I love My Cousin Vinny, but I'm convinced that 2001's In the Bedroom is Marisa Tomei's best movie.

This is coming from somebody who also loves her in The Wrestler, which is one of Darren Aronofsky's best movies. It's just that In the Bedroom is so dark, and so depressing that it's impossible to look away. (Which you want to do, since again, it’s so dark and depressing!)

Based off of the 1979 short story, “Killings” by Andre Dubus, In the Bedroom is about a family who lose their son after he's murdered by his girlfriend's ex-husband. There’s much more to it than just that, but first, I want to talk about Marisa Tomei, who plays the girlfriend in question.

Tomei Gives The Performance Of Her Career In This Drama

When Tomei won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for My Cousin Vinny, people were shocked. In fact, rumors circulated that Jack Palance, who presented the award, announced her name by accident, and that she actually didn’t win. Obviously, this isn’t true (I kind of wish it wasn’t true that Crash beat Brokeback Mountain, but that’s another article), but the rumor persisted for years.

I don’t know why, though, since Tomei’s performance in Vinny is hilarious. That said, I don’t think she has ever given a more potent performance than she did in In the Bedroom, where she plays a single mother named Natalie who is hounded by her jealous ex-husband.

In the film, Tomei finds love with a young college grad named Frank, played by Nick Stahl. Frank’s parents have different feelings about the relationship. His mother, Ruth (Sissy Spacek) is worried for her son, while his father, Matt (Tom Wilkinson), thinks it’s just a fling. Tomei plays Natalie as utterly smitten by Frank, but she’s afraid of her ex, who is becoming increasingly violent.

One fateful day, her ex-husband kills Frank, and Tomei’s character is so distraught that she gives conflicting stories about what happened, which gets her ex-husband off of murder charges. Throughout the movie, Tomei goes from love-struck, to devastated and guilt-ridden. I know she was Academy Award-nominated for this performance, but I honestly think she should have taken home another trophy, because she's so phenomenal in the role.

The Scene Where Richard Kills Frank Is Almost Unbearable To Watch

We once did an article on movie deaths that break our hearts, and I would like to add Frank's death from In the Bedroom to the list, because it's practically unbearable to watch.

Natalie is terrified of her ex-husband, Richard (William Mapother) who came to her house earlier and practically destroyed it. When one of Natalie's children calls Frank, he rushes to the house to console her, but Richard returns and finds a way back inside.

Natalie takes her kids upstairs, and hears a gunshot, to which she races back downstairs only to find Frank shot dead on the kitchen floor, with Richard sitting at the table.

It's such a tense scene, and even more distressing because Frank did everything right. He came because he was called, tried to talk Richard down through the locked door, and still ended up dead, which is punctuated by Tomei's tearful screams. It's some seriously brutal stuff, and a far cry from the hilarity of My Cousin Vinny.

The Quiet Moments Of Grief Are Painful To Sit Through

Here's the thing about this movie. You would think from how I just described it that the film is centered around a single mother, her new beau, and her ex-husband, but it's not. It's actually centered around the slain man's parents, who deal with his death in very different ways.

Tom Wilkinson, who unfortunately passed away in 2023, plays Frank's father, Matt. He feels immense guilt after the death of his son, because he didn't really take what his wife said about his son’s relationship seriously. But, he handles the death quietly, drinking more and not really speaking to his wife about it until one explosive scene where they confront each other.

Sissy Spacek, on the other hand (who came a long way from her performance in 1976's Carrie) has been more outwardly depressed. She's been holding in her grief and hasn't understood how her husband could just go back to work following the death of their son. In that way, both parents are grieving, but they don't know how to express their grief to one another.

The tenseness of what's being left unsaid is palpable. When they do eventually confront each other about how they feel, the release of their silence is almost cathartic. It's like, finally! The waiting for that moment to occur, though, is almost oppressively hard to sit through.

Plus, The Miscarriage Of Legal Justice Is Infuriating To Watch Play Out

Another thing that makes this film so dark is the sometimes unfairness of the legal system, as we know that Richard is guilty of murder and not just manslaughter, but the jury doesn't!

