Marvel Studios has released its first female led superhero film, Captain Marvel. But there may be another female superhero attached to this film worth celebrating.
- Captain Marvel is first Marvel Studios film scored by a woman
- She came up with the theme while humming to herself on a walk
- An immigrant from Turkey, she credits her father's support for success
Pinar Toprak, who did the soundtrack for Captain Marvel, is the first woman to score a Marvel Studios film. She immigrated from Turkey to the United States at the young age of 17, and says the recent accomplishment is a dream come true for her.
"It’s an incredible feeling. It’s something I’ve worked for my entire life. But, the fact that it’s happened, whether it’s me or another female composer, I would be delighted just the same," said Toprak.
It took her six months to develop the score for Captain Marvel, and it all started with her humming a sound while on a walk.
"I finally came up with something that I was like, 'Oh okay, this like actually kind of works maybe.' And I called someone on my team and I was like, 'What do you think about this theme?' And he was like, 'Hang up right now and record it on your voice memo.' And believe it or not, I still have that voice memo, and it is the Captain Marvel theme now," Toprak explained.
She says creating the music that represents the emotional layers of actress Carol Danvers' character in the film was a delicate process, as her essence represents both power and compassion.
"I want to convey the strength, mixed in with vulnerability, because I think that’s what makes Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, so powerful. She’s incredibly powerful. We know that," said Toprak.
"But the little things even in the way she’s acted, there’s just so many beautiful heartfelt moments. Hopefully the audience is able to feel the emotional connection to the story."
Toprak noted that celebrating this great accomplishment is certainly special in the midst of Women’s History Month, but she also recalls a very special man who helped her get to this moment: her father.
"He’s the one that believed in me. It’s kind of crazy to think that a macho Turkish father in the 90's in Turkey would actually believe in his daughter, when she says 'I’m gonna go to America and score Hollywood films'. He actually believed it which is crazy to me," she said.
"And I feel like he actually believed it more than I did in the beginning."