Mary Rivera, the actress who portrayed Ned Leeds' grandmother in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: No Way Home, has died at the age of 82. Rivera's performance in the 2021 film, though brief, was memorable for many viewers.
This role marked Rivera's sole credited acting appearance. Her family shared that they encouraged her to audition after spotting a casting call on Facebook seeking a local Filipina grandmother between the ages of 50 and 90. Rivera's daughter, Kelly, told Hawai'i Public Radio that her mother spoke about her life in the Philippines, her move to the United States, and raising her four children and 11 grandchildren during the audition. Kelly noted that her mother had a varied career, including roles as a radio broadcaster and teacher, but that her most significant roles were as a mother and grandmother.
According to TMZ, Rivera suffered a severe stroke in April and did not recover. Jacob Batalon, who plays Ned in the Spider-Man franchise, shared a message of condolence on Instagram, referring to Rivera as "LOLA."