Emmy-winning ‘Ozark’ star Julia Garner is stepping into the Marvel Cinematic Universe this summer with her role in ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps,’ where she takes on the iconic mantle of the Silver Surfer. This version of the character is a fresh take, as Garner plays Shalla-Bal, a female iteration of the cosmic, chrome-skinned, surfboard-gliding hero — a departure from the version seen in 2007’s ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.’

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Garner reflected on her journey to the role, which was officially revealed in the latest Fantastic Four trailer released last week. She shared that her initial meeting with director Matt Shakman took place over a meal in Burbank. The discussion was so broad and free-flowing that she walked away uncertain, assuming she might not land the part after all.

Garner: “I was confused because I was like, ‘Wait, isn’t the Silver Surfer a man?’ I was just like, ‘Okay, well, I’ll play anything.’ I was a very big fan of Matt’s, so there was already, in my mind, like, ‘I should probably meet with Matt Shakman because he’s a very smart director and I love his work.’ And then he was explaining to me that it’s actually Shalla-Bal and that whole thing. He wasn’t telling me a whole bunch about the movie, but we were talking a lot about the 1960s. Our meeting went all over the place, and I thought I wasn’t actually going to get the part because the meeting was all over the place. I was like, ‘I don’t know how he will hire me for this job.’ I mean, we were talking about communism, brutalist architecture, all this stuff. And then they were like, ‘You got it.’ I was like, ‘Wait, what?’ So I think that we vibed, but you never know, basically, is what I’m saying.”

As in the Marvel comics, Shalla-Bal serves as the herald of Galactus — the massive, world-consuming entity voiced by Ralph Ineson in the film. Clad entirely in gleaming silver and soaring through space on a cosmic surfboard, the role required Garner to dive into motion capture work for the first time in her career.

“That was my first time doing that technology, and it was crazy,” the actress said. “It was such a surreal experience. It was wild. Normally, last looks would be hair and makeup, and then all of a sudden, it was just wires.”

Although she hasn’t yet seen the final version of her character on screen, Garner hinted that her take on the Silver Surfer will resonate with Marvel fans. She noted that this version stands apart from previous portrayals, thanks to the film’s unique retro-futuristic style.

“I just thought it was so cool. It kind of oddly looked like … well, I don’t want to say fashion-y, but you could totally see it on, I felt like, a runway, which is something I always notice the best. The costume has to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, especially with Marvel. People love that. At the end of the day, it is a comic book. I’m excited to see it — I really haven’t seen anything besides the trailer and some mockup scenes, so it’s going to be interesting.”

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ launches into theatres July 25, 2025.

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