The star of upcoming Marvel series She-Hulk: Attorney At Law says her character brings a “hyper-awareness and autonomy” that audience members want and need.
Tatiana Maslany, who plays the eponymous green superhero, said the story behind the nine-part Disney series was “very prescient”.
The actress, 36, stars alongside Mark Ruffalo, who reprises his role as Bruce Banner, as well as British talent including Benedict Wong and Jameela Jamil.
She-Hulk follows Jennifer Walters, a cousin of Banner, who must navigate the complicated life of a single, 30-something woman, who is also a six-foot seven super-powered Hulk.
Speaking about her character at the Los Angeles premiere of the series on Monday, Maslany told the PA news agency the story was “universal”.
“In the comics (She-Hulk) was always irreverent and always looking back at the audience and at the system within which she was functioning,” she said.
“I think that is a story that feels very prescient and feels very much like what so many of us are wanting is like a character with such a hyper awareness and such an autonomy and all of that, but who’s also in the system that they’re fighting against.
“I think that’s a very universal story.”
Ruffalo added: “With social media. I think we’re all like half in it and half out of it watching and going ‘when do we get the break? When do we get the break free from this?
“When do we get to break the third wall, the fourth wall and be real.”
Asked how he felt to be playing “Hulk number two” in the series he told PA: “Oh my God it’s so freeing.
“I look at the call sheet and I’m like ‘Oh get to have fun she (Maslany) has to do all the hard work’ I’m just going to screw around.
“She carried me to set. It was amazing but she’ll never do it again.”
She-Hulk: Attorney At Law streams exclusively on Disney+ from Thursday August 18.