She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is an American television miniseries created by Jessica Gao for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character She-Hulk. It is the eighth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It follows Jennifer Walters, a lawyer specializing in cases involving superhumans, who is also the green superhero She-Hulk. Gao served as head writer and Kat Coiro led the directing team.
Tatiana Maslany stars as Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk alongside Jameela Jamil, Ginger Gonzaga, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Segarra, Mark Linn-Baker, Tess Malis Kincaid, Tim Roth, Megan Thee Stallion, Benedict Wong, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jon Bass, Rhys Coiro, Griffin Matthews, Patti Harrison, Steve Coulter, Charlie Cox, Brandon Stanley, and Drew Matthews. She-Hulk was announced in August 2019 and Gao was hired that November. Coiro joined to direct multiple episodes in September 2020. In December, Maslany's casting was officially announced and Anu Valia was hired to direct multiple episodes. Filming took place in Atlanta, Georgia, from April to August 2021.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law premiered on August 18, 2022, and ran for nine episodes until October 13. It is the last television series of Phase Four in the MCU. The series received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for Maslany's performance, though reception to the series' visual effects was mixed. It was one of Marvel Studios' best-performing series in terms of viewership, doing well with general audiences.
Premise Jennifer Walters has a complicated life as a single attorney in her 30s who also becomes the green superhero She-Hulk.
Cast and characters
Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk:A lawyer for the firm Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway (GLK&H) who specializes in cases involving superhumans and becomes a large , powerful, green-hued version of herself, similar to her cousin Bruce Banner, after accidentally getting cross-contaminated with his blood. Maslany called the character "the antithesis of most superhero narratives" since Walters does not want her abilities. She continued that Walters has a "great element of denial in her that's relatable", and Maslany tried to reject the changes in the character for as long as she could to create a "fun tension" between Walters and She-Hulk. Maslany was also inspired by the music of Sophie, which she described as a combination of "organic and electrical, industrial-type sounds that felt connected to She-Hulk". She also liked the duality of a "woman occupying two different bodies", especially since modern-day culture has an obsession with a woman's body and felt the commentary from the series was "very prescient" and "rife with interesting nuance". The character Elaine Benes from Seinfeld (1989–1998) served as a "touchstone" for Maslany. Head writer Jessica Gao wanted to create a character that had a "well-rounded life" that then has to deal with the unexpected addition of super powers to her life, exploring her emotional and mental response. Maliah Arrayah served as the on-set reference and body double for She-Hulk. Director Kat Coiro and Maslany were able to learn how Arrayah "moved through the world" at her height as well as the struggles she faced. Arrayah wore a muscle suit on set. Devon Lewis was another stand-in for She-Hulk, appearing as the Savage She-Hulk in the finale's opening sequence. Jameela Jamil as Mary MacPherran / Titania:A social media influencer with incredible strength who is obsessed with She-Hulk, ultimately becoming her rival. Gao wanted to modernize the character and give her "a little more complexity", gravitating towards being interested in social media and maintaining her brand. Jamil described the character as annoying and weird, stating that she "almost doesn't need to use her strength; she could just annoy you to death". She added that the character is "all narcissism and ego" who believes herself to be the strongest woman in the world before being publicly humiliated by She-Hulk, which makes Titania hold a grudge against She-Hulk. The accent Jamil uses for Titania was described as a "very influencer [Los Angeles] accent", which she felt added a "flare of ridiculous" to the already "cartoonish" quality of the character. Though the character's backstory is not featured in She-Hulk, Jamil looked to the one from the comics to inform her performance, particularly for Titania's insecurity. Titania is not featured prominently in the early episodes of the series because the writers "wanted to seed her in there" as a way to "preserve" from the comics how she is "this gnat that was always buzzing around She-Hulk" to take her down and never trying to attempt outright destruction. Additionally, this allowed the audience to "really get to know" the other characters before she returns. Jamil trained in jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, and kung fu for the part. Ginger Gonzaga as Nikki Ramos:A paralegal and Walters' best friend. She helps Walters "let loose and color outside the lines", with Maslany noting Nikki "reminds her that there is a life outside of her job" and that She-Hulk can be "embrace[d]" and "part of her identity as well". Gonzaga said Nikki has a "sardonic personality" and does not aspire to be an attorney since she enjoys being a rule breaker. The character is queer, with Gonzaga believing Nikki was bisexual. Gonzaga said Nikki would "love anyone", had a "secret crush" on Mallory Book, and lived "a very free life". After Gonzaga was cast, the part was rewritten to more resemble Gonzaga and her personality. Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Smart Hulk:An Avenger, genius scientist, and Walters' cousin who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, typically transforms into a monster when enraged or agitated, but has since managed to balance his two sides with gamma experimentation, enabling him to combine his intelligence with the Hulk's strength and physical stature. Living off the grid in Mexico, Banner decides to train Walters to become a superhero, starting from "a predisposed idea that her experience is going to be exactly the same as his", ultimately realizing that her experience is different "physically, literally, and mentally because of how they have operated differently in the world as men and women". Coiro enjoyed seeing Banner "get completely thrown off his game" in teaching Walters and realizing she is able to also teach him, with Ruffalo adding Banner is excited to have another person now who can relate to being a Hulk. Josh Segarra as Augustus "Pug" Pugliese:A member of the legal team at GLK&H, who works with Walters and Nikki. Segarra said that Pugliese cares for his co-workers since they "make him part of their family", and is supportive of Walters when she is She-Hulk or not. Mark Linn-Baker as Morris Walters: Walters' father. Tess Malis Kincaid as Elaine Walters: Walters' mother. Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky / Abomination:A Russian-born former officer in the United Kingdom's Royal Marines who had combined a modified version of the super soldier serum and gamma radiation to transform into a humanoid monster similar to the Hulk following experimental treatment. He is one of Walters' clients, who becomes the owner of the wellness retreat Summer Twilights after reforming. Coiro described Blonsky as "very tricky character—he's not necessarily to be trusted and you get the feeling that he's a con artist". Because the character was taken in "a very different direction" from Roth's first portrayal in The Incredible Hulk (2008), he did not approach the role as a reprisal of the character but rather finding a new version to "play around in that". Roth enjoyed being able to improvise with the character and exploring his truthfulness and whether he was truly reformed. Megan Thee Stallion as a fictionalized version of herself who becomes one of Walters' clients. Stallion also appears as Runa impersonating her. Benedict Wong as Wong:The Sorcerer Supreme who previously participated in a cage fighting tournament with Blonsky as part of his training. Gao enjoyed having Wong be "fun and be part of a silly thing where the universe isn't at stake" on the series compared to his past performances where he was more dramatic. Renée Elise Goldsberry as Mallory Book:A lawyer at GLK&H who is threatened by Walters becoming the new head of the superhuman law division. Goldsberry said that Book has a lot of pressure on her to achieve perfection, and after initially seeing Walters as a threat, Book finds "some value" in a relationship with her after seeing her humanity. Jon Bass as Todd Phelps / HulkKing:A misogynistic billionaire who goes on a date with Walters. He is also "HulkKing", the creator of Intelligencia, an online hate forum targeted at She-Hulk that is trying to acquire her blood. Bass described Phelps as a "billionaire playboy philanthropist douchebag" who is looking to emulate Tony Stark "but comes off as Jon Bass", adding that Phelps "is used to getting whatever he wants, but he's a total creep who starts popping up everywhere". Co-executive producer Wendy Jacobson said the character was social commentary on misogyny, cancel culture, and the "unfair views of women". Bass felt it was "pretty easy" to portray Phelps without any extensive research because it is "right there in our culture". He also provided motion-capture for when Phelps turns into a Hulk. Rhys Coiro as :A magician and former student of the Mystic Arts who works at Mystic Castle. Coiro said that Criss Angel and David Blaine were "the prototypes" used to inspire the character. Griffin Matthews as Luke Jacobson: A fashion designer specializing in superhero suits, who builds a new wardrobe for Walters for when she transitions to and from her She-Hulk form. Patti Harrison as : Walters' old friend from high school who invites her to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. Steve Coulter as : A partner at GLK&H and Walters' boss. Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock / Daredevil:A blind lawyer with superhuman senses from Hell's Kitchen, New York who leads a double life as a masked vigilante. Maslany called Walters and Murdock best friends, while Coiro said the two "match each other's wits". Gao stated that they have a commonality in both being lawyers who are also superheroes. The writers initially believed they would not have been able to feature the character in the series, and were eventually told the studio was able to use the character, with Cox returning to the role from Marvel Television's Netflix series following a cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Featuring Murdock in the series allowed the writers to have the character "play in the tone" of the series and explore a "lighter side" to him from his darker portrayals previously, while still being faithful to the character as he appears in the comics. Brandon Stanley as Eugene Patilio / Leap-Frog: The son of a rich GLK&H client who tries to become a crime fighter in a frog-themed costume. Drew Matthews as : A lawyer with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office and Walters' former co-worker.