Why Stephanie Beatriz would be a sensational She-Hulk
By Mark Lynch
Here’s why Stephanie Beatriz would be the perfect pick to play She-Hulk.
She-Hulk is one of the many characters fans have been waiting to see in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and not just because she’s a Hulk. On top of her superhuman strength as a Hulk, she’s also a lawyer. Jennifer Walters is a strong, outspoken, and intelligent woman. She’s a perfect character to continue the trend of powerful women heroes. Recently, it was confirmed that a She-Hulk TV show has been added to the already stellar Disney Plus lineup. Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) were also announced, but it looks like She-Hulk is the big name here. Now that it’s announced, Jennifer Walters needs to be cast, and it looks like fans across the internet have already made their selection.
After the Disney D23 Expo, fans went to the internet to say that Stephanie Beatriz, who plays Detective Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, would be a perfect pick for the Sensational She-Hulk. During an interview with ET’s Brice Sander, she said, she “would die to play She-Hulk.” She then said:
"“I definitely have upped my workouts since reading some of those things. But also, [I think it would] be really exciting for fans to see some of these characters that we kind of decided are one thing, to sort of be imagined in a different way.”"
The first excuse naysayers will use is her ethnicity. Stephanie Beatriz is from Neuquen, Argentina. Bruce Banner, who’s her cousin, is white. Jennifer Walters is also white in the comic books. Allow me to dispel the first thing naysayers will use as a defense against this. First off, She-Hulk’s ethnicity doesn’t add or subtract from her character. If it did, this writer would be the person to say this was a bad choice. And since she is Bruce’s cousin, it’s easy to explain that someone who’s not directly related to her could be of a different nationality. That takes care of that problem.
Next, there’s her presence. This is crucial to Jennifer Walters when she’s not a CGI green gamma monster. When she’s in court, she has to look strong and confident. A weak lawyer isn’t something anybody wants to see. With her friends and teammates, she has to be witty while hiding her insecurity. She doesn’t always like being a Hulk. It’s like everything she’s done in Brooklyn Nine-Nine has trained her for this role. She has done all of this during this series and thensome.
The only concern that pops into my mind involves her facial expressions. Does Stephanie Beatriz have what it takes to do what Mark Ruffalo did when he was the Hulk? If what she said about extra workouts is true, then yes. If she’s dedicated to getting in shape physically, then there’s no doubt she would work on the facial expressions as well. During the interview, she seemed genuinely excited and honored to even be considered to play She-Hulk. That enthusiasm and passion goes a long way. With the creators and especially with the fans.
She-Hulk’s character could become one of the more important characters in the MCU, especially if Marvel Studios decides to go forward with an A-Force project. And even if they don’t, you can never have too many strong, female leads, especially ones headlining their own franchises. Stephanie Beatriz could be the one to take She-Hulk and make her legendary.
What do you think of this casting? Let us know in the comments below.