Liza Colón-Zayas, known for her role as Tina Marrero in "The Bear," has shared insights into her portrayal of NYPD Detective Jean DeWolff in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," including a deleted scene that featured an unrevealed villain. DeWolff serves as a crucial, albeit limited, confidante for Peter Parker in the film, stepping in as a maternal, authoritative figure after the loss of Aunt May and the memory alteration affecting his friends.
Colón-Zayas, a native New Yorker, initially connected with the project through her son's fandom. Director Destin Daniel Cretton encouraged her to embrace her authentic self for the role, a sentiment that resonated deeply with the actor. "He just wanted you to just be you. I want you to be who you are, be yourself, who you are on this call, who you are on The Bear. Just be you," Colón-Zayas recalled of her initial conversation with Cretton.
While DeWolff's comic book counterpart has a more extensive history and different relationship dynamics with Spider-Man, Colón-Zayas found common ground with the character's toughness and no-nonsense demeanor. "What I did relate to was how tough and no-nonsense she was, how she had to fight to get to where she was," she stated. She noted that the film's adaptation deviates from the comics, particularly regarding any romantic feelings DeWolff might have had for Spider-Man.
Colón-Zayas praised her co-star Tom Holland for making their on-screen dynamic feel natural. "Tom makes it so easy. I don't have to act that part. He is such an incredible actor and so smart," she said. She recounted a moment during a scene where Peter Parker loses control of his powers, and she has to calm him down. Holland later commented on her strength during the scene, humorously noting, "It's really hard because Liza is so strong!"
A deleted scene involving DeWolff was also discussed. The moment occurred as Dr. Banner was being placed into an ambulance, with Colón-Zayas's character having a brief interaction before another character approached Spider-Man. The scene was filmed under a rain machine, and the intensity of the downpour, combined with the weather, led to its removal. "I was actually a little relieved that didn't make it in there," Colón-Zayas admitted, describing herself as being soaked.
Regarding future appearances, Colón-Zayas expressed a desire to see more of Jean DeWolff in the MCU. "I hope so too. I've read the comics. So, even though maybe we don't stick to it so perfectly, any number of things can happen," she said, though she acknowledged that information about future MCU projects is kept highly secret. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is currently in theaters.