1. She is proud of her Pakistani-Muslim roots

Vellani was born in 2002 to Pakistani-Muslim parents in Ontario, Canada. She’s proud to be cast as the Marvel Universe’s first Muslim hero.

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“The fact that the show is being made and they’re including this character in the MCU is [what’s important],” she 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.”

2. Ms. Marvel is her acting debut

Ms. Marvel will be Vellani’s first big break. She was scouted in the summer of 2020 when Marvel was testing actors, finding Vellani by late August to early September, per The Hollywood Reporter. Although at the time Vellani had yet to be on the big screen, she had in fact already been behind it, working with a team of students in 2019 for Toronto Film Festival’s (TIFF) Next Wave Committee, according to BuzzFeed. During her experience, she and her peers took part in the selection process of TIFF films that had the potential to resonate with the youth. And the young to-be starlet had an inclination towards more diverse casts.

“We want stories from different genders and different countries and different people,” she told CBC. “I think that’s really important because then people are going to understand each other. Even if they can’t relate to it, you learn from it … Our big goal is to just help people understand other perspectives.”

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3. She is passionate about cinema

While Vellani’s superhero-obsessed character Kamala Khan writes fanfiction about her idols, in particular Captain Marvel, the real-life actress bears a relatable resemblance. As a film nerd, Vellani writes reviews and opinions on Letterboxd about the films she’s watched.

Surprisingly, she ranked Captain Marvel at only two stars, but clarified that, “These stars are not for Brie Larson, I will sacrifice my own life for Brie Larson.” Some of her other sarcastic reviews include “OK OK now explain it like I’m a child,” for Tenet (2020) and “Don’t be shy, show galactus,” for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). She also wrote “Hey girls wanna see my spirit stick?” for Bring It On (2000).

Besides her occasional film critiques, she has also produced three home-made short films and posted them to video sharing platform Vimeo, showcasing her natural talent in directing.

4. She is a huge fan of Iron Man

While her character Kamala Khan adores Carol Danvers, Vellani’s heart belongs to Tony Stark. When asked who she would play in a movie, in an interview for the TIFF Next Wave Committee, she said “Iron Man … Duh”.

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Her Letterboxd profile also highlights Iron Man (2008) as among her most favourite films. Moreover, one of her Vimeo videos features figurines of Ms. Marvel and Iron Man dancing. She’s also got an Iron Man poster on her wall and addresses her love for the superhero: “If only Tony were here.”

5. She supports the LGBTQ+ community

Vellani is also an avid supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. She named her favourite TIFF movie as And Then We Danced (2019). “It is a refreshing take on the queer coming-of-age story. The way that unspoken words are communicated through dance is tender and beautiful.”

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6. She thinks she is “curious, adventurous, meticulous”