Shaquille O’Neal says his Hollywood fame actually worked against him when he tried to land a role in the Avengers. Shaq told Variety that Marvel executives loved the idea of casting him but ultimately felt audiences would see “Shaq” instead of the character. He says he’s heard the same criticism from other Hollywood executives who believe he’s simply too recognizable to play a convincing doctor or other character. Shaq has wanted to join the Marvel universe for years. Back in 2018, he joked that he wanted to be in an Avengers movie so he could “kick Robert Downey Jr.’s a**.” He does have superhero experience — he starred as the title character in the 1997 DC movie Steel. Shaq says he’d love to remake it today with modern special effects.