‘Spider-Man’ co-stars are like family, says Marisa Tomei

Actress Marisa Tomei says that she loves the “camaraderie” on set in the ‘Spider-Man’ films and hopes to work with director Jon Watts again. Tomei told the I newspaper: “You do feel part of a family, which is very hard to find in Hollywood. I love Jon so much and to see Tom and Zendaya grow as artistes is very exciting.”

Tomei also shared that she and Jon had an extensive conversation about spiders when she first took on the part, reports femalefirst.co.uk. She said: “And the power of spider medicine, and how the spider in native American culture is the female, as she weaves the web of life. She cares about the community.” Tomei shot to stardom after she played Mona Lisa Vito in the 1992 film ‘My Cousin Vinny’ — which earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress — but she confessed that she was “ill-prepared” for the attention that came her way afterwards.

She explained: “I’ve felt differently about it at different times of my life... The further I get away from it, the more pleasurable it is. It was pleasurable at the time as well, but then I was ill-prepared for the attention afterwards. But in the actual moment, and the doors it opened, it was wonderful.” The ‘In The Bedroom’ actress has fought against sexism within the movie industry and is delighted to see that things seem to be changing. Tomei said: “There are laws being changed now. Then there is the consciousness that has been raised... I cannot tell you what it has meant.

I never thought I would see something like this in my life — never!” Tomei grew up in the Midwood neighbourhood of Brooklyn. While there, she became captivated by the Broadway shows to which her theater-loving parents took her and was drawn to acting as a career. At Andries Hudde Junior High School, she played Hedy LaRue in a school production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. She also attended Albee School Of Dance.

After graduating from high school, she attended Boston University for a year. After working on the television series As the World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a cast member on The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World in 1987. After having minor roles in a few films, she came to international attention in 1992 with the comedy My Cousin Vinny, for which she received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She received two additional Academy Award nominations for ‘In the Bedroom” (2001) and “The Wrestler” (2008). Tomei followed up As the World Turns in 1986 with a role on the sitcom “A Different World” as Maggie Lauten during the first season. Her film debut was a minor role in the 1984 comedy film “The Flamingo Kid,” in which she played Mandy, a waitress. She had only one line in the film. During this phase, she made her stage debut in 1987 at the age of 22 in the off-Broadway play “Daughters,” playing Cetta.

Agencies