Jump to content

Iman Vellani

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Iman Vellani
Born (2002-08-12) August 12, 2002 (age 22)[1]
Karachi, Pakistan
NationalityCanadian
OccupationActress
Years active2019–present

Iman Vellani (Sindhi: ايمان ويلاڻي; /ɪˈmɑːn vəˈlɑːni/;[2] born August 12, 2002) is a Canadian actress and comic book writer.[3][4] She starred as Kamala Khan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) miniseries Ms. Marvel (2022) and Marvel Zombies (2025) and the film The Marvels (2023).[5][6][7] Vellani has also appeared as Khan in other Disney productions[8][9] and has co-written two Ms. Marvel limited series.[10][11]

Early life

[edit]

Born in Karachi, Pakistan, to Sindhi family, Vellani moved to Canada when she was a year old,[12][13][14] and was raised as an Ismaili Muslim.[15] She graduated from Unionville High School in Markham, Ontario.[16][17][18] Vellani was selected as a member of the TIFF Next Wave Committee at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.[19][20] Before being cast in Ms. Marvel at the end of her last year of high school, Vellani had planned to attend the Ontario College of Art & Design University with a focus on integrated media.[21]

Career

[edit]

Acting

[edit]

In September 2020, it was revealed Vellani was cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero Kamala Khan for Marvel Studios and Disney+'s streaming television miniseries Ms. Marvel.[22] Vellani's aunt had forwarded her a casting call for the role; she submitted a self-tape before being asked to audition in Los Angeles;[21] and eventually had two screen tests: in-person in February that year, and virtually over Zoom in June.[23] Kamala Khan co-creator Sana Amanat—who served as an executive producer on the series—said Vellani revealed in her Zoom screen test that she, like Khan, is an Avengers fangirl. Amanat said, "She showed me every corner of her room, and it was covered with Avengers. Then she said, 'Oh, wait; I'm not done', opened up her closet, and there was more Marvel everywhere".[24]

On June 8, 2022, Ms. Marvel premiered on Disney+, marking Vellani's onscreen debut.[25][26][27] Both the series and her portrayal of the title character received widespread praise.[28][29][30] Kathryn Porter of Paste wrote that Vellani "shines" in the role and that there was "no way to explain how great she is in this other than to say that she embodies the true spirit of Kamala Khan".[31] Mohammad Zaheer of BBC Culture called her "an adorable bundle of charisma" in a role "tailor-made for her",[32] while Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter said that Vellani's full of "youthful verve and irresistible moxie" in her role.[33] The miniseries concluded on July 13, 2022, consisting of six episodes.[34][35] For her performance in the program, Vellani won a Saturn Award[36] and received nominations for an Astra TV Award[37] and a Critics Choice Super Award.[38] From July 2022, Vellani appeared in Disney Wish's CGI—immersive interactive experience, Avengers: Quantum Encounter, reprising her role as Khan.[8]

Vellani reprised her role as Kamala Khan in the 2023 film The Marvels, a sequel to the 2019 film Captain Marvel, which also serves as a continuation of Ms. Marvel; it was released in November.[39][40][41] The film received polarizing reviews from critics;[42] however, Vellani's performance was regarded as the standout amongst the cast. Amelia Emberwing of IGN declared that she "predictably steals the show",[43] Helen O'Hara of Empire praised her humor and emotional depth with the "two older heroes."[44] whilst Christian Holub of Entertainment Weekly noted Vellani as a "shining star" despite his lukewarm review of the film.[45]

Vellani will voice an animated version of Kamala Khan for Disney+'s Marvel Zombies, which is the series adaptation of the fifth episode of the animated series, What If...?.[46][9] On November 25, 2024, Vellani was cast in Shiver, her first non-Marvel acting role.[47]

Writing

[edit]

In August 2023, Vellani made her comic writing debut with the four-issue limited series Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant, co-written by Sabir Pirzada, who wrote the limited series Dark Web: Ms. Marvel and an episode of the Ms. Marvel show. It features Ms. Marvel exploring her newfound dual heritage as an Inhuman and a mutant and becoming a member of the X-Men.[48][49] Lia Williamson of AIPT praised Vellani's handling of the character's new status quo as "[her] knowledge and love for the character allow her to make lemonade out of the lemons she's been given"; the writer opined that Vellani's "robust love and passion" for Kamala Khan "shines throughout her writing".[10] After the conclusion of The New Mutant in November 2023, it was announced that the series would be followed by a sequel four-issue limited series titled Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace, with Vellani and Pirazda returning as writers; the first issue was released on March 6, 2024.[11][50] Alex Schlesinger, also for AIPT, praised the final issue of Mutant Menace, commenting that "Vellani is a Marvel superfan, so she knows how important Kamala's identity and power set are to her readers, and her and Pirzada do a wonderful job of introducing Ms. Marvel's MCU ability while keeping her polymorph powers."[51]

