Fantastic Four’s Vanessa Kirby Went Full Nerd Prepping for MCU Role As Sue Storm

The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Vanessa Kirby details her preparation for playing Sue Storm in the upcoming Marvel film. Speaking with Empire as part of the magazine’s preview coverage for the summer blockbuster, the actress recalled the meeting she had with Marvel Studios before signing on for the role. Tapping into her admiration for the character, Kirby impressed people with her knowledge of Sue Storm, which is something that carried over when she was cast in First Steps. To ensure she gave the best performance possible, Kirby studied up on science and familiarized herself with the terminology.

“I’m such a Sue nerd,” Kirby said. “I think I out-nerded everyone in that room. I got so into quantum physics. It’s sad how much I got into it. I could waffle on about cellular vibration frequency.”

After making a name for herself in everything from smaller, character-driven dramas (Pieces of a Woman) to action blockbusters (the Mission: Impossible movies), Kirby is making her Marvel debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The actress will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the foreseeable future, as her Sue Storm is set to appear in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. In First Steps, Sue is pregnant and gives birth to baby Franklin.

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Kirby is the third actress to play Sue in a Fantastic Four movie this century. One of her predecessors, Jessica Alba, shared her piece of advice after Kirby was officially cast. Alba said Kirby should “just have fun” and savor the experience, citing the great times she had on set and interacting with the fans.

Well before the First Steps casting announcements, Kirby had emerged as a popular choice to play Sue in the MCU’s Fantastic Four reboot. After seeing these comments, it’s easy to see why. She was prepared for the role from the jump, demonstrating a keen understanding of what makes the character great. Marvel’s superheroes stand out because they’re just as interesting outside of the costume as they are when they’re fighting villains. In order for The Fantastic Four: First Steps to work, audiences need to care about Reed Richards, Sue, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm as people. The level of preparation Kirby put into the role indicates she’s committed to accurately portraying all aspects of Sue so her interpretation resonates with viewers whether she’s in the middle of an action scene or trying to solve a scientific problem.

Considering how important The Fantastic Four: First Steps is to Marvel’s Multiverse Saga, getting the casting right was extremely pertinent. Based on what’s been said about the actors (see: director Matt Shakman’s explanation for why he cast Pedro Pascal as Reed) and what audiences have seen so far in First Steps marking materials, it seems like the ensemble will be one of the movie’s greatest strengths. All of the actors look to capture the spirit of their respective characters and embody their roles, which should make them impactful additions to the MCU. Going back to the Phase 1 days, Marvel has always had a keen eye for casting, and it’s great to see that hasn’t changed now.