SPIDEY’S NEW AUNT MAY
Tomei puts her stamp on role
Q Did you have fun making Aunt May sort of sexy?
A Well, at first when I was asked to do it, I didn’t know who Aunt May was. But I knew that it didn’t sound good for me to be playing an aunt. It seemed like the right thing to do after I understood what they were going for.
Q How did you find the balance in the portrayal?
A I wanted her to be funny, too, because I thought that was one of the things I could offer without wringing my hands or trying to be cute.
Q What’s the key to the character of Aunt May?
A She’s really maternal with Peter. She has to be. And she’s more dimensional than you usually see. I think there is a sense of her having her own life even though you don’t really see it.
Q Does she have an impact on the Spider-Man alter ego?
A The fullness of her influence on his values is real. She gives him a bigger context in how he sees life, which explains why he wants to take care of the neighbourhood and is invested in doing the right thing.
Q Did you enjoy acting opposite Holland?
A He’s a natural — not only as an actor, but he’s got great range and great composure. For somebody so young, he really understands the dynamic of being on the set and the business side of things. Sometimes, he seemed more seasoned than me.
Q Did you think twice about acting in a superhero movie?
A Not at all. It’s what’s happening. It’s great to be a part of what’s going on culturally right now. It’s one aspect of what I do, but it’s really great to be part of this.
Q Did you feel in safe hands with director Jon Watts?
A I really trusted him. Every time I came to him with something or I needed something ..., he was right there for me. And I always felt his instincts were great. A lot of times with a smaller role you can be dismissed. But Jon never once made me feel disrespected or not valued.
Q Are you prepared to shoot another Spider-Man film?
A Oh yeah. I think it will be, not next summer, but the next year after that.
Q Would you be open to other Marvel movie offers?
A I was told by a super fan that (Aunt May) makes an appearance in the Ant-Man comics and she’s called Aunt Ant. So maybe there’s hope for me.
Q How was the run of the play How to Transcend a Happy Marriage in New York?
A We wrapped in May. It was nice long run. It’s quite a thrill for me to be on stage and relate to an audience every day.
Q Before that, didn’t you portray Serafina in a mounting of The Rose Tattoo at the Williamstown Theatre Festival?
A Yes, I did two plays and shot Spider-Man within the framework of a year. That was really great, especially to have that kind of diversity, and the financial security, to do the two (plays) so close together.
Q How do you maintain your enthusiasm after more than three decades in the business?
A You just keep dancing and hope that you get asked to another dance. It’s a wonderful feeling to cross into a mature phase, and still be involved and excited and invigorated by what we do.