We’re merely two days away before we get to see Iman Vellani’s Hollywood debut as the loveable daydreamer Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel. The actress, herself a titanic fan of all things Marvel, seems to be a perfect fit for the protagonist, who idolizes the likes of Carol Danvers and other heroes that have graced the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It’s part of Ms. Marvel’s character as a superhero fangirl that will really make this story tick, as Vellani touched on during the show’s global press conference. She noted that, beyond the personal journey that Khan takes as a young Muslim girl who suddenly gets superpowers while struggling to fit in with her peers, it’s her love for other superheroes that also adds to the character’s relatability.
“I think Ms. Marvel always understood fan culture on such a cellular level and it just really elevated the storytelling in a really unique way. She’s a 16-year-old kid with superpowers; fine, we’ve seen that before. But she’s also a fan of every other hero within the MCU canon, and that fascination and excitement is so shared with real-life Marvel fans, so that’s why we relate to her. She reacts how we would when she gets powers, and so that’s why I connected with that part of her, that’s why I fell in love with her.”
The first episode of Ms. Marvel is set to premiere on Disney Plus on June 8, with ensuing episodes releasing every subsequent Wednesday until the series finale on July 13.