Mary Rivera, the actress who charmed audiences with her brief but memorable appearance as Ned Leeds' grandmother in Marvel's blockbuster 'Spider-Man: No Way Home', has died at the age of 82. Although her on-screen career consisted of just one film, Rivera's performance became one of the most talked-about comic moments in the superhero epic, earning her lasting recognition among Marvel fans. 

Rivera died on April 15 in Honolulu, Hawaii, after suffering a stroke, according to her obituary. News of her death surfaced months later after family members confirmed to TMZ that she had been placed on life support before doctors advised that her chances of meaningful recovery were poor. She was later cremated.

A small role that became a fan favourite

Rivera portrayed Ned Leeds' Filipino grandmother, affectionately known as Lola, in the 2021 hit 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'. Despite appearing in only a handful of scenes, her performance left a lasting impression, particularly during the film's multiverse sequence involving Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's versions of Spider-Man.

One of the film's most memorable exchanges sees Rivera's character speaking in Tagalog as she asks Garfield's Peter Parker to clear cobwebs from her ceiling. After Ned translates, he tells the superhero, "My lola [grandmother in Tagalog] is asking if you could just get the cobweb there, since you’re like, up there?" Garfield's Spider-Man obliges, creating one of the film's light-hearted moments.

She also asks the Spider-Men to clean up the webbing left around her house before calmly announcing, "I’m going to bed," in English and leaving the room.

Later in the story, Ned credits his grandmother with teaching him that magic runs in their family, helping explain how he is able to use Doctor Strange's Sling Ring to open portals during the climactic battle.

Proud of her Marvel appearance

According to her obituary, Rivera accepted the role after retiring from her work as a missionary. Her family said she treasured being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the obituary noting, "She was very proud of this accolade."

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' remains Rivera's only screen credit listed on IMDb, making her brief appearance all the more remarkable for the impact it had on audiences.

Rivera is survived by her husband, Alejandro Rivera, four children, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

'Brand New Day' dominates the box office

News of Rivera's passing emerged just days after the release of 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day', the latest instalment in Tom Holland's Spider-Man franchise, which also stars Zendaya and Jacob Batalon. The film has enjoyed a record-breaking start at the global box office, renewing interest in the franchise and prompting many fans to revisit Rivera's memorable scene from 'No Way Home'.

Released in December 2021, 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' became one of the biggest cinematic successes of the pandemic era, grossing approximately $1.9 billion worldwide. The film was widely praised by critics and audiences for bringing together multiple generations of Spider-Man actors in a landmark crossover event.