Julia Garner Reveals Why She Took on the Role of Silver Surfer in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'

American actress Julia Garner, best known for her role as Ruth Langmore in Ozark, is about to make her superhero debut as the female Silver Surfer in the upcoming Fantastic Four: First Steps — and she had a few words to say about the role.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Garner talked about her decision to branch out into a different genre:

“She’s so different than anyone I’ve ever played, and that was also another reason why I wanted to do it. I don’t expect everybody to watch Ozark or [Inventing] Anna or The Assistant. Some people are only going to watch certain things, so that’s why I want to branch out to every genre, and that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to do Marvel — it’s reaching a different kind of audience.”

Garner is set to make her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the Silver Surfer — more specifically, the Shalla-Bal version — marking the first live-action portrayal of the character. The casting offer came as a surprise to her; she recalled wondering, “Wait, isn’t the Silver Surfer a man?”

Funnily enough, Garner doesn’t know how to surf — and she’s actually terrified of the ocean. Luckily, she didn’t need to surf for the role. Instead, her preparation focused on studying the character’s movements in the comic books, which she read and eventually fell in love with.

Catch Garner as the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: First Steps, hitting theaters on July 25, 2025.