Paul Bettany Recalls Immediately Bonding with On-Screen Son Ruaridh Mollica for “VisionQuest” (Exclusive)

Raven BrunnerSun, October 18, 2026 at 1:30 PM UTC

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Paul Bettany and Ruaridh Mollica in ‘VisionQuest’ (2026)Credit: Marvel -

Paul Bettany exclusively told PEOPLE that he quickly felt connected with his on-screen son, Ruaridh Mollica, when they were filming VisionQuest

“It was his first big thing and he was so inquisitive ... it was very easy to fall into exactly the right dynamic,” the actor said

Bettany has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since its debut with Iron Man in 2008

Paul Bettany and Ruaridh Mollica had a natural connection.

Bettany, 55, immediately quickly felt connected with his on-screen son when they were filming VisionQuest. While speaking with PEOPLE at New York Comic Con on Oct. 8, he says, “I knew that he was perfect the moment he walked into the screen test.”

The Marvel star adds of his costar, “He’s just a young man who you want things to go well for immediately. It was his first big thing and he was so inquisitive, and excited to be there and asking questions the whole time. It was very easy to fall into exactly the right dynamic.”

Ruaridh Mollica and Paul Bettany attend New York Comic Con in N.Y.C. on Oct. 8, 2026Credit: on Barnard/Get

Bettany has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since its debut with Iron Man in 2008. He reprised his characters Jarvis and Vision in several movies before appearing in WandaVision in 2021.

His character is now back in VisionQuest, which premiered on Oct. 13.

The synopsis for the show teases, “Vision, rebooted and having escaped from those who sought to weaponize him, has been in hiding. Searching for new meaning, he consults the AI personas embedded in his programming, including Friday, Edith, Jarvis, and the infamous Ultron.”

It continues, “His discreet existence ends when a bounty placed on his head thrusts him on the run with Thomas Shepard, a mysterious boy who may be Vision’s son, reincarnate. As Vision evades capture, he must confront his nature, resist Ultron’s influence, and unravel the enigma that is his young companion if he’s to survive.”

The show, created by Terry Matalas, marks the end of the trilogy that included WandaVision and Agatha All Along.

The cast continues with James Spader, Todd Stashwick, T’Nia Miller, Orla Brady, Diane Morgan, Emily Hampshire and James D’Arcy.

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Paul Bettany in ‘VisionQuest’ on Disney+Credit: Marvel

Mollica makes his Marvel debut in the show as Thomas Shepherd, who is actually Tommy Maximoff, the superpowered son of Vision and Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff.

Mollica, 27, agrees with Bettany about their instant bond.

“It was very instantaneous for me and Paul. We instantly fell into this beautiful father and son dynamic of annoying each other. He’s a veteran of the MCU and I’m just stepping in for the first time. So to have him by my side, I was always asking questions,” he says.

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Mollica says that Bettany also made him feel “so relaxed” on the busy set.

“It was amazing. We have some great bickering moments with each other and I’m so lucky to have spent so much time with him,” he says.

Bettany previously told PEOPLE that his new show has brought him back to his younger self.

“I eventually realized I was making the show for me, the character for me as a kid,” he said. “I was a bullied kid. I felt like the outsider. I didn’t know where I was going to fit in. I didn’t know if I ever would fit in anywhere. And so that’s what I’ve discovered about Vision.”

New episodes of VisionQuest premiere Tuesday nights on Disney+ until Nov. 10.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”