This Means For Agatha All Along And The MCU
The Billy Maximoff Recasting Process Has Been Peaceful
First and foremost, this post reveals thatthere are no hard feelings around the recasting revealfrom theAgatha All Alongepisode 5 ending. In fact, this is not the first time that a young character has had to be recast because of a time jump. This previously happened with Ant-Man’s daughter Cassie Lang, who was originally portrayed by Abby Ryder Fortson before being replaced by Emma Fuhrmann inAvengers: Endgameand then Kathryn Newton inAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
[Joe Locke is able to] to portray the character at a significantly older age.
The exact reason that Billy appears at the age he does inAgatha All Alongremains unknown, asTeen’s identitywas only revealed in the final seconds of the episode and will likely be explored further in episode 6, which premieres on October 16. However, Joe Locke is 21 years old in real life while Hilliard is 13, allowing the incoming actor to portray the character at a significantly older age. Additionally, Locke is not limited by the requirements for underage actors, which usually includes on-set tutoring and shortened hours.
Our Take On Julian Hilliard’s Agatha All Along Statement
Billy’s Future Remains Unknown
Ultimately, Joe Locke taking over the character inAgatha All Alongdoes not necessarily mean that Hilliard is shut out from ever playing Billy Maximoff again. For instance, it is possible that he could still play a younger Billy in flashback sequences. Additionally, the introduction ofthe MCU multiverse allows for alternate versions of the character to appear simultaneously throughout the franchise, which means that Hilliard’s return in the role is far from impossible.
Agatha All Along
Cast
Agatha Harkness, after the events of “WandaVision,” seeks to regain her magical powers. Joining forces with unexpected allies, including the son of an old adversary, she battles new mystical threats while uncovering hidden secrets in the magical realm.
