Yelena Belova (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Yelena Belova is a fictional character portrayed by Florence Pugh in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. She is depicted as the adopted sister of Natasha Romanoff. Trained as a Black Widow assassin in the Red Room, Belova went on to become one of the greatest child assassins. As an adult, she helps Romanoff and their adoptive parents, Alexei Shostakov and Melina Vostokoff, take down the Red Room operations led by Dreykov. She falls victim to the Blip and, after being restored to life, works as a contract killer for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who tasks her to kill Clint Barton, but Belova spares his life. She later joins a team of other contract killers who go on to form the Thunderbolts, later rebranded as the New Avengers. Pugh appeared as the character in the films Black Widow (2021), Thunderbolts* (2025), and the Disney+ series Hawkeye (2021). An alternate version of Belova appeared in the Disney+ adult animated series Marvel Zombies (2025), also voiced by Pugh. American actress Violet McGraw has also portrayed a younger Belova. Pugh's portrayal has received generally positive reviews.