Why Tatiana Maslany Is Marvel’s Perfect She-Hulk

Marvel fans have cause to celebrate with the news that Tatiana Maslany will be playing She-Hulk in the upcoming Disney+ series; here’s why Maslany is the perfect actor for the job. She-Hulk, also known as Jennifer Walters, is Bruce Banner’s cousin who receives Hulk powers after an emergency blood transfusion following an accident. Disney+ announced its plans for a She-Hulk series in 2019, and though little is known about the plot, the She-Hulk comic library spans 40 years, meaning Marvel has plenty of options. Production will be inevitably delayed by COVID-19, but this new bit of casting news has sparked excitement among fans and renewed buzz about the highly anticipated series.

Director Kat Coiro is also joining the She-Hulk team, and is known for her work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Dead to Me, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine., while Rick and Morty scribe Jessica Gao is set to serve as head writer. Tatiana Maslany is best known for her work in the series Orphan Black, in which she plays over a dozen clones, making up a hefty percentage of the show’s leading cast and earning an Emmy award for her work. Her other roles cover a diverse range, from theatre to television, and include a small arc on comedy series Parks and Rec, the multimedia Broadway play Network, biopic Stronger, and, most recently, crime drama series Perry Mason. Here’s why Maslany is the perfect person to play Marvel’s She-Hulk.

Maslany has proven over the course of her career that she is an acting powerhouse; she is a chameleon in Orphan Black, seamlessly playing multiple characters with distinct mannerisms, voices, and body language. She will undoubtedly deliver a magnetic and lived-in performance as She-Hulk, which will cater well to the many sides of the character, not least of which is the dynamic between Jennifer Walters and her alter ego. While some She-Hulk storylines from the comics are more lighthearted, others take a much more serious tone. Maslany has proven that her comedy chops are just as strong as her dramatic ones with several hilarious moments from Orphan Black to contrast her more serious roles both in that series and in films like Stronger, which portrays a real-life tragedy. This means she can easily play both sides of the character brilliantly.

Orphan Black has also prepared Maslany for the technical challenges that may come with a role like She-Hulk. In behind-the-scenes videos and interviews, fans have had the opportunity to learn a lot about how Orphan Black was made, and how scenes featuring multiple clones were filmed and assembled. Often executing highly choreographed blocking, working with green screens, and performing with her acting double Kathryn Alexandre, Maslany has a demonstrable talent for maintaining the stakes of her performance in technically demanding conditions. She-Hulk will likely employ different methods, but Maslany will certainly be able to apply her skills to a process like motion capture, the use of special effects makeup, or any other technical procedure the show may choose to employ.

Finally, in addition to her immense talent and skill as an actor, Maslany brings with her a loyal fanbase and a frankly delightful personality. Fans of Maslany’s other projects who may not have had an initial interest in She-Hulk may gravitate towards the series due to her involvement, and her performance could lead to critical acclaim. In interviews, she is consistently engaged in discussions about her work, supportive of her enthusiastic fanbase, and genuinely friendly with her cast mates. Already having been welcomed by Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo, who fans hope will appear in She-Hulk, Tatiana Maslany will undoubtedly fit into the Marvel family with ease as an exciting new part of Phase 4.