Natalie didn't see her ex-husband murder Frank. She was upstairs with her kids. When the cops arrived, she told them that she saw the murder, only for Richard's lawyers at the trial to get her to admit that she didn't see the murder, but rather, only heard the gunshot, which throws the whole testimony into question.

Of course she feels horrible, since Richard actually gets to walk the streets again until his next trial, and Frank's parents see him out and about. This is beyond maddening, because again, we know Richard murdered Frank on purpose and should rot in prison. But, he doesn't.

As a parent myself, I almost wish this was Mega City One from my favorite comic book movie, Dredd. In that world, cops act as judge, jury, and executioner. In the real world, the legal system can be infuriating. I know this is just a movie, but the fact that lawyers find a way to lessen sentences in the same manner will always make me angry, just as it does in this film.

By The End, You Don't Feel Any Better, Despite Matt's Revenge

So, does Frank's family ever get justice for his death? It really all depends on how you look at the ending. Matt, along with his friend, Willis, kidnap Richard at gunpoint, and Matt makes up some story that he wants Richard to skip bail and leave town so he never has to see him again.

Richard obviously knows that his life's in danger, but he can’t do anything about it. He's forced to drive to a secluded area where Matt shoots him dead because he just couldn't wait any longer. As a father myself, I really can’t blame him.

However, when he gets back home, where his wife fully knew what he intended to do, he feels empty. In fact, he actually feels a sense of guilt after seeing a happy picture of Richard and Natalie in Richard's apartment. It really hammers home the idea that while revenge might fuel you, it doesn't fix what made you vengeful in the first place, which further adds to why this movie’s so dark and hard to watch.

Even though we didn't include In the Bedroom in our top 100 films of the 2000s, I very much think it is one of the best films of that decade, and it’s my pick for Marisa Tomei's best movie (even though I do love her as Aunt May from Spider-Man).

What do you think? Have you watched In the Bedroom? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Rachel Zegler is one of the many actors to have a notable film released as part of the 2025 movie schedule. Earlier this year, she marked the release of Disney’s Snow White, the latest live-action remake from the House of Mouse. It would appear that at this point, the film hasn’t hit the heights of some of its predecessors. All the while, Zegler is still making waves within the Hollywood landscape. On that note, she just landed her follow-up flick, and it’ll pair her with a beloved Oscar winner.

The 23-year-old singer and actress is joining the dramedy film She Gets It From Me. Per Variety, the film will see Rachel Zegler team up with Marisa Tomei, as the pair will play mother and daughter. Julia von Heinz is set to direct the film, which is based on a true story. It tells the story of an engaged woman named Nicky (Zegler), who finds herself thrust into a situation where she finds and reconnects with her birth mother. A brief synopsis reads, “YouTube is packed with tearful family reunions, but nobody films the messy aftermath.”

Preliminary plot details suggest that Marisa Tomei’s character, Charlotte, is quite a pistol. Not only is she apparently a former rocker, but she also apparently has a habit of popping pills. Tomei is no stranger to taking on roles that are a little over-the-top as well as mom characters (which she has regrets about). Based on the little information we have on Julia von Heinz’s film thus far, I’m getting vibes of 2015’s Ricki and the Flash. That film has its charms, and I’m hopeful that this upcoming one does as well.

What’ll truly be intriguing to see, of course, is how the My Cousin Vinny star mixes it up with Rachel Zegler on screen. I’m not sure they’re the first two actresses as peg as portraying a mother-daughter duo. However, I do like the notion of it, and it could be fun to see them bounce off each other, especially in what could be a funny and emotionally messy film.

It goes without saying that Rachel Zegler has been gaining some serious notoriety over the past several years. She burst onto the cinematic scene in a big way through her role as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, which also marked a major instance of Latina representation. Also among her live-action credits are The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (which she nearly turned down) and the horror comedy Y2K. She even dipped her toes into the superhero genre with Shazam! Fury of the Gods and, even in recent years, Zegler’s been fancasted for Marvel roles.

