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Marvel's Avengers star Sandra Saad on the importance of her Muslim character being "three-dimensional"
The newest addition to the Avengers has spoken out about the importance of creating a multi-dimensional character.
Sandra Saad, who plays Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel in the recently-released Marvel's Avengers game, explained that it's important not to focus on a character's specific differences – for example, that Kamala Khan is Muslim – but the character as a whole.
"Kamala's not a token – she's a real person," Saad explained in The Independent. "I feel like, all too often, when you do see Muslim characters – or specific characters that have something about them that's different – they focus really heavily on that and that's all that becomes of the character."
"The great thing about Kamala Khan is she's not just Muslim. She's not just Pakistani. She's not just hopeful. She's a fully actualised three-dimensional character with a life, a background and a family. She's a first-generation American – she's a lot."
Saad also went on to say that representation in the media is so important and more needs to be done to ensure diversity on screen.
She notes that casting directors and studios might have to step out of their comfort zone and find new talent rather than just cast the same actors again and again.
Saad explained: "But just taking that extra step to look for a new talent can be very important for those people watching who are that same race."
Ms Marvel has appeared in other video games, but Saad's iteration is the first as a lead character, paving the way to finally seeing the character on TV screens.
It was announced last year that Disney+ will be bringing the first Muslim superhero to headline her own Marvel comic to the streaming service.
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