Ms Marvel Star Iman Vellani Is Changing The Superhero Game
“It’s not really the Brown girls from Jersey City who save the world.”
Newcomer Iman Vellani makes her superhero debut as Kamala Khan in Disney+’s new series Ms Marvel. The YA hero series follows the Muslim American teen growing up in New Jersey as she struggles to balance her culture, her mega superhero fandom, and her oversized imagination. Things get even more complicated when she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to — particularly her idol Captain Marvel.
I got a chance to screen the first two episodes of Ms Marvel, which has already solidified it as my favorite Marvel show yet! Iman Vellani is a superstar in her acting debut, bringing charisma, humor, quirkiness, and relatability to the role of Kamala Khan. The colorful and artistic visuals that reflect Kamala’s imagination or that bring texts to life in the background are so creative and refreshing. And we can’t forget that killer soundtrack!
It’s no surprise that the superhero space is mostly white. Even Kamala doesn’t see place for herself there outside of being a fan. But Ms Marvel is a show that has the power to change lives as you follow the coming-of-age story of a Pakistani-American girl finding herself and embracing both her culture and her new destiny as a superhero. You’ve never seen a superhero like this — and that representation is POWERFUL! What really excites me about Ms Marvel is the hint that her powers are connected to her culture and her family’s past. The show is opening the door to some exciting mysteries that I hope we get a satisfying conclusion to throughout the course of the season.
New episodes of Ms Marvel drop Wednesdays on Disney+.
