Iman Vellani

Born in Karachi, Pakistan, Iman Vellani and her family immigrated to Markham, Ontario when she was a year old. Attending Unionville High School, she was selected as a member of the TIFF Next Wave Committee in her junior year for the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. She had her life planned, to attend the Ontario College of Art and Design University and study integrated media. This all changed when she was cast in the leading role of Ms. Marvel during her final year of high school.

Iman's aunt was the one to push her to audition, emailing her the original casting call. The studio found her perfect for the job, as she was the same as her character Kamala Khan — a huge Marvel superfan. During a Zoom screen test, an executive producer on the series asked Vellani to pan her camera around the room, where every corner of her bedroom was covered with Avengers merchandise.

When Ms. Marvel was released on Disney+ in 2022, Iman was showered in praise for her role. The Hollywood Reporter said she brought "youthful verve and irresistible moxie" as Ms. Marvel. The show was so loved that it produced two documentaries about the making of the show in 2022: A Fan's Guide to Ms. Marvel and Marvel Studios: Assembled – The Making of Ms. Marvel. She also found herself nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Superhero Series.

Despite her love for acting, Iman aspires to be a cinematographer, having experience from her work with TIFF. She posts videos on Vimeo of her work under the account "Iman Vellani."

Iman will be revisiting her role as Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel in the film The Marvels (2023), alongside Captain Marvel and Monia Rambeau.

Filmography:

The Marvels (2023)