Vellani is set to write several more Ms. Marvel issues with Pirzada, including Ms. Marvel Annual #1 on July 31, 2024, which is part of the connected Infinity Watch storyline,[52][53] and a short story which will be part of the anthology one-shot Marvel 85th Anniversary Special commemorating Marvel Comics' 85th anniversary, on August 28, 2024.[54]

Filmography

[edit]
Key
† Denotes productions that have not yet been released

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2023 The Marvels Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel [40]
TBA Shiver † TBA Post-production [47]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2022 A Fan's Guide to Ms. Marvel Herself / Kamala Khan Documentary short [55][56]
Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel Miniseries [57]
Marvel Studios: Assembled Herself / Kamala Khan Docu-series; special: "The Making of Ms. Marvel" [58][59]
2025 Marvel Zombies † Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel (voice) In-production [46]

Theme park attractions

[edit]
Year Title Role Venue Ref.
2022 Avengers: Quantum Encounter Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel Disney Wish [8]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1–4 (with co-writer Sabir Pirzada and illustrators Carlos Gómez and Adam Gorham, 2023) collected as Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant (TPB, 120 pages, March 2024, ISBN 978-1-302-95490-1)[60]
  • Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #1–4 (with co-writer Sabir Pirzada and illustrator Scott Godlewski, 2024)[11]
  • Ms. Marvel Annual (2024) #1 (with co-writers Derek Landy, Sabir Pirzada and illustrators Giada Belviso and Sara Pichelli, July 2024)[61][62]
  • Marvel 85th Anniversary Special (with co-writer Sabir Pirzada and illustrator Kaare Andrews, anthology, August 2024)[63]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2022 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Streaming) Ms. Marvel Won [64][65]
2023 Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Actress in a Superhero Series Nominated [66]
2023 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Youth Performance The Marvels Nominated [67]
2023 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Best Youth in Film (Female) Nominated [68][69]
2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards Breakout of the Year Nominated [70]
2024 Astra TV Awards Best Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Ms. Marvel Nominated [71]
2024 Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Actress in a Superhero Movie The Marvels Won [72][73]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "'The Marvels' Star Iman Vellani Talks That Final Scene and 'Ms. Marvel' Season 2". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  2. ^ "Iman Vellani | Ms. Marvel | Disney+". Marvel Entertainment. March 16, 2022. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2022 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ "Iman Vellani on embracing Pakistani roots". The Express Tribune. June 9, 2022. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  4. ^ Ranger, Michael (September 30, 2020). "Markham teen cast as Disney's Ms. Marvel". CityNews. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  5. ^ Moeslein, Anna (June 22, 2022). "Nobody Could Have Played Ms. Marvel but Iman Vellani". Glamour. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  6. ^ Thorne, Will (September 30, 2020). "'Ms. Marvel' Disney Plus Series Casts Iman Vellani in Title Role". Variety. Archived from the original on October 2, 2020.
  7. ^ Smail, Gretchen (July 6, 2022). "Iman Vellani On 'Ms. Marvel,' MCU Fandom, & Befriending Maitreiyi Ramakrishnan". Bustle. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c Paige, Rachel (June 16, 2022). "Ms. Marvel Boards the Disney Wish and Joins 'Avengers: Quantum Encounter'". Marvel. Archived from the original on June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Milheim, Russ (November 28, 2023). "Marvel's Upcoming R-Rated Zombies Show Gets Exciting Update from Star (Exclusive)". The Direct. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Williamson, Lia (November 9, 2023). "Ms. Marvel, mutants, and the MCU problem: how Iman Vellani is writing the path forward". AIPT Comics. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "Iman Vellani Returns to Ms. Marvel for Mutant Menace Series". ComicBook.com. November 29, 2023. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  12. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (June 6, 2022). "'Ms. Marvel' Introduces a New Hero (and a New Actress)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  13. ^ Nolan, Emma (October 1, 2020). "Who is Iman Vellani? 'Ms. Marvel' Casts First Muslim Superhero Kamala Khan". Newsweek. Archived from the original on October 2, 2020.
  14. ^ Khan, Coco (June 6, 2022). "'This show is so monumental!' Iman Vellani on playing Marvel's first Muslim superhero". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  15. ^ Welch, Monique (June 23, 2022). "Houston fans see themselves in 'Ms. Marvel' actress Iman Vellani, Marvel's first Muslim superhero". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022. Alim Adatia with the Ismaili Council for the Southwestern USA said that although Iman Vellani is from the Ismaili faith, he admired how the series depicted an ethnically diverse Muslim community.
