While fans of Ms. Marvel has talked about the new series at Disney +, at Unionville High School in Markham, Ontario, students are especially excited to see the show and its lead actor Iman Vellani.
“She was at our school, she’s one of us and a big Marvel star. It’s great, “said 9th grader Jahnavi Macharla.
“She really makes me proud.”
Vellani, who was born in Pakistan and moved to Canada with her parents when she had one, plays the main character, also known as Kamala Khan.
The show features Marvel’s first Muslim superhero and is based on the comic book series released in 2014. It is also Vellani’s first television series, and she says she still doesn’t quite believe she’s got the role. .
“It’s all so surreal … it’s the only way to describe it,” he said recently in an interview with CTV’s Etalk.
At Vellani High School, current South Asian students told CTV News that it is especially significant to be reflected in the Marvel movie universe.
“Since I was growing up, I’ve always seen characters who weren’t from South Asia, and I’ve never seen anyone I could relate to or admire,” said Ishleen Thakur, the 10th grade student.
But Vellani’s casting, the students said, makes them feel more represented on screen.
“It shows who we are and that we are capable of being part of the Hollywood industry and being able to do many other things that people expected of us,” said Devanshi Seth, a 9th grader. very happy to represent our culture, who we are and the school. “
While in high school, Vellani used to chase a street-side comic book store called Heroes World.
He said he was a big fan of the “Iron Man” series and one day he met Ms. Marvel. He was surprised that there was a Pakistani Muslim character with a background similar to his own.
“I didn’t have a lot of female superheroes I admired, and the fact that this comic raised a mirror in front of me was absolutely insane,” Vellani said. “She was Pakistani, she was Muslim and a fan of superheroes. I was a fan of Pakistani Muslim superheroes.”
Andre Greenidge, who runs Heroes World, says proudly that he sold his first Ms. Comic book to Vellani. Marvel.
“I feel like I’m on this roller coaster with her, because I’m so happy for her. She totally deserves it,” Greenidge told CTV News.
“I’ve never met anyone who played the character they represent so fully, so it’s really fantastic.”
Greenidge has a large collection of comics by Mrs. Marvel on display in the store and saw the first episode of the new series hours after its release. He said he thinks the show is very well done.
“Suddenly people will know her. It will be a family name, Ms. Marvel, just as people say Captain Marvel and Iron Man will also mention Ms. Marvel,” she said. “That’s how good the character is and that’s how good the show is.”