‘Captain Marvel’: Gemma Chan Breaks Down Minn-Erva, Joining MCU

Joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a milestone in any actor’s career, Captain Marvel‘s Gemma Chan included. Chan has a tremendous amount of momentum on the heels of Crazy Rich Asians and the lead role in Humans but admits that a Marvel Studios film is unlike any experience she has had in the past.

“It’s amazing to be part of a project where people are so dedicated and so knowledgeable and they really, they know their stuff,” Chan told ComicBook.com (in the video above). “They know the history and the evolution of each of the characters, through all the different iterations through the comics, it’s amazing, it’s amazing to see that passion and that love for these characters. There’s a bit of pressure as well, like you wanna kinda live up to their expectation. Hopefully we do.”

In Captain Marvel, Chan brings the Marvel Comics character of Minn-Erva to live-action life for the first time in the character’s history. Minn-Erva has a deep-seeded history in the cosmic side of those books, a Kree soldier and a genius geneticist for the alien race.

Chan admits she wasn’t familiar with the character of Minn-Erva prior to getting the role in Captain Marvel (a fact which most moviegoers will likely relate to). “I wasn’t like an avid comic book reader, I’ve watched most of the films in the MCU and I knew who Captain Marvel was,” the actress explained. “But yeah this has been, it’s been really kind of a fun ride, like a fun induction into this world which the fans are very passionate, very knowledgeable. I hope they enjoy the movie.”

While Captain Marvel is destined to succeed following positive reviews and exceedingly impressive pre-release ticket sales, the idea of a sequel becomes a part of the conversation immediately. As for Minn-Erva, Chan is certainly willing to tell more of the characters story which is richer in Marvel Comics. “If they wanna go there, yeah, there is a lot of stuff there that you could delve into,” Chan said. “As you say those other relationships and allegiances could be interesting.”

It’s no easy feat to play an alien, though. Following the leads of Michael Rooker, Dave Bautista, and Zoe Saldana before her, Chan joins the painted body club in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Captain Marvel. “You definitely don’t feel like you, I mean after going through four hours of hair and makeup, you’re in the suit,” Chan explained. In Captain Marvel, she has to appear head-to-toe blue but also wear a Kree body suit costume. “You can’t walk like you normally walk. It’s pretty stiff. I sorta had to train for the suit because it’s kinda like wearing a resistance suit. Even just to lift your arms up takes a lot more kind of energy and effort. You do feel like you’re in character. There’s no mistaking it when you’re in all of that.”

Audiences won’t be mistaking anything about Chan’s role as a Kree soldier when Captain Marvel opens in theaters on March 8.