Ms. Marvel Disney+ Show Casts Orange Is the New Black's Alysia Reiner

By Pierre Chanliau Updated:
Alysia Reiner, Ms Marvel

Filming for Ms. Marvel seems to be going smoothly considering current circumstances. Production has been continuing in Atlanta, Georgia, with the latest set photos showing off a potential confrontation with the police . However, fans are still learning about the cast for the show every other week, such as confirmation of Laurel Marsden playing Zoe Zimmer .

Other rumored casting pointed to Laith Nakli as Sheikh Abdullah , which was later confirmed in a cast reveal , but it seems like the show still has some surprises in store. The same actor recently made a social media post saying that he has finished filming for his role as Abdullah and off-handedly mentions a new cast member who also wrapped filming.

ORANGE IS THE NEW CAST MEMBER

In an Instagram post confirming that he has wrapped filming for Ms. Marvel , Laith Nakli indirectly revealed that Alysia Reiner, best known for her role as Natalie “Fig” Figueroa in Orange Is the New Black , was cast in the show in an undisclosed role.

Nakli's post reads:

“And that’s a wrap for Ms. Marvel what an experience. Just when I thought it couldn’t get better it did when Alysia Reiner joined the cast. 16 years of friendship and working together. Thank you Sana Amanat and bad ass directors Bilall Fallah, Adil El Arbi, Meera Menon, and the incredible cast!! Can’t wait for the world to see this show. Also can’t wait to see you New York !!”

ANOTHER VILLAIN?

What’s interesting about this post by Nakli is that he did not thank Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the fourth director for Ms. Marvel , which indicates that she didn't direct any scenes with him. The series will reportedly film in Bangkok, Thailand next month, likely as a representation for scenes in Karachi, Pakistan. Considering this, it's expected that Nakil's character, Sheikh Abdullah, won't have a prescene in these Pakistani sequences.

The role that Alysia Reiner has in Ms. Marvel is a mystery. As there haven't been any reports about a villain cast for the show aside from Rish Shah as Kamran, it's possible that Renier could be stepping in the villain shoes, especially considering that she's not unfamiliar with playing opposite the protagonist in her past work. It was rumored before filming that the show intended to cast Kamala's first villain from the comics, The Inventor , but there has been no development on that front.

There had not been any word on Reiner's involvement in the Ms . Marvel series until today, so anything is possible with the type and extent of her MCU role.

- About The Author: Pierre Chanliau
Pierre Chanliau began as a news & feature writer for The Direct at the site's launch in 2020. As a longtime reader of superhero comic books, Pierre's knowledge of Marvel and DC is extensive, informing his reporting and editorial pieces regarding the MCU and DCU.