Throwback: ‘I Called My Agent…’: When Laura Harrier Thought Zendaya Got Her Role in Spider-Man: Homecoming

The entertainment industry often sparks competition between actors, and Spider-Man: Homecoming was no exception. Laura Harrier, who played Liz Toomes in the Marvel movie, once thought she had lost her role to Zendaya. After reflecting on her journey in an interview, Harrier shared a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at her casting experience, her friendship with Zendaya, and the groundbreaking choices Marvel Studios made.

Laura Harrier initially feared that Zendaya had been cast in her role after completing her screen test for Spider-Man: Homecoming. Speaking to Net-a-Porter, Harrier revealed: “After I did my screen test for Spider-Man before I’d heard anything, it came out a few weeks later that Zendaya was going to be cast in it, so I figured just with I hadn’t got the job She must have called my agent and they assured me I was still on.

By then, Zendaya was already a Disney star and a household name with a massive following. When news of her involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe broke, fans speculated that she would play Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker’s iconic love interest. But Zendaya’s role as MJ and Harrier’s portrayal of Liz Toomes offered a fresh dynamic to the franchise.

Harrier described Marvel’s decision to cast two women of color in key roles as groundbreaking. “I thought it was incredible and groundbreaking of Marvel to put both of us in those roles and not make it about our blackness. We were just girls going to school in New York, and that’s what New York City looks like; movies should reflects that. We had the best time making that movie, and I’m friends now, and I’m really grateful for her swinging around those wires.

Despite not returning for Spider-Man: Far From Home, Harrier fondly remembers her time with Marvel and values ​​the industry friendships she made. “It makes me really thankful for friends like that who have been there through it all and can relate to this sometimes weird experience that the job is. Friends I met through work like Zendaya, Yara (Shahidi), Alycia Debnam-Carey – it would be much scarier and more difficult without the good friends I’ve made.”

Now, more than seven years after the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Harrier has continued to establish himself in Hollywood, including starring roles in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix show Hollywood. Zendaya, on the other hand, has risen to new heights, starring in critically acclaimed projects like Dune and Euphoria. Their shared experience with Spider-Man reflects not only Marvel’s commitment to diversity, but also the power of friendship in a demanding industry.

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