Spider-Man: Homecoming's Laura Harrier On Landing Liz Allen Role

07/03/2017 01:29 pm EDT

Spider-Man: Homecoming assembled a diverse array of actors. Some of these actors are years into accomplished and revered careers, such as Michael Keaton and Robert Downey Jr.. Then, there are the characters of Peter Parker and the high school bunch which surrounds him, played by a cast completely under the age of 25.

For many of these young actors, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a big break, of sorts. For Ned Leeds actor Jacob Batalon, learning he landed the role was purely unforgettable. For 25-year-old Laura Harrier, who had mostly acted on television prior to Homecoming, landing the role of Liz Allen was a similar experience.

"I live here. I'm New York based, but I was in L.A. for awhile, and just got an audition," Harrier said. "It said 'Spider-Man,' and I was like, 'Oh, okay. Yeah, that's never going to happen, but cool.' It may have said 'Untitled' thing, but my agents were like, 'This is Spider-Man.' Then, yeah, I just had an audition, and then I had another one, and then I had one where John Watts was there. Then I had a screen test, which is where I met Tom for the first time. It went well, but I was so nervous. I was like, 'I don't even know what just happened. I don't even remember."'

Then came the waiting game. "I waited for six weeks before they told me anything which was torture," Harrier said. "But at that point, I was like it's just been so long, I probably just didn't even get it. I haven't heard anything. This is forever. I was just trying to get it out of my head. When that phone call came, I was just like, 'Holy s---. Okay, wow!' Not expecting it."

Of course, after landing a role in a Marvel Studios film, the secrecy follows. Harrier was quick to contain all of her excitement. "I couldn't tell anybody," Harrier said before pointing out a few exceptions. "I told my parents, my best friend and stuff, but I couldn't tell. I think, yeah, I told my parents and my best friend and my boyfriend. That was it."

It would be about two weeks of keeping the casting a secret before the news of Harrier's involvement in Homecoming would break. "I'm pretty good at being like, 'I'm so sorry I can't tell you,'" Harrier said. "I don't want to ruin the movie. I'm really excited about it."

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In Spider-Man: Homecoming, thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home to live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony Stark, Parker starts to embrace his newfound identity as Spider-Man. He also tries to return to his normal daily routine -- distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just a friendly neighborhood superhero. Peter must soon put his powers to the test when the evil Vulture emerges to threaten everything that he holds dear.

Filming for Spider-Man: Homecoming began in June 2016 at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Georgia. There were also on location shoots in an Atlanta high school, a hotel, and Atlanta's West End. Some filming did take place in New York City, where the film wrapped production in October 2016.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is directed by Jon Watts, from a screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, Watts and Christopher Ford, and Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Spider-Man: Homecoming stars Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Donald Glover, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tyne Daly, Marisa Tomei, and Robert Downey Jr.

Spider-Man: Homecoming opens in theaters on July 7, 2017.

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