Ms. Marvel's Iman Vellani Has A Brutally Honest Take On The Life Of An MCU Star
If there is one thing we know about Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), it's that she's not afraid to be herself. The teenage girl from New Jersey takes life by the horns in "Ms. Marvel," especially when she discovers a mysterious bangle in her family's home. An heirloom from decades past, Kamala unlocks something within herself that she never knew she had. Family members and guidance counselors scold Kamala for her appreciation of the Avengers and living in what they deem a "fantasy world." But when a nerd just wants to cosplay at AvengerCon, who is to stop her?
Kamala accesses her powers and becomes even more of a force to be reckoned with. Living in a fantasy world is what she was born to do, and ultimately brings her closer to her destiny. All through her journey, Kamala never loses her personality, even up until the end of "Ms. Marvel." She remains a small-town girl from New Jersey who loves her family. Becoming a superhero hasn't seemed to alter Vellani's outlook on life either. However, to be honest, the actor had some interesting takes about what it's like to play Kamala.
Being a superhero isn't all glitz and glamor
Iman Vellani may play a superhero on television, but the reality of how Kamala Khan's cosmic powers came to life is not as glamorous as one might think. In a recent AMA, Vellani came clean about the pitfalls of superhero stardom. Redditor u/norkelman asked how the young actor felt about demonstrating her superpowers while filming.
"[I]t is very embarrassing actually," Vellani admitted in response. She went on to explain the many uncomfortable elements that come together to make Kamala turn into Ms. Marvel. From avoiding the paparazzi to filming on freezing nights, acting like you're a superhero isn't always the easiest.
"[P]urple [LED] lights shine at you and you pretend this stuff is coming out of you but in reality it is dead silent and you are making weird grunting noises because what does 'hard light' actually sound like?" Referring to the form that Kamala's light powers take, that can be hard to visualize. When first filming, no one knows how it will look, and actors must do their best with the material. Even the more seasoned actors struggle with special effects while filming. Benedict Cumberbatch, Marvel's own Doctor Strange, explained how casting spells while filming is not the easiest thing to do.
"It's difficult," Cumberbatch acknowledged during a Twitter Q&A."I don't find it funny. I find it kind of mortifying." It seems that embarrassment is just the flavor of the day for magic users.