WHO IS

PHIL

COULSON?

FUN FACTS

Full Name: Phillip J Coulson
Birth Date: July 8, 1964
Death: May 4, 2012 (later resurrected), mid-2018???
Ser. No. SKJ 08U7c42
Parents: Robert and Julie Coulson
His dad gave him the red Corvette (LOLA)
Hometown: Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Religion: Catholic
Grew up a big fan of Captain America and Peggy Carter
Played baseball in Little League
Attended college and studied history

Throughout his acting career, Clark Gregg has portrayed many memorable characters, but none for as long as Phil Coulson.

Coulson appeared across both film and television for more than a decade, becoming one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most enduring characters.

Clark has credited the fans—and especially the #CoulsonLives movement—for helping make Coulson’s remarkable return and lasting place within the Marvel universe possible.

Phil Coulson is a former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Before taking on that leadership role, he was one of the organization’s most trusted agents and served as Nick Fury’s right-hand man.

Following the Skrull invasion of Earth during the 1990s, Coulson became a key operative in the Avengers Initiative, as depicted in Captain Marvel. Years later, during the attack on the Helicarrier, Coulson was killed by Loki, the God of Mischief. His death inspired the Avengers to set aside their differences, unite as a team, and stop the Chitauri invasion in The Avengers.

"I can't think of anybody else who got the bad call that I got from Marvel, which was “Here, you're gonna have a lot of fun in The Avengers untill you don't” to then have people like you at cons and online just saying “No! No! F*ck you!” [And then there was] a hashtag #CoulsonLives and boom! - here we are seven years later [...]

To grow so close with this increadible bunch of people, to continue to grow together, to have that experience and to have that be something that was birthed by the connection with the fans with a character who I think represents – that was just something, probably the greatest thing that will ever happen to me, so I thank you, thank you!”

Clark Gregg, Agents of SHIELD panel at WonderCon

March 30, 2019

Clark Gregg’s journey as Phil Coulson began when director Jon Favreau—who was Clark’s neighbor at the time—asked whether he would be interested in taking a small role in Iron Man (2008). Initially, the part was minimal. The character was listed simply as a “government agent,” with no name and no direct reference to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Clark’s charm, understated humor, and strong chemistry with Robert Downey Jr. and the rest of the cast helped the character grow beyond the original role. Coulson returned in Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), and the Marvel One-Shots The Consultant and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer (2011). He later played an important role in The Avengers (2012) before becoming one of the central characters in Marvel’s first live-action television series, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Clark also returned as a younger, less-experienced Coulson in Captain Marvel (2019), which was set during the 1990s.

Phillip J. Coulson was not originally created as a comic-book character. However, his popularity within the Marvel Cinematic Universe led to his introduction into Marvel Comics, allowing the character’s story and legacy to expand beyond the screen.

"I was wary about [Iron Man] because in the script it was a guy named Agent and he had about six lines, which I still would have done, because I love “Iron Man” and that was an amazing cast. But I think I had just been cut out of something except for like one thing. […] And I was afraid with that cast that would happen again.

So I had a very tiny moment of hesitation before my wife slapped me in the back of the head and said, “You love this stuff. Yeah, go do it. Maybe they won't cut you out.” And that thing happened that never happens that you always fantasize will happen where they go, “You know, we think we might add some more stuff for your character.”

Clark Gregg, Moviefone.com

March 7, 2019

"They’ve given me everything I ever could have wanted. I thought I’d had a great journey at the end of Avengers. I’d had a brilliant death and I was happy. That versus showing up to bother Tony Stark and Pepper Potts in four more movies—none of that was nearly as fun as what I did in Avengers.

And then to go as deep as Agents of SHIELD has, to have a new family for six years and to be able to come back to do more origin stuff, it’s just been a good run and Coulson’s had an amazing adventure.”

Clark Gregg, Gizmodo.com

March 12, 2019