Birthdate: Sep 3, 2002
Birthplace: Karachi, Pakistan
Iman Vellani emerged as a fresh face in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2022 as the first Muslim-background superhero—Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. Vellani landed her role first on What’s App, through which she secured and won an audition for the lead role in the MCU streaming show, Ms. Marvel, in 2022. Riding on the success of the show, Vellani was cast as Ms. Marvel in Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated feature, The Marvels (2023), co-written and directed by Nia DaCosta, and co-starring Brie Larsen, Teyonah Parris, Samuel L. Jackson, Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-Joon, and Gary Lewis.
Vellani was cast as Ms. Marvel in Avengers: Secret Wars (2027), written by Michael Waldron and starring Jonathan Majors, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Kathryn Newton, Xochitl Gomez, Simu Liu, Anthony Mackie, Benedict Wong, and Dominique Thorne.
Iman Vellani was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and was raised in Markham, Ontario, Canada, by her parents, who moved to Canada when she was one year old. Vellani was raised in Shia Islam’s Ismaili branch. Vellani attended and graduated from Unionville High School in Markham. Vellani had intended to attend Ontario College of Art & Design University, specializing in integrated media studies. Vellani’s height is 5’ 6”.
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Film Festival Involvement: Iman Vellani was selected to the Next Wave Committee at the Toronto Film Festival in 2019.
First: Vellani, a huge fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (she can recite the first five minutes of the dialogue in Iron Man (2008)), was the first Muslim actor to play a titular superhero in a Marvel movie.