  16. ^ Goh, Clement (June 7, 2022). "How Ms. Marvel channelled her hometown of Markham, Ont. in a coming-of-age superhero story". CBC News. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  17. ^ Jirak, Jamie (June 2, 2022). "Ms. Marvel Star Iman Vellani Went to the Same High School as Obi-Wan Kenobi's Hayden Christensen". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  18. ^ Unionville High School [@UHSupdates] (October 1, 2020). "Congrats to Unionville High School alumni, Iman Vellani!! We are celebrating with you!!" (Tweet). Retrieved June 6, 2022 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Simmons, Taylor (September 3, 2019). "How these GTA teens helped shape the lineup at this year's TIFF". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on October 2, 2020.
  20. ^ "Meet the 2019–2020 TIFF Next Wave Committee". Toronto International Film Festival. August 15, 2019. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  21. ^ a b Sun, Rebecca (June 1, 2022). "'Ms. Marvel' Star Iman Vellani on Playing Kamala Khan: "She Felt So Much Like Me"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  22. ^ Kroll, Justin (September 30, 2020). "Newcomer Iman Vellani To Play Title Role In Marvel's 'Ms. Marvel' Series For Disney Plus". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 23, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  23. ^ Wittmer, Carrie (June 7, 2022). "The Dawn Of Iman Vellani". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  24. ^ Travis, Ben (April 11, 2022). "Ms. Marvel Star Iman Vellani Is As Much Of A Fangirl As Kamala Khan – Exclusive Image". Empire. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  25. ^ Vary, Adam B. (March 15, 2022). "'Ms. Marvel' Trailer Introduces Marvel Studios' First Muslim Superhero in Disney Plus Series". Variety. Archived from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  26. ^ Roberts, Kayleigh (May 16, 2022). "Here's When Every Episode of 'Ms. Marvel' Comes Out". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  27. ^ "Ms. Marvel: How Iman Vellani became Marvel's first Muslim superhero". Esquire Middle East. May 18, 2022. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  28. ^ Jackson, Destiny (June 7, 2022). "Ms. Marvel Review". Empire. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  29. ^ Framke, Caroline (June 7, 2022). "'Ms. Marvel' Brings 'Into the Spider-Verse' Energy to Charming, Refreshing New Heroine: TV Review". Variety. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  30. ^ Fraser, Emma (June 7, 2022). "Ms. Marvel: Series Premiere Review". IGN. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  31. ^ Porter, Kathryn (June 6, 2022). "Ms. Marvel Is the Boost the MCU Needs, but Not the Kamala Story Hardcore Fans Might Want". Paste. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  32. ^ Zaheer, Mohammad (June 8, 2022). "Why Marvel has struck gold with Muslim superhero Ms Marvel". BBC Culture. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  33. ^ Han, Angie (June 7, 2022). "Disney+'s 'Ms. Marvel': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  34. ^ Parker, Ryan (July 13, 2022). "'Ms. Marvel': What That Post-Credits Visitor Means". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  35. ^ Salih, Swara (July 13, 2022). "Ms. Marvel Lights the Way to a (Mostly) Satisfying Conclusion". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  36. ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (October 26, 2022). "Saturn Award Winners Headlined by 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', 'Top Gun: Maverick', and 'Better Call Saul'". Collider. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  37. ^ "Hollywood Creative Alliance Reveals the Nominees for the 2023 HCA TV Awards Streaming Edition" (Press release). Hollywood Creative Alliance. July 11, 2023. Archived from the original on February 8, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  38. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (February 22, 2023). "'The Batman' Leads Nominations for 2023 Critics Choice Super Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  39. ^ Jackson, Angelique (June 8, 2022). "'Ms. Marvel' Star Iman Vellani Shares Superhero Advice from Brie Larson, Previews Her Role in 'The Marvels'". Variety. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  40. ^ a b Miller, Liz Shannon (December 11, 2020). "'Captain Marvel 2' Reveals New Release Date, Roles for Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau". Collider. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  41. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (December 11, 2020). "Captain Marvel 2: Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau Confirmed to Appear in MCU Sequel". IGN. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  42. ^ Hibberd, James (November 8, 2023). "'The Marvels' Divides Movie Critics: Breezy Fun vs. "Abject Misery"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  43. ^ Emberwing, Amelia (November 8, 2023). "The Marvels Isn't the Only Reason to Catch Up On Ms. Marvel". IGN. Archived from the original on November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  44. ^ O'Hara, Helen (November 8, 2023). "The Marvels Review". Empire. Archived from the original on November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  45. ^ "The Marvels review: One of these stars shines brighter than the others". Entertainment Weekly. November 8, 2023. Archived from the original on November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  46. ^ a b Nebens, Richard (August 6, 2022). "Marvel Confirms 18 MCU Characters Returning In Disney+ Zombies Show". The Direct. