The actor said that his character of Simon Williams gets to be a “superstar” unlike him.
ByJaelani Turner-Williams
September 5, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen said he sometimes forgets he played Wonder Man because he doesn’t spend much time thinking about himself or his work.
- He described Simon Williams as a character who gets to brag, command attention, and chase his dream of becoming a superstar.
- Disney+ canceled Wonder Man after one season despite an earlier renewal and Abdul-Mateen’s Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen, who played the titular character in the short-lived Disney+ series Wonder Man, said he sometimes forgets he took on the role.
To promote his new film, By Any Means, Abdul-Mateen was a guest on the September 3 episode of Angie Martinez’s IRL Podcast, where he briefly reflected on the one-seasonWonder Man.
Around the 33-minute mark of the interview below, the actor shared that his publicist Michelle notices when fans call Abdul-Mateen “Wonder Man.” “You know, I forgot I was Wonder Man?” he said. “I don’t be thinking about myself and what I do and all that.”
Abdul-Mateen said that the show’s protagonist, Simon Williams, gets to do “cool things” that the actor doesn’t have the ability to do. “He gets to brag and he gets to be like, you know, ‘Everybody look at me.’ He gets to be a superstar because he wants to be a superstar,” Abdul-Mateen said.
Although the show was renewed for a second season, it was abruptly cancelled in July after Abdul-Mateen received an Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category.
Following the cancellation, the actor thanked fans in an Instagram post while being unable to ignore the awkwardness of being nominated for an Emmy.
“I’m glad we got to be a part of something cool. Thank you for watching… And uhh… See you at the EMMYS. 🫡✌🏾” he wrote in the caption.
