X-Men: ‘Never Have I Ever’ Star Wants to Play Race-swapped Nightcrawler

Marvel revealed its new X-Men lineup at D23 this month, and fans immediately started filling in the gaps themselves. One of the names that recently popped up on X was Anirudh Pisharody of Never Have I Ever fame. One post declared that Pisharody would be a great addition to the X-Men cast as Nightcrawler.

The fan wrote, “anirudh would devour as nightcrawler.” The actor, who is also part of the 9-1-1 cast, saw the post and reposted it with the comment “so so down,” tagging Marvel Studios for good measure. Whether that counts as campaigning or just a bit of fun, he clearly is not saying no.

so so down @MarvelStudios 😈 https://t.co/OAPM6lvOYP

In the comics, Nightcrawler, aka Kurt Wagner, is a swashbuckler who is acrobatic, funny, and warm while quietly carrying more pain than he lets on. Pisharody has the charm for it. The race swap isn’t going to hurt the casting, because Nightcrawler is one of the few Marvel characters where it barely registers. The man is covered head to tail in blue fur.

Will Marvel Consider Anirudh Pisharody for X-Men‘s Nightcrawler?

X-Men’s Nightcrawler spends almost every panel and every frame of screen time as a blue-furred, yellow-eyed, and tail-swinging mutant. Alan Cumming was buried in prosthetics for X2 and the upcoming Doomsday. Kodi Smit-McPhee got the same treatment in Apocalypse.

Whoever plays Kurt is judged on voice, physicality, and comic timing far more than on facial features. So, Anirudh Pisharody has a chance to prove his genuine skills in the role. He also has the resumé for a Marvel ensemble. He broke out as Des in Never Have I Ever, then spent four seasons as firefighter Ravi Panikkar on 9-1-1.

The latter kind of long run in a big network show is exactly the steady and likeable presence Marvel keeps hiring. He has also done the crime thriller Unit 234 and stage work in How I Met Your Masi.

However, there is also the issue of Kurt’s accent. He is Bavarian and speaks with a German accent, which is a signature part of the character. He is also a devout Catholic who trained as a monk, and that faith drives most of his best stories. While these aspects aren’t impossible for Pisharody to pull off, Marvel would need to make a deliberate choice about how to handle it.

X-Men Reboot’s Lineup Is Shaping Up to Be Promising

Sadie Sink as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Credits: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures Releasing

What Marvel has confirmed for the X-Men reboot looks strong. Kevin Feige brought the X-Men team out one by one at D23 on August 14. Sadie Sink leads as Jean Grey, having already debuted in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. She is joined by Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, and Maya Boyd as Storm.

Then Adam Driver crashed the panel by video from Pinewood to reveal he is playing Nathaniel Milbury, aka Mister Sinister. Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier is directing the movie, with a script from Michael Lesslie, Beef creator Lee Sung Jin, and The Bear‘s Joanna Calo.

Feige explicitly said this is not the complete lineup. Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Beast, and Magneto are all still unspoken for. We have been hearing names like Cailee Spaeny, Charles Melton, and more.

What do you think of Pisharody’s potential X-Men casting? Let us know in the comments below!