Meet ‘Jennifer’: The Rock That Helped Shape The Thing in the MCU’s ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’

Over the years, several actors have taken on the role of 'The Thing', also known as Ben Grimm, the most physically altered and rock-solid member of Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’. Unlike his teammates, Ben doesn’t control fire, bend time or disappear—he’s a walking mass of orange stone, transformed permanently by the same cosmic event that gave the Four their powers.

In Tim Story’s ‘Fantastic Four’ and ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer’, the role was played by Michael Chiklis. Later, in Josh Trank’s version, it was Jamie Bell. In the upcoming MCU reboot, ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’, the mantle is now being carried by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, best known for his roles in ‘Girls’, ‘Andor’ Season 1, and ‘The Bear’. Moss-Bachrach was the first actor cast for the new team, and he said he was thrilled with how the character turned out. He explained that although the process involved hundreds of people helping animate the CG character, he trusted them to elevate his performance—and is pleased with the result.

The actor also noted a personal connection with Ben Grimm through their shared New York roots. He pointed out that Jack Kirby, the comic book legend behind the character, had based Ben on his own father—a man from the Lower East Side. For Moss-Bachrach, this added a deep emotional resonance to his portrayal.

The Marvel Team Went Full Method—With a Literal Rock Named ‘Jennifer’

Still, Moss-Bachrach wasn’t the only one bringing ‘The Thing’ to life. Since the character is created through CGI, the production team used multiple references during filming. The actor performed scenes in motion capture gear, a practical-suit stand-in was also present for reference—and in a quirky but oddly fitting move, the crew used a literal rock named ‘Jennifer’. Director Matt Shakman revealed that the team found the rock in a desert because it resembled how they imagined ‘The Thing’ should look. They then filmed ‘Jennifer’ in every scene where ‘The Thing’ appears, under every type of lighting condition.

That’s dedication. Or as Shakman put it—full method. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to get rocked, literally and figuratively.

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