Steven Spielberg Recommended Hannah John-Kamen for Ant-Man & The Wasp

[Black Panther]

Steven Spielberg helped Hannah John-Kamen land her Ant-Man & The Wasp role by personally writing a letter endorsing her to director Peyton Reed. Playing Ava aka. Ghost - a mysterious villain who can phase through objects - John-Kamen squares off with Paul Rudd's shrinking superhero, Ant-Man, alongside his new (and more capable) partner, Wasp, played by Evangeline Lilly in the latest Marvel offering.

John-Kamen has a solid working portfolio with stints in HBO's juggernaut series, Game of Thrones and British science fiction anthology series, Black Mirror. But in 2018, she's officially made the jump from being a TV star to a movie actress with three blockbuster hits under her belt - Ant-Man & The Wasp, Tomb Raider, and Ready Player One, where she worked with Spielberg. And as it turns out, their great working relationship helped her land her Marvel gig thanks to a personal letter written by the famed filmmaker vouching for her.

Reed, who returned to helm the sequel after directing its 2015 predecessor, recalled reading the letter: “It said, ‘Dear Peyton. I’m excited you’re doing the movie and I just want to put in the good word for Hannah. I worked with her and she was terrific. Signed, Steven Spielberg.'," during a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times. The same media outlet also spoke with John-Kamen, who opened up about the glowing recommendation. The actress couldn't be any more thankful to the critically acclaimed filmmaker saying, “To have a letter from Steven Spielberg – come on, who says that out loud? It’s really wonderful, and it’s an honor." Considering her acting resume, who's to say that John-Kamen wouldn't have nabbed the part without Spielberg's endorsement? Nonetheless, to be vouched for by arguably one of the best working directors today certainly didn't hurt her cause.

Further talking about the role, the 28-year-old actress shared that she's still thrilled about the opportunity to board the MCU train. “It was just incredible, and I’m still pinching myself," she admitted. But with the added pressure knowing that Spielberg personally helped her getting the part, she made sure to portray the character as best as she could.

“I approached her as not being a villain. In my mind it’s everyone else’s fault; they’re the bad guys. I’m the good guy, and it’s every man and woman for herself. She’s a complex cookie. She’s got a lot of depth and she’s vulnerable. I think the audience are going to be very, very confused as to how they feel about her.”

Only the second female villain in the MCU, following Cate Blanchett's Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, many were obviously looking forward to what John-Kamen will bring to the table. And based on what she's given in Ant-Man & The Wasp, she did a good job of bringing a complex character like Ghost to life. But unlike the Goddess of Death, Ava's narrative seems to be just getting started. After Janet helped her fully heal herself, there's a good chance that fans will see more of her in future films in the series, and maybe even spearhead the franchise's live-action version of the Thunderbolts just like in the comics.

KEY RELEASE DATES
Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018
Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019
The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019
Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019