Pakistani-American wrestler Mustafa Ali hopes to bag role in Marvel’s ‘Blade’

He took to Twitter in response to a rumoured casting call for a South Asian actor to play a Punjabi vampire hunter

According to rumours floating about on Twitter, the makers of Marvel’s upcoming Blade film are on the lookout for a South Asian actor to essay the role of mute Punjabi vampire hunter Taj Nital, and it appears that they already have their first volunteer! Pakistani-American wrestler Mustafa Ali took to Twitter to get the attention of Marvel bosses, writing, “Hello, Marvel Studios. I think you’re looking for me.”

Hello @MarvelStudios,

I think you’re looking for me. #BLADE https://t.co/6A6StUDI3i pic.twitter.com/h9xBcVJNyZ

— Mustafa Ali / Adeel Alam (@AliWWE) January 7, 2022

The original tweet, which was made by an account dedicated to news about Blade, read, “Blade is casting for a South Asian male, 20s-30s. The actor must be open to training although actors with fight experience are encouraged for the role! Character description: ‘Though he’s taken a vow of silence, his eyes tell us he has been through strife.’”

#Blade is casting for a South Asian male, 20s-30s. The actor must be open to training although actors with fight experience are encouraged for the role!

Character description: “Though he’s taken a vow of silence, his eyes tell us he has been through strife.”

— Blade & The Supernatural News (@SPNBladeNews) January 6, 2022

Ali, whose real name is Adeel Alam, shared in a previous interview, “I am from Chicago but my dad is from Karachi, Pakistan, and my mom is from New Delhi, India,” adding, “So, I’ve got a little Paki-Indie fusion going on here.”

Blade is all set to star Academy-award winning actor Mahershala Ali in the titular role of a half-human, half-vampire who stalks the night to hunt down vampires. Marvel boss Kevin Feige revealed the casting of the Moonlight actor at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2019, with the executive noting the actor informed Marvel he’d like to play the character after he won his second Oscar. The film will be directed by Karachi-born director Bassam Tariq of Mogul Mowgli fame.