It sounds like the audition process for 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming was an emotional rollercoaster for just about the whole cast. You may have heard Tom Holland tell the story about how he found out he’d be playing the next Spider-Man.
When Zendaya was announced to have a role in Spider-Man: Homecoming back in 2016, a lot of us were confused, too. Her character was said to be simply called “Michelle,” hiding away clues of her role in the franchise as the new MJ.
And from Laura Harrier’s point of view, if they already had cast a woman of color, they were not going to cast two. Thankfully, the Jon Watts’ film was an exception to a frequently used Hollywood rule.
Laura Harrier’s breakout role had the actress playing Peter Parker’s first crush and high school girl, who he ends up scoring a date with for the Homecoming dance. Hope of romance between the two simmers down, however, when Parker finds out his crush’s father is Michael Vulture.
Although Laura Harrier has had a smaller role than Zendaya in the MCU’s Spider-Man movies, there’s something powerful about the both of them being in the mix at Spider-Man’s high school in Queens.
Since leaving the Marvel Universe, Harrier has also found roles in Spike Lee’s Oscar-winner movie, alongside John David Washington and Adam Driver, and Ryan Murphy’s recent Netflix show Hollywood.
The 30-year-old’s stressful audition for Spider-Man: Homecoming was clearly the beginning for her career and writer/director Jon Watts has even shown interest in bringing the character back.
Laura Harrier’s Liz could come back into play if the Vulture makes a comeback in the franchise, perhaps to form the Sinister Six? Michael Vulture made a cameo in the trailer for Morbius, potentially connecting the Spider-Man films to Sony’s Spider-Verse, which also includes Venom.