After the announcement of her casting, fellow brown Marvel actor Kumail Nanjiani shared his excitement of the ongoing expansion of diversity in the superhero powerhouse universe. “I just saw they cast Ms. Marvel and legit got teary eyed. Congratulations Iman Vellani! Your work is going to mean so much to so many people, myself included. I can’t wait,” a tweet from September 30, 2020 read. Hailing from Bisha K. Ali and a team of diverse writers, directors, and cast, the show is actively showcasing Pakistani culture and the Islamic faith through the lens of Marvel. But who exactly is lead actress Iman Vellani? Read on to learn more about this soon-to-be breakout star.
How old is Iman Vellani?
Iman Vellani is a fresh-faced 19-year-old, born on Sept. 3, 2002. Her character, Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, appears in the comic books as a 16-year-old, and Vellani’s youthful face easily passes for younger.
Where is Iman Vellani from?
Though she was born in Pakistan, her family immigrated to Canada when she was just a year old. She was raised in the Regional Municipality of York located in Southern Ontario in a Muslim family.
What is Iman Vellani’s ethnicity?
Just like her character Kamala Khan, Iman’s heritage hails from Pakistan. Vellani herself identifies as Pakistani-Canadian after her family immigrated to the North American country when she was young. Vellani recalls being enamored by the Ms. Marvel comic books because Kamala Khan’s life resembled her own. “I’m like, ‘OK, who’s this brown girl now?’ ” she told The Hollywood Reporter about the first time she saw the Ms. Marvel comic book cover. “It just blew my mind that a superhero comic was showcasing Eid [the Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan].”
Has Iman Vellani acted before?
This is Vellani’s first-ever acting role, though she’s been involved in her local film community as a member of the TIFF Next Wave Committee at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Prior to being cast in the forthcoming Disney+ series, Vellani planned on attending the Toronto-based Ontario College of Art & Design University to major in integrated media studies. Though she had never been cast in an official film or television show, Vellani decided to audition after her aunt forwarded a Ms. Marvel casting call on WhatsApp. Vellani almost let her nerves get the best of her, submitting her self-tape mere hours before it was due. But she remembers telling herself, “my 10-year-old self is going to hate me if I don’t do it,” and about a week later, her dad accompanied her to an audition at Marvel’s LA office. Vellani found out that she won the role on her last day of her senior year of high school.
Does Iman Vellani have social media?
Vellani is not on Twitter, though she does have an unverified Instagram account that boasts 48.6K followers and a bio that reads “Kamala Khan, or you can call me Ms. Marvel.” Her posts are also scarce with only six total, most of which refer to her forthcoming role.
Who does Iman Vellani play on Ms. Marvel?
Vellani plays the titular character of Ms. Marvel, an awkward and nerdy teenager who gets powers from a magical bangle. Much like her character who fangirls over Captain Marvel, Vellani is a noted Marvel fan who never missed an issue of the comic book series and crafted Halloween costumes around her favorite characters. “She was my total comfort character,” Vellani said. “She felt so much like me, and a lot of that comes from not just her background and ethnicity but because she’s such a fan of the Marvel universe, too.” Next, get the scoop on Thor: Love and Thunder—including which Marvel stars will appear in it!
