‘She-Hulk’ creator names identity as the show’s biggest recurring theme

Jessica Gao, head writer and creator of the upcoming She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has shared that a big theme of the series is identity. 

In an exclusive interview with Variety, Gao admitted that the recurring theme of identity was prevalent throughout all nine episodes of the legal drama, as protagonist Jessica Walters becomes more conscious of her place in the world as the titular superhero. She also revealed that because of her ability to become two different beings, she gets to truly understand the separate ways both of her characters are treated by the world around her. 

“A big theme of the show is identity. I believe that identity is not just how you view yourself and how you move through the world, but it’s also how the world perceives you and how the world treats you. Both of those things combined shape your identity and your sense of self. Jen Walters is in this unique position where she experiences both sides of that. She gets to retain her consciousness, but she can change into two completely different physical beings. The way she moves about in the world is different, and much more starkly, she gets to see in real time how differently the world treats her. It changes all of her relationships. It changes the way every single person on Earth perceives her and treats her, and she has to grapple with the idea of, I can see for reals that this person is treating me differently because of my physical body. That really does something to a person mentally and emotionally.”

Gao expressed that through identity, viewers would understand the balance between the character as a hero, and how she is seen by others in all of her relationships, personal and otherwise.

Tatiana Maslany will bring the role of the green hero to life, and has previously shared that the character Jessica Walters is pretty unique because, unlike other heroes, she is not interested in having the powers of She-Hulk, and would rather focus on rising in the ranks at her prestigious law firm. 

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will premiere on Aug. 18 on the streaming platform Disney Plus, and will conclude on Oct. 18. Rounding out the main cast are Ginger Gonzaga, Jameela Jamil, Josh Segarra, Jon Bass, Renée Elise Goldberry, and Tim Roth. Actors who have previously already appeared in the MCU are Mark Ruffallo, Benedict Wong, and Charlie Cox, who will reprise their roles as Bruce Banner, Wong, and Matt Murdock, respectively.