Root For The Villain In Marvel’s AntMan And The Wasp: Hannah John-Kamen Exclusive Interview

During our secret AntMan and The Wasp set visit, director Payton Reed told us he anticipated everyone to have much to say about Hannah John-Kamen and  The Ghost.  While I did not know much about either before this new Marvel movie, I have to say that I Root for the Villain in Marvel’s AntMan and The Wasp! Get to know The Ghost- Hannah John-Kamen Exclusive Interview.  She kicks-butt and rocks it as The Ghost.

I was invited by Disney to the AntMan and the Wasp Set in Atlanta in Pinewood Studios and Press Junket. All geeking out over The AntMan and The Wasp and opinions shared are my own.

Hannah John-Kamen Exclusive Interview

With The Ghost, we have another Marvel Cinematic Universe creative license from the comic books.  Originally, this was an IronMan villain and a MAN!  British actress Hannah John-Kamen does a superb job introducing her character into the MCU.  She doesn’t only show you, she practically makes you feel all of “Ava’s” emotions in the movie.  You have seen her work before in The Game of Thrones and the film Ready Player One.  Her energy and contagious laugh along with her cool sense of style captivated us.  Get to know her a bit more via our exclusive interview:

Becoming Ava, The Ghost

She was already an AntMan fan, so when her agent called to explain what the project was about she was totally in. 

H John-Kamen: “I was so excited to join the Marvel Universe, but it was also daunting. It’s overwhelming. It’s a huge responsibility to take this amazing character off the comic book page and be the first person to introduce it into an incredible movie with incredible cast members, which, they’re heroes in life. They are legends. So, yeah, it was amazing. Very exciting.”.

Like for everyone we have talked to about being in a Marvel movie, it is simply the best experience ever: “I got the call saying you got it. I screamed and danced to Miley Cyrus.” 

She added that her casting experience had been totally fun.  So much so that she walked away thinking if she didn’t get the role she still had the time of her life!  It was the best day ever for her.

Root for the villain in Marvel’s AntMan and The Wasp

While there is no backstory on Ava Starr, The Ghost’s, the way MCU shaped her and Hannah’s delivery makes it impossible for you not to want to help her out at some point in the movie. In her words: “The character in the comic books, Ghost, didn’t have a whole lot of backstory. That was really great because we have the freedom to create this character and find out who she is.”.  She also says:“I think Marvel does that genius job with the villainous characters to really not make it black and white,” she said. “They make it gray… you kinda feel sorry for them. I approached the character as if she’s the good guy. And, through my eyes, she’s the good guy. She’s got a job – got her objective. The stakes are really high. But, in the Marvel Universe anything’s possible.”

Girl power and inspiration

Evangeline Lilly hands down delivers a powerful new female superhero in The Wasp.  When we asked her what it was like on set for the two of them she leaned in and shared their secret: “We [would] say girl power all the time. And then we chest bump. That was awesome.”  But beyond that, Hannah tell us that she hopes:” “I want them to come away and just basically go, yeah. Yeah. With me and Evangeline, I want young girls to go we can be badass. And I want them to have our action figurines and actually play with them and go:  do you know what? I can be strong just like they are.”.

At any rate, I think that Hannah’ words on her work say it best: “To have a male character and be the first person to lift it off the page and give her life and make her a strong, badass woman is so important and progressive and onwards and upwards.”.

Suiting up as The Ghost

I confess I want to suit up as Black Widow and The Wasp. I’m a bit put off by the mask that  The Ghost uses.  Hannah tells us that suiting up was a daunting task that evolved with time:

H. John-Kamen: “I remember turning up on my first day. The suit does [is] a bit of a process. It’s like 40 pieces. There’s a table with all these pieces of gray bits all being clipped together. By the end of the movie we had it down to under ten minutes – around seven minutes to get the costume on and off, though it’s a three-man job. But putting that suit on and just the sheer size of the studio and going in and seeing the set and standing there and going ‘holy high, I made it. I’m here. This is nuts.’ I’m pinching myself. It’s definitely a moment that doesn’t sink in. But also you feel really badass.”.

Star-struck by co-stars

About Paul Rudd she says:”He is hilarious. He was really fun… it was really easy to work with Paul. I was nervous. I was star struck – ‘Oh, my God, it’s Paul Rudd from Clueless!…who hasn’t aged by the way.”.

About Michelle Pfeifer:”I got very, very, very, very star struck. I’m a huge fan. I remember actually [from] Grease 2, me and my sister used to make up dances in front of the TV to all of her songs all the time. I was obsessed with her Catwoman, I thought she was so badass. I thought she set that bar so high. She’s an incredible actress, you know, all of her incredible movies. It was daunting, but you kind of use that. ”.

AntMan and The Wasp Is Everything!

This is probably my new favorite Marvel movie and I can’t stop loving everything about it.

If you haven’t seen it yet, it is playing in theaters everywhere already.  You need to go watch it.  If you have seen it, you will probably follow my lead and watch it again.  OK maybe not the four times I have but for sure twice and even a third time, right?

For all things AntMan and The Wasp do read:

AntMan and The Wasp is appropriate for children.  

AntMan and The Wasp Secret Set visit

Paul Rudd exclusive set visit interview: AntMan fun facts

Evangeline Lilly exclusive set visit interview: women can’t do it all

Abby Ryder Forton: Getting to know AntMan’s Cassie

Director Peyton Reed exclusive set visit interview: Do AntMan and The Wasp need each other?

Is AntMan and The Wasp Appropriate for Children?

Does Paul Rudd spill Marvel Secrets?

Evangeline Lilly Rocks it as The Wasp

Laurence Fishburne on his post-credit scene reaction exclusive interview

Marvel Superhero moment for Michael Douglas 

The Wasp Cupcake topper DIY

Privacy -Disclosure