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Marvel Studios is ushering in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the release of Ms. Marvel on Disney+. The live-action series will hit the streaming platform on June 8 and will feature the newest addition to the MCU roster, with the belief that the titular character will play a significant role in the MCU for years to come. Though the series will be the first appearance of Ms. Marvel, aka Kamala Khan, on-screen it is already confirmed that she will appear in the upcoming 2023 film The Marvels.
Marvel Studios is notable for its casting and the studio may have found the perfect actress to portray Kamala Khan in the MCU. Much like her comics counterpart is an avid fangirl of Captain Marvel, Kamala Khan’s live-action actress is a noteworthy superfan in her own right.
Who is playing Ms. Marvel?
Actress: Iman Vellani
Vellani will be making her on-screen debut by portraying Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, in the upcoming Disney+ series. Vellani’s filmography to date is small with two short films that she directed, as well as another in which she portrayed herself. Her debut as the MCU’s Ms. Marvel will mark her first significant role on her resume.
Much like Kamala Khan is an avid fan of Captain Marvel, Vellani is a noted superfan of all things Marvel comics and the MCU. It has been noted that during her zoom audition for the role, Vellani showed Kamala Khan co-creator Sana Amanat her room and closet which were decked out in Avengers decorum. “She showed me every corner of her room, and it was covered with Avengers. Then she said, ‘Oh wait, I’m not done’, opened up her closet, and there was more Marvel everywhere,” said Amanat.
That fandom should lead to a seamless portrayal of the titular hero, who hails from Jersey City. Kamala Khan is a Pakistani-American teenager who has shapeshifting abilities, similar to that of Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic. Upon receiving her powers through the Inhuman gene, Khan takes upon the mantle of ‘Ms. Marvel’ after her idol, Carol Danvers, assumes the role of ‘Captain Marvel.’
Khan is the first Muslim superhero to headline their own comic storyline, and the dynamic between her family culture as well as the nature of her powers is a struggle that she constantly battles within the character’s publication history. This will be one of many themes adapted and explored as the live-action series releases on June 8.