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  47. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (November 25, 2024). "Sofia Wylie, Alexander Ludwig, Alicia Witt & Greg Kinnear Among Seven Additions To YA Pic 'Shiver'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  48. ^ Holub, Christian (July 14, 2023). "'The Marvels' star Iman Vellani is writing a new Ms. Marvel comic". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  49. ^ Soto, Sophia (August 29, 2023). "Iman Vellani Discusses 'Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant' and Why the Character is so Timeless". Nerds of Color. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  50. ^ Salmon, Will (November 29, 2023). "Ms. Marvel actor Iman Vellani to co-write new Mutant Menace limited series which will send Kamala on "her most dangerous ride yet"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  51. ^ Shlesinger, Alex (June 5, 2024). "'Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace' #4 perfectly sets up Kamala's newest era while honoring her past". AIPT. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  52. ^ Johnston, Rich (May 1, 2024). "Marvel Comics Issues Full Checklist For Infinity Watch Annuals". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  53. ^ "MS. MARVEL ANNUAL #1 [IW] (2024) #1". Marvel (Product page). Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  54. ^ "Marvel Anniversary One-Shot Takes Readers to the 85th Century". Marvel (Press release). May 21, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  55. ^ "Disney+ Debuts Marvel Studios' "A Fan's Guide To Ms. Marvel"". DMED. June 1, 2022. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  56. ^ Paige, Rachel (June 1, 2022). "Discover Kamala Khan's Journey with 'A Fan Guide to Ms. Marvel' on Disney+". Marvel Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  57. ^ Truitt, Brian (May 19, 2022). "Exclusive sneak peek: Muslim teen 'Ms. Marvel' brings new perspective in Disney+ series". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  58. ^ "Next on Disney+: August 2022". DMED Media. July 19, 2022. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022. Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Ms. Marvel - Premiere – This installment of ASSEMBLED takes us on the journey of – ... with immersive footage from the making of the series, along with insightful interviews on set from the cast and crew of Ms. Marvel as we watch Iman Vellani and her character, Kamala Khan, become the fan-favorite superhero right before our eyes.
  59. ^ Paige, Rachel (August 3, 2022). "Marvel Studios' Assembled: The Making of Ms. Marvel Now Streaming on Disney+". Marvel. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  60. ^ "MS. MARVEL: THE NEW MUTANT by Iman Vellani, Sabir Pirzada: 9781302954901". Penguin Random House (product page). Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  61. ^ Johnston, Rich (May 1, 2024). "Marvel Comics Issues Full Checklist For Infinity Watch Annuals". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  62. ^ "MS. MARVEL ANNUAL #1 [IW] (2024) #1". Marvel (Product page). Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  63. ^ "Marvel Anniversary One-Shot Takes Readers to the 85th Century". Marvel (Press release). May 21, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  64. ^ Tinoco, Armando (August 12, 2022). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'The Batman', 'Nightmare Alley', 'Spider-Man', 'Better Call Saul' Top List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  65. ^ The Saturn Awards [@SaturnAwards] (October 25, 2022). "Congrats to #SaturnAwards Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Streaming) – #ImanVellani – @MsMarvel" (Tweet). Retrieved October 25, 2022 – via Twitter.
  66. ^ Davis, Clayton (February 22, 2023). "'The Batman,' 'RRR' and 'The Boys' Lead Critics Choice Super Awards Nominees for Film and Television". Variety. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  67. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 10, 2023). "The 2023 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  68. ^ "AwardsWatch - Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Nominations: 'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer' Lead". AwardsWatch. December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  69. ^ "AwardsWatch - Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: 'Oppenheimer,' Bradley Cooper, 'Godzilla Minus One' Top Winners". AwardsWatch. December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  70. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 17, 2023). "The 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  71. ^ Moye, Clarence (July 11, 2023). "2023 Hollywood Creative Alliance TV Awards: 'Yellowjackets', 'The Boys' Lead All Nominees with 14 Nominations". Awards Daily. Archived from the original on July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  72. ^ "Nominations announced for the Critics Choice Association's 4th Annual "Critics Choice Super Awards" honoring Superhero, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Horror, and Action Movies and Series". Critics Choice Association. March 7, 2024. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  73. ^ Davis, Clayton (April 4, 2024). "Tom Cruise, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone and 'Godzilla Minus One' Among Critics Choice Super Awards Winners". Variety. Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iman_Vellani&oldid=1262548901"