Ming-Na Wen's son asked her a question the other day while they were watching a Marvel movie together, a question that many fans of Agent Melinda May and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." have been asking for more than a year: "Mom, when are you going to be in one of these?"

Wen still doesn't know when Marvel will call her up to serve in the cinematic universe, but she's keeping her fingers crossed. She also has set her expectations low when it comes to what part she'd play.

"Can I sneak on and help out? Throw a little kick or maybe serve some coffee to everybody. What can I do to help out here?" she tells Headlines & Global News in an exclusive interview.

Her character has already worked with big screen characters Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and former director Nick Fury (Samuel. L. Jackson). "Maria Hill and I, we're buddies. We're pals. Call up [Nick] Fury. Fury and I are tight," Wen says with a laugh.

Both would probably encourage Agent May to stick with Director Phil Coulson and the S.H.I.E.L.D team as they face their greatest challenges yet. The team bonds will start to fray in the wake of Agent Tripp's death and over the question of what to do with a transformed Skye, who has a new set of unknown powers.

"In season one, we were such a tight-knit group. We were the band of six, and it's insane how much [the show has] kind of fragmented the group as well as bringing in new members like Mockingbird and Hunter and Mac," Wen says.

As the team mourns the death of Tripp on screen, the "S.H.I.E.L.D." cast had to say goodbye to co-star B.J. Britt off screen. Wen understands the decisions that producers and writers have to make to best serve the show, but it was still hard to let Britt go when he had become part of the family.

"B.J.'s my pal. He's one of the most amazing, happy people. I know he's moving on to other projects, so I'm very happy for him, but it's definitely sad," she says. "Like I always say to B.J., we will work together again in another capacity. Both of us are already joking about making some silly comedy together."

In its midseason return, Marvel has trusted "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." to introduce the world of "Inhumans" before the story jumps to the big screen in 2019. This storyline will launch the TV series into that cinematic sphere which combines humans, superheroes and aliens, like the Kree from "Guardians of the Galaxy."

"It's the unknown. Skye, which way will she turn? We don't know. I think the whole premise of the Inhumans is not knowing if they're good or bad," Wen says. "And even with Coulson. As Agent May, I am still keeping an eye on him, because he still has the alien blood in him. He is still an unknown element in our whole group."

The other unknown factor in their midst is traitor Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), who revealed himself as a member of Hydra last season and has since become a gun for hire. Wen and Dalton worked closely together in the first season, their characters taking care of each other's physical needs.

The two actors will team up again in the second half of season two, but this time Ward joins forces with Wen's other character, the manipulated Agent 33. After Coulson killed Daniel Whitehall (Reed Diamond) in the winter finale, Agent 33 needed to find a new leader and came upon Ward, also in need of saving.

"Agent 33 is like this lost little child who needs a leader and when Whitehall is killed, she has to find someone else. Her attachment to Agent Ward is almost self-preservation," Wen says. "I think it's a very interesting dynamic of two people who are sort of outsiders at this point."

The midseason premiere also introduces two new characters, one of which Agent May shares a complicated past. Blair Underwood joins the cast as Dr. Andrew Garner, May's ex-husband, who the show referenced ever-so-briefly last season. Although Andrew's return won't thrill the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Wen enjoyed reconnecting with Underwood, who she met when they both attended Carnegie Mellon University.

"It's so amazing for the both of us after all these years, not to have ever worked with each other professionally," she says. "We've remained friend all these years and yet we don't see each other very other because we're both so busy. But it really lends itself with shorthand work between the two of us because we have such history. He's not bad on the eyes either."

Why so scared, Blair? I'm a ninja with a razor! Haha! @blairunderwood #AgentsofSHIELD #agentmay #marvel A photo posted by Ming-Na Wen (@mingna_wen) on Feb 9, 2015 at 1:33pm PST

Andrew's reappearance will expose some of May's past that she has kept well hidden over the first season and a half. Wen teases that a few of the upcoming episodes will "bring up a lot of history for May." Coulson will also have an opinion on the ex of his most trusted confidant coming back into her life.

"We have this team of 'Philinda' fans and I love the adult intrigue of all these relationships," says Wen. "They are so complicated and the element of where friendship starts and ends. Emotions come into play and sense of duty. I love those elements between Coulson and me, and how Blair's character is going to affect that relationship, because all three of them share history together."

In addition to Underwood's casting, "S.H.I.E.L.D." recruited the legendary Edward James Olmos for the mysterious role of Robert Gonzalez, and Wen promises that the "Battlestar Galactica" vet will not disappoint.

"When you invite Edward James Olmos to be a guest star on your show, you can anticipate that his part is going to blow you away. You don't hand him a little walk-on part, that's for sure. The audience will be pleasantly surprised at what his character arc is going to be," she teases. "For a geek girl like me, I love my job because I get to meet these actors that I've admired over the years. Edward is such a dear human being. To have him on set, he's so happy, just so lovely to see his enthusiasm."

"Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." monopolizes much of Wen's life these days, whether it's shooting the show or promoting it at numerous conventions. However, she does find time to converse with her fans over Twitter and their interactions have inspired her to start writing a lifestyle book to share her secrets on how she continues to look and feel incredible at age 51.

"I find from my fans that they're so intrigued and really want to find out how I'm able to be healthy, stay so young-looking. They're very complimentary. I'm going to give some of my secrets away," Wen says.

As much as she shares with them, her fans gladly return the favor. On the day she spoke with us, Wen had reached out on Twitter to ask for suggestions on how to create Asian dishes with low to no sodium and no soy sauce that she could make for a sick friend. Her fans didn't disappoint.

"I think what's so great about getting that fan base is that not only are you having people follow you that either love your work or are just a fan, but it's also people who we share things in common, whether it's knitting, cooking. I'm such a foodie, and it's great. And moms, [there's] always subject matter about that," the mother of two says. "I love it. It's an incredible support system really."

"Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." returns tonight, Tuesday, March 3 at 9 p.m. on ABC.

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