Hailee Steinfeld is just as excited as the fans about the upcoming finale ofHawkeye. Last week’s episode broke the internet with a massive reveal, providing us a first look at Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin. Vincent D’Onofrio reprises the role from Netflix’sDaredevil.Kingpin’s first appearance in the MCUis bound to have significant consequences and will confirm whether the Netflix characters are canon or if Marvel will retcon them. Hailee Steinfeld, who plays Kate Bishop inHawkeye, recently talked toEntertainment Weeklyabout her experience acting alongside D’Onofrio.
“It’s a very different experience standing underneath Vincent and hearing him. To be in his presence is really something. I’ve been a fan of his for a very long time. It’s always amazing to be a part of something with people that you really admire. I’m excited to see people watch it unfold.”
It looks like Steinfeld was in awe of Vincent D’Onofrio’s screen presence. Well, who wouldn’t be? D’Onofrio’s menacing performance as the hulking criminal mastermind was one of the highlights of Netflix’sDaredevil. Fans have been campaigning for D’Onofrio to play Kingpin in the MCU again and those wishes have finally come true. Steinfeld further said that Kingpin’s arrival will makeHawkeyemore real, moving away from the cheery and light-hearted tone.
“This is somebody that she [Kate] doesn’t know much about, but she’s been warned. She knows everything she needs to know when she hears Clint say ‘this is the guy I’ve been worried about the whole time.’ That right there is enough for her to need to come to her senses and figure out how to handle the situation. If it didn’t feel real before, it’s real now. After all the partner talk and jokes that have been thrown around, now she has the opportunity to step up to the plate.”
However, this isn’t the first timeHailee Steinfeldhas faced Kingpin. She voiced Gwen Stacy inSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,alongside Liev Schreiber as Kingpin. But things are very different in live-action, as Steinfeld mentioned. While fans are getting to see D’Onofrio play Kingpin again, reports have suggested that he won’t be as grounded and violent as he was inDaredevil. Instead, Kingpin in the MCU will be a big player, sporting a more comic-accurate look.Hawkeyeepisode 5’s final moments lend credence to these theories, as Kingpin was revealed to be the big baddie pulling strings from the shadows throughout the show.
Hawkeyealso sets Eleanor Bishop (Vera Farmiga) as a future antagonist, considering it was her who Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Kate Bishop saw in a picture with Kingpin. How will Kate deal with this huge revelation about her mother? According to Steinfeld, this is whereHawkeyegets even better and leads to Kate evolving into a more responsible hero.
“That is quite the bomb that gets dropped. It’s not something that Kate could have ever seen coming. I think that in that moment, we fear for her. I remember reading it and feeling like there is this sense of fear, because we now have no idea what her mother is capable of. But I did feel this sort of confidence in Kate. Although it’s only been a couple days, I believe in that moment Kate is far more capable of protecting herself than she might have been just a few days prior. Not to mention she has an Avenger by her side to help her navigate through this!”
Hawkeyealso starsAlaqua Cox as Maya Lopez/Echo, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Tony Dalton as Jack Duquesne/Swordsman, and Linda Cardellini. Only three days are left till theHawkeyeseason finale debuts on Disney+ on August 14, 2025. The episode is touted to be an hour-long and will tie up all the loose ends. Will Maya Lopez get her revenge on Barton, or will Yelena? Kate Bishop and Clint Barton have a lot of enemies to deal with. Hopefully,Hawkeyeconcludes with a bang.
