Julia Garner Reacts to Silver Surfer Backlash at 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' Premiere
Julia Garner responds to backlash over her Silver Surfer casting: “I’m just going to still do my job—it’s Shalla-Bal.”
Julia Garner isn’t letting online backlash distract her from playing Silver Surfer in Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Speaking at the film’s London premiere, she addressed criticism from some fans who expected the character to remain male.
“I’m just going to still do my job,” Garner told the BBC, adding that her version is Shalla-Bal, a lesser-known but comic-accurate variation of the Silver Surfer. “Also, it’s Shalla-Bal, so it’s different,” she clarified.
Shalla-Bal first appeared in The Silver Surfer #1 (1968) and has taken on the Surfer role in multiple Marvel storylines.
Despite early complaints, fan reactions shifted after the film’s trailer dropped. Garner said, “I was just happy that people are resonating with it… I’m grateful to be at this dance.”
She stars alongside 
Pedro Pascal, 
Vanessa Kirby, 
Joseph Quinn, and 
Ebon Moss-Bachrach in the MCU’s latest reboot, directed by Marvel Studios.