It is not difficult to accept that Iman Vellani is Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, given how well she fits the role. The 21-year-old actress has played a high school student who is obsessed with superheroes in the Disney+ series, but she feels like a seasoned vet despite this being her first professional role. She eventually gains the ability to wield her own powers in Ms. Marvel.
Aside from her acting skills, Vellani and Kamala’s relationship has the feel of a legend fit for a series of comic books. The Pakistan-born actress, like the Ms. Marvel character, was raised with an obsession with the Avengers. So much so that her fans fell even more in love with her after a viral behind-the-scenes video revealed her unfiltered reaction to Kevin Feige casting her as Kamala Khan.
The Magical Behind-The-Scenes Reaction of Iman Vellani
Even though Iman Vellani is new to the movie business, she is already creating a stir. The Canadian actress, who was born in Pakistan, piqued Marvel Studios’ interest during their extensive casting process to find Ms. Marvel. Well, she certainly made an impression on them as well! Her amazing talent, relatability, and the spark that aptly captures Kamala Khan’s essence were all noted by the casting team.
Disney released a video from behind the scenes that captured Vellani’s reaction when she learned she had been chosen for the role of Ms. Marvel. Although many executives were present during the Zoom meeting, it was Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige who broke the news.
Feige not only told her she got the role, but he also confirmed that it was a unanimous decision. Her reaction was one of gleeful surprise and excitement. Take a look at the video below:
“Iman Vellani, that girl IS Kamala Khan.” 🤩
Check out this behind the scenes look at Ms. Marvel, an Original series from Marvel Studios, streaming June 8 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/Io3Kr2qbLJ
— Disney (@Disney) May 21, 2022
The video continued to show interviews with Vellani, in which she described her experience filming, as well as the rest of her castmates making complimentary remarks about her. She actually does such a good job playing Ms. Marvel.
Iman Vellani Was Not Permitted to See Her Favorite Ms. Marvel Scene’s Set
It was Iman Vellani’s first time back on the set of her favorite scene from Ms. Marvel after five months of filming. The actress who led the series for the first time was purposefully kept off the set of AvengerCon, the Avengers convention that her character Kamala Khan attends in the first episode. She recalled this in a Zoom call with IndieWire:
“The entire time it was being built no one let me step on that set. They wanted me to see it on the day we were filming. Our directors Adil and Bilall were filming BTS footage of the whole show, and they have that entire moment on camera when I saw it for the first time and I was blown away..”
Vellani never thought she would end up in Hollywood, but Bisha K. Ali’s Ms. Marvel made it all possible. The 21-year-old actress talked exclusively with PEOPLE about how she got the role that would turn her into a star. Admittedly, she “did not want to be an actor at first,” and the reason she “only auditioned” was,
“Because I am obsessed with Ms. Marvel and the comics.”
Ms. Marvel aired six episodes between June 8 and July 13, 2022. The series received positive reviews, with many praising Vellani’s performance and the series’ imaginative visual aesthetic. Ms. Marvel arranges for Vellani to reprise her role as Kamala in the latest The Marvels (2023) movie.
While The Marvels is in theaters, you can watch Ms. Marvel on Disney Plus.
Also read: “Do you have a lawyer?”: Iman Vellani Must Thank One Person For Her Casting as Ms. Marvel in MCU
