Vanessa Kirby on Fantastic Four, Pregnancy, and Finding Strength in Vulnerability

Published in Grazia UK, August 4th, 2025

Vanessa Kirby believes superhero stories matter – not because of powers, but because of their humanity. In Fantastic Four: First Steps, she plays Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, alongside Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The film, with its retro-futuristic aesthetic, has brought fresh relevance to Marvel’s First Family.

“Sue is a very positive person,” Kirby says. “She isn’t just a strong superhero. She struggles with Reed, gets annoyed with her brother, and tries to manage everything. I loved that about her.”

For Kirby, the role carried extra weight. Sue Storm is pregnant in the film, mirroring Kirby’s own life as she awaits her first child with partner Paul Rabil. “It’s surreal,” she shares. “I learned so much from Sue without realising it. Every woman I know has expressed fear around not being able to work and also be a mother. I was nervous. But that’s old modelling for women. It’s incredible what we can do.”

Despite the physical demands of filming Fantastic Four and Avengers: Doomsday while pregnant, Kirby felt supported by her team. She credits her stylist Andrew Mukamal for adapting her looks and praises her Marvel castmates for their kindness on set.

Kirby’s career has always centred on vulnerability. Whether playing Princess Margaret in The Crown, Josephine in Napoleon, or delivering her devastating Oscar-nominated performance in Pieces of a Woman, she brings depth to each role. “I’ve had incredibly deep and fulfilling creative experiences,” she says. “If the material is hard, you have to go there and live in it for a while.”

Off-screen, Kirby remains grounded, working with War Child and volunteering in refugee camps. “There are people doing far more important jobs than us,” she says. “Ours just happens to be public. You have to take it for what it is and be grateful.”

Between building her production company, Aluna Entertainment, and preparing for motherhood, she’s excited to celebrate Fantastic Four’s release. “We had such a good time filming,” she says. “I’m so excited to share that with everyone.”

Fantastic Four: First Steps hits cinemas on 25 July.