Marvel Studios' She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is now out in the world with its first episode, giving fans a first taste of Tatiana Maslany's Jennifer Walters in action. But even with only one episode under their belt, Maslany and the team have already had to deal with their fair share of criticism regarding the final visual product brought to the small screen, particularly with how She-Hulk herself looks.
Much of this has to do with the lack of muscles that She-Hulk's superhero form boasts, even though she stands with a presence at over six and a half feet tall. Reports even indicated that Marvel avoided giving She-Hulk muscles that were too big, seemingly revealing that the studio was intent on making her look slimmer than her comic counterpart for unknown reasons.
Director Kat Coiro explained this decision by noting how Jen's new form is meant for practicality in order to help her maintain as normal of a life as possible, even while being over six feet tall and green at times.
Now, the show's star herself joined the conversation about She-Hulk's muscles, sharing how she feels it works with what the show is trying to deliver in its story.
Tatiana Maslany Talks She-Hulk's Muscles
Speaking with AP Entertainment, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law star Tatiana Maslany joined the discussion about She-Hulk's lack of muscles in the Disney+ show.
She noted that the conversation is an interesting one, especially with so many people seeing the chance to have "a very muscular woman" on-screen in a way that isn't seen very often. But she also explained that in the story itself, Jen Walters is so focused on "the perception from the outside" when she's in both of her bodies, always working to make sure she's perceived the right way no matter what she shows:
"There has been critique that her body’s not muscular, and to me, I kind of find that to be an interesting conversation to have, too. There is an opportunity here for a very muscular woman, which is something that we don’t often see on screen, and I feel people in that desire, I feel that. So much of her is about the perception from the outside, and so much of her is about the way people look at her differently depending on which body she’s presenting at that time. Jen Walters is received very differently than She-Hulk is, and that outward response and feedback tells her something about herself."
She-Hulk's Strength Comes from Other Places
With She-Hulk coming to the small screen completely through computer animation, Marvel Studios had a unique opportunity to bring this heroine into her first live-action project ever. And according to Tatiana Maslany's quotes, the final product was the result of how Marvel wanted her character to evolve as she took on her first solo story.
Considering that Jen's origin story is portrayed a little bit differently from the comics, she now has to adjust to an entirely new life as she balances her career as a lawyer and her place as the world's newest superhero. This all comes on top of trying to be perceived the right way by the public, which becomes increasingly difficult with an association with the Hulk and the Avengers.
As this show continues to evolve, while She-Hulk's muscles may not be there the way they were in the comics, her own acceptance of herself and her life will be what drives her forward to new heights.
The first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is now streaming on Disney+.
