Director Kat Coiro Recalls Why She Had To Talk Jameela Jamil Into Playing The She-Hulk Villain Titania - Exclusive
If "The Good Place" taught us anything, it's that Jameela Jamil makes one hell of a posh influencer. Now, imagine Tahani amped up to 11 with a superhero kick, and we've got Jameela Jamil's "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" character Titania. On top of the flawless glittery looks she serves, Titania packs quite a punch — strong enough to give She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) a run for her money.
Jamil and "She-Hulk" director Kat Coiro first worked together on Coiro's movie "Marry Me," starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez. Though Jamil only had a small role, her stellar performance was enough to hook Coiro, who immediately knew that she had to get Jamil on board for "She-Hulk" when the opportunity came along.
During an exclusive interview with Looper, Coiro revealed why Jamil was hesitant to take on an MCU role, why Jamil was the perfect person for the role, and what she brought to the experience.
A super influencer
Discussing why Jameela Jamil was the perfect person to play Titania, Kat Coiro said, "I actually cast Jameela in my film 'Marry Me' in a very small part. I remember the first time I went into a costume fitting with her, my jaw actually dropped because she is so larger than life, and her presence and her charisma [are] almost superhuman." Coiro immediately knew Jamil was right for the role, adding, "When I saw the role of Titania, I actually knew there was nobody else."
While most actors would jump into the MCU with no questions asked, Jamil had some understandable reservations about joining the franchise. "I had to talk her into it a little bit because she, for whatever reason, didn't feel like she should be a part of MCU," Coiro explained. "She was afraid of doing action, but really, there's nobody else who could play that social media influencer, understand it on a fundamental level, but also be totally willing to poke fun at it at the same time." Of course, Jamil was absolutely the right call, and she's phenomenal in the role — from the personality right down to the action sequences.
New episodes of "She-Hulk" stream Thursdays on Disney+.