Actress Mary Rivera, known for her role as Ned Leeds' grandmother in the 2021 film Spider-Man: No Way Home, has died at age 82. Family members confirmed she passed away in April following a stroke. According to reports, Rivera was placed in a coma after the medical event. Her family made the difficult decision to remove her from life support after doctors indicated that her prognosis remained poor regardless of any potential recovery.
Rivera passed away in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was later cremated. She is survived by her husband, Alejandro, along with her children, 11 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Her obituary highlights her pride in being part of the Marvel cinematic project. In the film, she shared scenes with major stars including Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon, as well as Andrew Garfield. Her performance became a memorable part of the movie, specifically for a scene where she asks the Spider-Man character to remove cobwebs from her ceiling in Tagalog.
While this role marked her sole credit on IMDb, it left a lasting impact on viewers of the blockbuster film. Spider-Man: No Way Home reached significant commercial milestones, grossing $1.9 billion worldwide and standing as the highest-grossing release of 2021. The legacy of the film continues with its recently released follow-up, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which set a new box office record upon its debut this past Friday.
The industry continues to reflect on her contributions to the screen. Colleagues and fans acknowledge her work in the Marvel franchise as a standout moment in modern cinema. She remains a beloved figure to her family and a memorable part of one of the most successful superhero movies ever produced.