Mary Rivera, who charmed audiences worldwide as Ned’s grandmother in the Marvel blockbuster «Spider-Man: No Way Home,» has died at the age of 82.
Born to Vicente and Felicia Egida on June 2, 1943, in the Philippine city of Iloilo, Rivera died on April 15 in Honolulu. A family member confirmed that she suffered a severe stroke. After medical staff advised that she would not experience a meaningful recovery even if she woke from her coma, her relatives made the difficult decision to remove life support prior to her cremation.
Long before stepping onto a Hollywood set, Rivera enjoyed a varied and fulfilling professional life. She spent years working as a classroom teacher and a radio broadcaster before eventually dedicating her time as a church missionary until her retirement. Despite these lifelong achievements, her family noted that starring in the massive superhero film remained one of her proudest moments.
A viral Marvel moment
Mary Rivera landed her breakthrough role after her daughter, Angela Kelly, noticed a Facebook casting call seeking a Hawaii-based Filipina grandmother between the ages of 50 and 90. Though initially hesitant to apply, Rivera allowed a younger relative to film her audition tape. Rather than performing a script, she simply spoke from the heart about immigrating to the United States and raising her large family.
That authentic approach won her the part, leading to a memorable scene alongside Jacob Batalon, Zendaya and Andrew Garfield. During a tense cinematic confrontation between the teenagers and an alternate-universe Peter Parker, Rivera walks into the dining room. Speaking entirely in Tagalog, she effortlessly diffuses the suspense by instructing the web-slinger to clean up a hard-to-reach cobweb on the ceiling.
Director Jon Watts‘ movie ultimately grossed $1.91bn worldwide, cementing its place in box office history. Reflecting on the experience, Kelly expressed how humbling it was for the family to share their Filipino culture and native language on such a massive global platform.
Obituaries and family
Following the news of her death, friends and colleagues shared fond memories on her digital obituary page. One former co-worker remembered her as a wonderful mentor, while a relative highlighted cherished memories of taking family portraits spanning three generations.
Mary Rivera is survived by her husband, Alejandro Rivera, alongside their children Carmela Jones, Paul Rivera, Edwin Rivera and Kelly. Her extended family includes 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, all of whom remember her lasting warmth. Relatives scheduled a memorial service for early June at a local church in Oahu.
