What role did the late Kenneth Mitchell play in Captain Marvel?

Kenneth Mitchell was a Canadian actor, known for his time on Star Trek: Discovery, as well as his brief stint in the MCU movie, Captain Marvel. Mitchell was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and made this news public in 2020, although the disease had already progressed to the point of him needing a wheelchair by 2019. 

ALS is a terminal neurological disease that affects the nervous system and causes people to lose control of their muscles. It is degenerative, so Mitchell slowly lost control of his limbs, and then his voice. His family shared an obituary post to social media following his death, which included a poem penned by Mitchell detailing how he wants to be remembered by his family and friends. 

Who did Mitchell play in Captain Marvel?

The 2019 superhero origin story of Carol Danvers featured a very talented cast, including Kenneth Mitchell who played Joseph Danvers, the superhero’s father. We see his character in one of the many flashbacks of the movie that show Carol getting her memories back. 

Joseph Danvers was somewhat hard on his daughter, as he and his wife tended to favor their son, Carol’s older brother Steve, over their younger child. In the flashback, we see him yelling at her for her repeated participation in sports which he deems dangerous and unsuitable for her because she is a girl. However, this doesn’t faze Carol or cause her to lose her nerves. Instead, we see her channel his words as well as the words of everyone else who didn’t believe in her at multiple points in the movie.

Mitchell’s portrayal of Joseph Danvers wasn’t too different from his comic book counterpart, though some details about his character were not explored in the movie. For example, Joseph Danvers in the comics was a former Navy officer and a widower when he met Marie, Carol’s mother. Another change the movie made was making Carol Danvers fully human, unlike in the comics where she is half-Kree due to her mother being Kree. The comic version of Joseph Danvers had to deal with the realization that his wife was an alien and later came to accept Carol’s powers. 

His family’s statements  

Mitchell’s role in the movie, though small, was memorable, though his family has shared that his work is not what he will be best remembered for. In the obituary, it was written that while Mitchell played a host of characters during his career, he will be best remembered for his passions and interpersonal relationships. 

The emotional write-up touched on his five-year struggle with ALS and how he was able to maintain his joy and positive outlook on life despite it. The obituary detailed his many passions and strengths, particularly emphasizing his dedication to fatherhood and family. Mitchell is survived by his wife, two children, his parents, and a brother.

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