Landing a part in one of the biggest franchises in the world is not always because of having a hugely successful career, like how Brie Larson became Captain Marvel after winning an Oscar, sometimes it all comes down to luck or kismet in getting the chance to star in blockbusters. For one of Phase Four’s brightest newcomers, Iman Vellani, it's fate that she had the shot to secure a spot in one of Marvel's projects. The job wasn’t just her first-ever professional acting gig, but the moment made her interested in the idea of becoming an actor.
Premiering this International Women's Day, the new Marvel docuseries MPower highlights the various MCU females, and episode two focuses on Captain Marvel as it turns to Carol Danvers’ protege Kamala Khan. The Ms. Marvel star then discussed how getting cast as Jersey City's defender changed her life drastically. “As a kid, I was very confused about what I wanted to do with my life until this opportunity came around. I just have so much love for this character, which is why I auditioned in the first place. I didn’t want to be an actor, but because it was Ms. Marvel and I loved her comics for years, I had no choice.” said Vellani.
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The young star catapulted to international fame by debuting in the title role of Ms. Marvel on the Disney+ streaming service. She previously shared that she landed the role over WhatsApp. “[My aunt] was part of an Ismaili group chat and someone had forwarded the casting call in there and then she forwarded it to me and I never responded,” Vellani narrated. “Then my mom forwarded it to me and I’m like ‘okay guys, let’s sit down and talk about what a scam is,’”
Vellani's mother and aunt convinced her to take the call, and the next thing she knew, she had signed a non-disclosure agreement after submitting a headshot and a resume. To her surprise, she received the part offer soon after her audition to play the Pakistani hero, who was the first in her family to be born in North America and a comic book fanatic, all characteristics with which the young actress is personally familiar.
A second season of Ms. Marvel hasn’t been announced, but Vellani will reprise her role in The Marvels, starring alongside Larson and Teyonah Parris, and it will premiere in cinemas on November 10.
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