Spider-Man: Far From Home Star Marisa Tomei Regrets Playing Aunt May

When Spider-Man swung into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the world of Peter Parker helped usher in a brand new era in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one that also saw the debut of a brand new Aunt May Parker played by Oscar award-winner Marisa Tomei. While Tomei’s take on the character has been a hit among fans, showcasing a different version of Aunt May that Spidey fans have not yet seen. The series of Marvel Studios films continue to be successful, and though Tomei’s character has been a highlight of the films, the actress herself has come clean about a sense of regret for signing on for the role.

During a discussion with Collider over her new role in The King of Staten Island — in which Tomei plays the mother to Pete Davidson’s main character — Tomei admitted that she still desires to play other roles and not just the mom.

“I really regret starting down this road, and I really regret starting to do that,” Tomei said. “I was, you know, talked into it – not this, but I mean just that change – and I really always felt like, ‘Oh, I could play a lot of things.’ Honestly, it’s probably more of a stretch than other things. [Laughs] But, it’s – yeah, I guess I said it all.”

She added, “I think every actor and actress has a lot of dimensions to them, and if the scope of what is being written and being made is narrow, and you want to keep working, you do what you can. I mean, I do. I tried it. It was maybe not the right road, but you know, I do try to make the most of it.”

Asked what type of roles she’d like to play, Tomei provided an enthusiastic response.

“I mean, even genres that I would love to be in, you know? The femme fatale, and in a noir. I still think there are other aspects of even romantic comedies. I really love them, but you know really at a screwball level. There’s so many, many – the breadth of as much as women are, there’s so many roles.”

With filming on Spider-Man 3 on hiatus for the foreseeable future, hopefully, Tomei will have an opportunity to sink her teeth into a more fulfilling role, and that the filming industry can get back to normal sooner than later amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The King of Staten Island is now available to rent on digital storefronts.