Get ready because everyone is going to know Iman Vellani’s name come June 2022. Iman is just 19 years old and has already nabbed the role of a lifetime. She stars in the new Disney+ series Ms. Marvel.
So, who is Iman Vellani? This is truly her breakout moment. From her role in Ms. Marvel to how she’s making history, HollywoodLife has rounded up 5 key things to know about Iman.
1. Iman Vellani plays Kamala Khan.
Iman’s casting was announced back in 2020. Iman plays Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager growing up in Jersey City. Kamala is a superhero mega-fan and is described as an “avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe. ” She is a huge fan of Captain Marvel and soon gets superpowers just like the superheroes she’s always looked up to.
2. ‘Ms. Marvel’ is her onscreen debut.
The Disney+ series marks Iman’s first-ever role. When Ms. Marvel premieres on June 8, it will be Iman’s TV debut. She is also set to reprise the role of Ms. Marvel in the upcoming Marvel film The Marvels alongside Brie Larson.
3. Iman is Marvel’s first-ever Muslim hero.
Iman is making history as Marvel’s first Muslim hero. Like her character, Iman was born to Pakistani Muslim parents. “The fact that the show is being made and they’re including this character in the MCU is [what’s important],” Iman told Variety. “I don’t really have to go out of my way and talk about being a Muslim and being Pakistani — it all comes out in the show. People seeing a person like me involved in a project as big as this is, I think, inspiring enough.”
4. Iman is from Canada.
Iman is from Ontario, Canada. Before getting the role of Ms. Marvel, Iman graduated from Unionville High School in Ontario.
5. She was recognized at TIFF.
Iman is a star on the rise. She was selected as a new member of the TIFF Next Wave Committee at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. This committee is a group of 12 students ages 15 to 18 who were selected from a group of young film enthusiasts.