Gemma Chan is a name swiftly becoming ubiquitous.
From the breakout romantic-comedy Crazy Rich Asians to the upcoming historical drama Mary Queen of Scots, the star has moved from TV to silver screens
Most will recognise her as the main character in Channel 4’s dystopian drama Humans, where she plays a sentient robot.
Now she’s set to star in one of the biggest movie franchises ever.
Who is Gemma Chan playing in Captain Marvel movie?
Minn-Erva is a Kree alien described by Marvel as an exceptional scientist.
She is also a spy, said to have similar powers to Captain Marvel herself, which makes sense given Captain Marvel received them from a Kree alien herself.
In the comic books, Minn-Erva comes to Earth as Doctor Minerva, attempting to locate her Kree alien captain Mar-Vell.
Mar-Vell is the alien whose DNA fused with Captain Marvel, granting her superpowers.
Minn-Erva has had a complicated past within the Marvel Universe.
She is obsessed with the evolution of the Kree race, who seem to have stagnated, to the point where she has taken some drastic paths to achieve her dream.
How close to the source material the Captain Marvel movie remains true is yet to be confirmed.
Few details surrounding Minn-Erva, or anything else Captain Marvel related, have been released.
Gemma Chan posted a photo of herself with a chic new haircut, presumably done for the character, when Captain Marvel filming wrapped.
During an interview with Radio Times, Chan said she was nervous to take on the role of Minn-Erva.
“There’s lots of action, and I’ve been doing a little bit of training, but not as much as Brie,” Chan admitted.
Chan is not unaware of the impact a movie like Crazy Rich Asians has for representation.
But even starring as Minn-Erva in a movie like Captain Marvel scores points for representation.
“It’s something I want little girls and little boys to watch and to feel that they can do anything,” Chan said in an interview with The Lily.
Minn-Erva’s obsession with evolution and DNA may be an integral part of how Captain Marvel gets her powers.
While in the comics, Minn-Erva was imprisoned by her own species after the comic book Civil War II, the movie may find a different fate for her.
Captain Marvel is in cinemas on March 8, 2019.