Iman Vellani

About Iman Vellani

Iman Vellani, a Canadian performer of Pakistani heritage, has made her mark on screen as Kamala Khan. She brought the titular character to life in the Disney+ limited series Ms. Marvel, which debuted in 2022. Vellani then stepped back into the role for the 2023 feature film, The Marvels. Born in Karachi, Pakistan, she relocated to Canada with her family at just one year old. Her upbringing was within the Ismaili tradition, a sect of Shia Islam. Vellani completed her secondary education at Unionville High School in Markham, Ontario. Prior to her breakout role, she was involved with the film world as part of the TIFF Next Wave Committee at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. She had been considering pursuing integrated media studies at the Ontario College of Art & Design University before Ms. Marvel came her way during her final year of high school. The path to becoming Ms. Marvel for Vellani involved a surprisingly modern connection: WhatsApp. She shared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that her aunt shared a casting notice through the messaging app. Vellani submitted what she described as a very academic resume and her sole headshot, along with a self-taped audition sent at 3 a.m. The very next day, she received a call inquiring about legal representation and an invitation to Los Angeles, to which she humorously responded about having a math test but being ready to sort things out.