Moon Knight’s finale featured a big moment for Layla as she became an epic superhero as Taweret’s avatar, Scarlet Scarab. However, May Calamawy has admitted a major part of this storyline was only added in at the last moment.
The actor explained how director Mohamed Diab decided to change up the scene where Layla and Taweret speak in the collapsing pyramid while they were on set. Originally the conversation was due to feature Antonia Salib playing Taweret in Hippo form speaking to Layla, trying to convince her to become her avatar to help stop Ammit’s plan.
However, Diab decided it would make more sense for the Egyptian God to be speaking through Layla instead about 30 minutes before they shot the scene. Speaking to The Wrap, Calamawy recalled: "Mohamed Diab comes to me in the trailer while I'm getting ready, and he's like, 'You know, I thought about it, and actually, she has to come through you.' And I really didn't know what that meant. I was like 'You want me to mimic, like, suddenly be possessed by Taweret?' And he's like, 'Yeah, cool,' and he leaves me."
Calamawy sprung into action, meeting with Salib to try and get her mannerisms down for the quick turnaround. She studied her co-star’s movements and voice patterns to prepare. And, despite her last-minute notice, she added how the experience made her performance very authentic. "I had to just bring it," she continued. "I didn't have time to think. And I sometimes wonder what it would have been like had I had that time to sit with it, but I just threw myself in, and it was probably the most freeing experience of the whole show for me."
Elsewhere Calamawy has been opening up about her character’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, admitting that she’d love to come back. Moon Knight season 2 hasn’t yet been confirmed by Marvel, but the ending of the show set up some potential routes the story could go in. Among these was the arrival of Jake Lockley, Marc Spector’s third personality. Check out our Moon Knight ending explained for all of the answers to your burning questions about the finale.
Looking for more Marvel? Here’s our guide to all the upcoming Marvel Phase 4 releases in 2022 and beyond. If you're not signed up already, subscribe to Disney Plus here.
