Story perspectives

Filipino Grandmother in “Spider-Man” Mary Rivera Dies

8/4/2026

Summary

Mary Rivera Dies

Mary Egida Rivera died on April 15, 2026 in Honolulu after a stroke, prompting her family to withdraw life support because doctors said outlook was poor.
Rivera played Ned Leeds’s Filipino grandmother in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and asked actors in Tagalog to clear a cobweb.
She is survived by husband Alejandro Rivera, four children and 11 grandchildren, with a celebration held June 6 at Trinity Central Oahu Church.

Summary

Mary Rivera’s Tagalog

Mary Rivera’s cameo, in which she spoke entirely in Tagalog, sparked discussion about Filipino representation.
Her daughter Angie Kelly said a Facebook casting call for a Hawaiian Filipina grandmother prompted Rivera’s audition.
Before acting, Rivera worked as a radio broadcaster and teacher in Hawaii, showing a varied professional background.
Fans and critics noted the cobweb-cleaning line introduced Tagalog to a worldwide audience, a franchise first.

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Mary Rivera Dies

Mary Egida Rivera died on April 15, 2026 in Honolulu after a stroke, prompting her family to withdraw life support because doctors said outlook was poor.
Rivera played Ned Leeds’s Filipino grandmother in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and asked actors in Tagalog to clear a cobweb.
She is survived by husband Alejandro Rivera, four children and 11 grandchildren, with a celebration held June 6 at Trinity Central Oahu Church.

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