Hayley Atwell is Captain America’s Peggy Carter

Just weeks after finding the right Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, director Joe Johnston has cast the female lead Peggy Carter for his film The First Avenger: Captain America. According to THR, British actress Hayley Atwell will have the honor of playing Chris Evan’s love interest beating out some tough competition from Keira Knightley and Alice Eve.

Peggy Carter was the British girlfriend of Steve Rogers during World War II who goes on to become the aunt of Sharon Carter, Rogers’ love interest in modern times. Originally this role was offered to Emily Blunt but she turned it down leaving the door open for several other English actresses to take a crack at it. Enter, Hayley Atwell.

Atwell’s resume is filled with some pretty solid work. She recently appeared in the AMC mini-series “The Prisoner” and starred in the feature film’s Brideshead Revisited, Cassandra’s Dream, and The Duchess. It will be interesting to see her go toe to toe with Evans in a big action movie. This project seems a lot “lighter” than anything else she’s ever done.

My reaction to her casting is pretty middle of the road. She doesn’t particularly strike me as a bad actress but she doesn’t have a wow factor about her either. Now that it’s all said and done, it’s starting to look like Alice Eve would have been a better fit.

What do you think of Hayley Atwell being cast as Peggy Carter? Do you think she’s the right choice?