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Lore Corner: Ahead of Daredevil: Born Again, here's everything you need to know about Foggy Nelson (including the MCU legend that once played him)

Who is Foggy Nelson, Matt Murdock's partner in crime (er, law?) in Daredevil: Born Again? We'll tell you here (and yes, we'll talk about The Muppets thing)

Features by Ashley V. Robinson, Popverse video producer

Additional contributions by Grant DeArmitt

Published on Tue Mar 04 2025

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Greetings Popversians, and welcome to Lore Corner! Each week, video producer Ashley V. Robinson and staff writer Grant DeArmitt are going to take you deep into the preexisting lore behind some of pop culture's most exciting adaptations, such as Marvel's return to the streets of Hell's Kitchen in Daredevil: Born Again. Enjoy!

Matt Murdock wasn't the only beloved MCU lawyer returning to screens when Daredevil: Born Again premiered on March 4. Before you ask, no, we're not talking about Jennifer Walters, we're talking about Franklin Pierce 'Foggy' Nelson, the other half of NYC's former Nelson & Murdock law firm.

Well, consider us your refresher. In this edition of Lore Corner, we're going to be going over everything you need to know about Foggy Nelson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as as certain other Daredevil project, and even his connection to Kermit the Frog.

No, we're not kidding about that last part. Keep reading to learn more.

Who is Foggy Nelson in the comics?

Created by Stan Lee & Bill Everett, Foggy Nelson first appeared in 1964's Daredevil #1. Veer since, the character has been a constant presence in Matt Murdock's life (more of an Alfred than a Robin), and for much of the character's history, his law partner. The wildness of comic history notwithstanding, it's typically true that Foggy knows that Matt is Daredevil, and this has brought him no shortage of grief across 60+ years of publication history. In one particular story, events occur so that Foggy knows Matt is Daredevil, leading to the lawyer urging Foggy to fake his own death.

The MCU's Foggy has certainly followed in his comic book predecessor's footsteps in suffering for being close to the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Before we talk about Foggy as an MCU character, we need to talk about an MCU legend as Foggy.

Who plays Foggy Nelson in 2003's Daredevil?

You may know that, long before Daredevil made his MCU debut in 2015, another Daredevil project starring Ben Affleck as the titular vigilante smashed its way into theaters in 2003. However, what you might not remember is that this film featured a person who would not only become an MCU legend in his own right, but also be the first person to play Foggy Nelson in live action. That person, believe it or not, was Iron Man director and Happy Hogan himself, Jon Favreau.

Yes, long before Charlie Cox picked up the billy clubs and put on the horny mask (uh, wait), Jon Favreau was playing law partner to Ben Affleck's Matt Murdock. It's a pretty fun performance if you haven't already seen it, and Favreau brings a very Happy-esque sense of humor to the role. Make sure to check out the Director's Cut of the film if this is your first time watching the movie; in this writer's humble opinion, it's much better than what came to theaters.

Who plays Foggy Nelson in Daredevil: Born Again?

But of course, we're not here to talk about a Fox movie from 20+ years ago (although an Elektra line from Deadpool & Wolverine does technically make 2003's Daredevil canon to the MCU, multiversally speaking). We're here to talk about the Foggy that's coming to Disney+ in (as of this writing) just a few short hours. And the Foggy Nelson in Daredevil: Born Again is played by Elden Henson, who also played the character in Netflix's Daredevil.

You may remember Henson from his role in Killers of the Flower Moon or, if you're a '90s kid, The Mighty Ducks. But there's another reason his name rings a bell in the minds of so many online Daredevil fans; that is, he shares part of it with one of the most innovative entertainers in American history.

Is Elden Henson related to Jim Henson?

I know, it's a bit of a strange question, but the internet asks it more than you might believe. Sadly, our latest version of Foggy might disappoint in this regard, however, as Elden Henson bears no blood relation to Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets.

Bummer, right? I mean the Kermit/Foggy puns are right there. Kermit the Fog. Froggy Nelson. Sesame Street-Level. The fact that the pair aren't at least distantly related is a tragedy for Marvel-themed Trivia Team names everywhere.

What happens to Foggy Nelson in Daredevil on Netflix?

Similar to his comic book counterpart, Foggy has suffered much by being the best pal of the man behind Daredevil's mask, even to the point that the lawyers' friendship reaches a crisis. In season 2 of Netflixs Daredevil, Nelson & Murdock decide to take on the case of Frank Castle, AKA The Punisher, which proves to be their toughest case yet. And with Elektra and The Hand back in his life, Matt leaves Foggy almost entirely on his own. This causes a falling out between the pair, and during a fight, they decided to dissolve Nelson & Murdock.

Do Foggy and Matt become friends again before Daredevil: Born Again?

Fortunately, Season 3 of Netflix's Daredevil saw the show's criminal defense compañeros joining forces once again to take on the recently-released Wilson Fisk, AKA Kingpin. To protect his family (not to mention New York City), Foggy links back up with not just his old pal Matt Murdock, but also their former defendant and now third wheel, Karen Page. By the end of the Netflix run, the pair are in business together again, adding Karen to form the law firm of Nelson, Murdock, & Page.

As we know from the actors in the series, some time has passed since the end of Netflix's season 3 and the beginning of Daredevil: Born Again. However, by all appearances in the trailer, the Nelson/Murdock frinedship has weathered those years. But will it survive the possibility that Daredevil killed someone? Will it survive Wilson Fisk's onslaught, and for that matter, will Foggy literally survive Wilson Fisk?

We'll just have to watch and find out.

Daredevil: Born Again drops on Disney+ tonight, March 4, at 9 PM EST.

Fear not, we have the essentials when it comes to Marvel's Daredevil - especially with Marvel Studios' Daredevil: Born Again. Check out:

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Ashley V. Robinson: Ashley Victoria Robinson is a Canadian hobbit now living in the United States. She is a Popverse Video Producer. You may know her as the host of the Geek History Lesson podcast (alongside Jason Inman), and was even the face of Twitter marketing for podcasters.