A lot of fans were taken aback when a rumor broke that Zendaya’s role in Spider-Man: Homecoming wouldn’t be that of a new character, but of the tried-and-true love interest Mary Jane Watson, a character who has traditionally been portrayed in the comics as a redhead. As there is with any bit of comic book movie news, there were some who were offended by this choice in actors, as they considered her hair color to be one of the character’s defining traits.
Since the rumor hit the web, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn came to Zendaya’s defense — all while steering clear of any official confirmation that she’d actually be taking on the role. More than anything, Gunn was in support of a physical difference to Mary Jane, so long as her personality is intact.
Now, Zendaya has another big supporter — this time in the form of Marvel supergod and character creator Stan Lee. In an interview with the Toronto Sun, Lee gave his blessing on the alleged casting.
“If she is as good an actress as I hear she is, I think it’ll be absolutely wonderful. … The color of their skin doesn’t matter, their religion doesn’t matter. All that matters is that this the right person for the role.â€
Admittedly, this rumor has, on the whole, caused a lot less of an outcry from fans than I expected, which goes to show how far we’ve come as a society. Plus, comic book fans are no strangers to the source material getting shifted and rearranged to better fit the medium and cultural landscape of the times.
Regardless, if the change in race is okay with one of the men who created the character, then it should be okay with even the hardest of hardcore fan — so long as Zendaya is able to deliver as an actress.
What do you think of Lee’s comments? Granted, he doesn’t seem to be too familiar with her skills as an actress, but does his blessing make you feel any better about Zendaya potentially being cast in that role? Let us know in the comments down below!
Spider-Man: Homecoming hits theaters on July 7, 2017.
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SOURCE: Toronto Sun