If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
Marisa Tomei recalls how she battled Marvel Studios and Sony to get Aunt May to do more in the MCU Spider-Man trilogy
“I was never leaving the house,” Marisa Tomei recalls.
Popverse's top stories of the day
- The curious festive magic of the holiday movie, and why we shouldn't think too much about it
- WATCH: The cast and creator of Star Trek: Lower Decks talk journeying to the undiscovered country with the show's final season
- Long before The Boys and The Franchise, Marvel explored the dangers of Hollywood and superheroes with X-Statix
Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can. But what does May Parker do?
That’s the dilemma Marisa Tomei was facing. When the actress landed the role of May Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she was dismayed to see the plans Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures had for the character. Luckily, she was able to take matters into her own hands.
Speaking to a crowd at Fan Expo Philly, Tomei spoke about her battle to give May Parker more agency. “There was a lot in the beginning where all my scenes were in the house. I was never leaving the house. Walking to the door, but never leaving, or greeting somebody. Why am I trapped in here? Can we give her a life,” Tomei recalled.
If you have ever received an autograph from the actress, you might notice that she never signs it ‘Aunt May.’ Tomei went on to explain why. “That’s why a lot of people notice that I usually sign it May Parker. I don’t really sign it Aunt May, because she’s a person, she’s a three-dimensional woman.”
Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures listened to Tomei’s concerns and gave May Parker more to do. One of those things was her job at the F.E.A.S.T. center, and her awkward romance with Happy Hogan. “We finally got her out of the house, Tomei recalled. “That was a big deal. It was a real change from the previous incarnations of that character, so it took some time for all of us to figure out, if she’s not that, then what is she and what is her function.”
Tomei also worked with the wardrobe department to put more meaning in May Parker’s outfits. “I wanted her wardrobe to have primary colors like the other superheroes, because I felt her status was not where it should be.”
Tomei pointed out that when you watch May Parker’s death scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home, she’s wearing blue and red….Spider-Man’s colors. May Parker might not be an Avenger, but Marisa Tomei made sure she was one of the most heroic characters in the MCU.
Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:
And if you're looking for specific franchises or genres, we've also got lists for the:
Finally, if you're a fan of superheroes and not specific to just Marvel or DC, we have overall guides to:
About Fan Expo
Dates
-
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.