Secret’s Out! Zendaya’s Mary Jane Character Unveiled [Report]
Zendaya’s actual role in Spider-Man: Homecoming may have been revealed. The 19-year-old will play the role of Mary Jane Watson, according to a report published on Thursday Aug. 18 by The Wrap.
.@Zendaya‘s “Spider-Man: Homecoming” Character Revealed (Exclusive) https://t.co/w4dqARp9Wm pic.twitter.com/UzlnVmMY4j
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) August 18, 2016
Two sources hinted to The Wrap that “one recent draft of the script has Zendaya’s character dropping several clues to her identity as Mary Jane.” Zendaya was originally announced that she would play a character named Michelle when she was first announced as part of the film back in March. However, keep in mind that the role has not yet been confirmed by Sony Pictures, Marvel Studios, or Zendaya herself, notes ComicBookResources. She hasn’t even taken to social media to confirm the news herself.
Disney fans have been wondering about Zendaya’s character in the Sony’s reboot of the popular superhero franchise, which stars Tom Holland as the teenage version of Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man.
According to Birth. Movies. Death., Zendaya’s role “could break the internet.” In fact, it already has. The name “Mary Jane” has been trending in the U.S. on Twitter all Thursday afternoon and evening. Once the news has been confirmed either by Zendaya or the studios, then it is certain to break the internet, for sure. Of course, the report noted that the news could also make the racist fanboys rage.
For example, fans of the classic Ghostbusters movies went into a fit of rage across all forms of social media when they heard that the Ghostbusters reboot would feature an all-female cast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDtY41hIW5o
Zendaya made her first-ever appearance with her Spider-Man: Homecoming cast at San Diego’s Comic-Con back in July. The footage that was shown featured Zendaya wearing messy hair and baggy clothing, which is a departure from the sexy role of Mary Jane. But sometimes casting changes are made and pseudonyms are often used until an official casting announcement is made.
The Disney Channel veteran is a star of the series Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover. In her July 2016 interview with Cosmopolitan, Zendaya revealed why she returned to the channel instead of shedding her good-girl image, like most child stars would.
“The only way I was going to come back to the Disney Channel was if I was in a position of more power. One thing that is really important to me is diversity on the channel. It’s hard as a young person of a different ethnicity or background to look at the TV and not see anyone who looks like you. Representation is very important.”
Zendaya went on to become both star and co-producer of K.C. Undercover. Who else can do that at the age of 19? In between filming new scenes for Spider-Man: Homecoming, dropping new music, launching a shoe line, and being the face of CoverGirl, she debuted her alter-ego on an episode of K.C. Undercover.
The episode, which aired on Sunday, Aug. 14, showed Zendaya dressed up as Cleo Brown, the first black female spy in The Organization, according to a report via Teen Vogue. Zendaya showed off her acting chops and proved to fans that she can play good or bad. After all, she has played her share of alter-egos on the series.
She opened up to Teen Vogue about why portraying the character of Cleo Brown was important to her.
“Even though she technically isn’t a real person in our history [and] we kind of created her, I think it’s a really empowering story. She’s the first black, female spy in The Organization and it’s empowering for me. I feel like it’s a perspective that hasn’t really been seen much on the Disney Channel.”
Hopefully the news of Zendaya playing Mary Jane will start a trend of having more women of color in superhero flicks.
Directed by John Watts, Spider-Man: Homecoming will be released on July 7, 2017. What are your thoughts on Zendaya playing the role of Mary Jane Watson? Sound off below in the comments section.
[Photo by Dave Mangels/Getty Images]
