Who Is Playing the Hippo Goddess Taweret in 'Moon Knight'? Get to Know Actress Antonia Salib

Antonia Salib's "Moon Knight" appearance in episode five was crucial for the development of Oscar Isaacs' character, but it also became Salib's on-screen debut.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) keeps expanding and introducing new stories and comic-book characters to its highly-successful franchise through the Disney+ TV series.

"Moon Knight" is one of them. Starring Oscar Isaacs, the show follows the life of Marc Spector, a man who suffers from dissociative identity disorder and frequently switches places with his alter ego, Steven Grant.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Disney+ "Moon Knight."

The show's first four episodes are an emotional rollercoaster, with Steven and Marc fighting to have complete control of their body while they fight (or escape, depending on who's in charge) cult leader Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke) and his followers.

Episode four ends with an unexpected twist and introduces a new character, a talking hippopotamus wearing ancient Egyptian clothing.

In episode five, we learn that the charming hippo is the Egyptian deity Tawaret (Antonia Salib), and she serves as a guide for Steven and Grant to go through the Duat (the Egyptian underworld) and hopefully arrive at the Field of Reeds (the Egyptian heavenly paradise).

There's one condition: they have to revisit painful memories from their past and understand each other better by the end of their journey to balance their hearts on a scale against the feather of Maat, also known as the weather of souls.

It is undoubtedly an emotional ride, but Tawaret makes it much lighter. It is essential to point out that "Moon Knight" was Antonia Salib's on-screen debut (she studied at Oxford School of Drama and has mainly worked in the theater).

The Marvel production didn't share much information about the role during auditions. Salib knew she would portray an Egyptian woman, but she got a fake name and a dummy script.

Tawaret's costume was necessary for the filming process, but it also made Salib's job harder.

Once she got the part and was about to meet director Mohamed Diab, they told her she would portray a CGI hippo. Salib was thrilled, and the experience was so fun that it didn't feel like work.

Apart from voicing over Tawaret, Salib also did the motion-captured performance. The aspiring actress explained she wore big platform shoes and a detailed costume that included a scarab, carved hieroglyphs, a breastplate, and layers of feathers. Salib said:

"The joy of having this incredible costume, and these beautiful sets, was just that it really helped elevate me to this godly hippo status so that I rise to the role."

Tawaret's costume was necessary for the filming process, but it also made Salib's job harder. She went all-in with her performance and kept forgetting about the attached motion capture pole.

Antonia Salib also had a tennis ball on top of the pole for Oscar Isaacs' sightlines. When she moved too much, the crew would stop her to avoid hitting the lights and cameras with it. Salib will reprise her role in the "Moon Knight" series finale on May 4, 2022.