SIMPLY MARVELOUS

Newcomer IMAN VELLANI on playing Marvel's first Muslim superhero

- STEVEN PERKINS

MS MARVEL

NEW FROM WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE, DISNEY+ DRAMA

Superhero-obsessed teenager Kamala Khan finds her dreams coming true when she gains her own special powers in Ms Marvel, a glossy new live-action series launching on Disney+ this Wednesday. But will the reality of being able to save the world match up to the high school student's expectations?

Kamala is set to be the breakthrough role for 19-year-old newcomer Iman Vellani, who, like her character, grew up as a massive Marvel Comics fan and she's overjoyed to now be portraying one of her idols.

TV Times caught up with Canadian actor Iman for an exclusive video chat, where she told us what to expect from the six-part coming-of-age story and shared her delight at playing Marvel's first Muslim superhero...

What can you tell us about your character, Kamala?

Kamala is a 16-year-old kid from Jersey City [in New Jersey] who is essentially just trying to find some simplicity in life through this fantastical world of the Avengers, aliens, and superheroes. She's just obsessed with them!

She's constantly being told that she's living in this fantasy world and has to snap back to reality, so she goes on this entire arc she starts off copying the Avengers, because that's all she's seen, and gradually she evolves into her own unique character.

Are you able to reveal what superpowers she develops?

I don't think I can! A lot of it is about her unlocking parts of her culture; the more she learns about her family, the more she learns about her powers. Those two things go hand-in-hand. But you will see when the show comes out... I can't give away too much!

How was it filming the scenes where Kamala uses her abilities?