Much has been said about the New Jersey native’s role in Snow White, as some took issue with her casting. She also drew backlash for making comments about the OG film, saying that she felt some aspects of it were outdated and that the remake would remedy them. Ultimately, the Marc Webb directed-film opened to lukewarm reviews and, while it topped the box office in its opening weekend, the movie has since underperformed.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t seem as though Rachel Zegler is being hampered by the live-action Disney flick’s performance. Not only that, but critics who reviewed Snow White singled out her performance as a highlight of the film. I was already curious as to what Zegler would do next but, now, I’m especially pumped to see her share the screen with the great Marisa Tomei in She Gets It From Me.

Spider-Man 4 is reportedly in early development and while the upcoming Marvel movie will continue the wall-crawler’s MCU story, it will, in many ways, be a new beginning for the character, as his friends no longer know him, and his only family, Aunt May, has died.

Aunt May, as played by Marisa Tomei may not appear in future MCU movies, but that apparently hasn’t had any impact on an ongoing debate regarding her character, was Aunt May too young? A recent thread on Reddit recently relaunched the conversation, pointing out that Tomei’s version of the character is significantly younger than previous iterations of the character, with the OP saying…

There’s little argument that Tomei’s portrayal of Aunt May was not as old and defenseless as previous versions of the character. To be clear, Tomei wasn’t chronologically too young to be Peter Parker’s aunt. The actress was in her early 50s when she appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming. However, it’s true that put her a decade or two younger than the previous screen versions of Aunt May. As one commenter pointed out the comic book version of Aunt May was more in line with this…

It’s certainly true that in the comics Aunt May has more of a grandmotherly vibe than one of an aunt. Peter Parker’s parents are rarely portrayed as being quite as old as Aunt May when they died, so it, makes the age of Aunt May seem potentially out of line. While somebody can have a sibling who is decades older than they are, as one commenter pointed out, it is unusual…

Of course, as another person in the thread pointed out, the issue at hand may not be that Aunt may seemed too young, but that Aunt May was kinda hot. Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark flirts with her when she’s introduced and Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan dates her. The fact that men see her as attractive and want a relationship with her is really what sets her character apart. As one reply puts it…

Whether Marisa Tomei was too young, or too hot, to play Aunt May ultimately comes down to whether you think the traditional version of the character is a requirement for a good Spider-Man story or not. Tomei certainly worked in the role, and had the most epic Aunt May finale of them all.

Celebrity couples have always fascinated the public, such as pairs like Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. One of the hottest couples in Hollywood right now is Tom Holland and Zendaya, who met while working on the Spider-Man movies (some of which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription). Marisa Tomei had a front row seat to Zendaya and Holland's romance while filming that trilogy, and recently reflected on it saying "some people are meant for it."

Spider-Man movies have always been popular, and Tom Holland's trilogy was wildly successful. While the ending of No Way Home saw Peter's friends forget about him, Zendaya and Tom Holland are still going strong. While speaking with EW about her time in the MCU, Marisa Tomei reflected on seeing their romance play out in front of her, saying:

How sweet is that? While Tomei was only playing Holland's Aunt May, it sounds like there is some real love there. And just like her character, she watched the Peter Parker actor grow up and fall in love right before her eyes.

Tomei's comments come as fans are still mourning May's death in Spider-Man: No Way Home. She got involved in the action of the threequel, perishing at the hands of Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin. But clearly Tomei had a good time working on the franchise, both on and off camera.

Both Tom Holland and Zendaya's careers have skyrocketed since working together on Spider-Man: Homecoming, something Marisa Tomei also got a front row seat for. While fans want to see them back as MJ and Peter in the mysterious Spider-Man 4, they've led other blockbusters and prestige dramas in the years that have gone by. Talk about a power couple.

While Zendaya and Holland's relationship was originally kept under wraps, they've confirmed their romance and have appeared together for red carpets. The pair are reportedly rock solid in their pairing, with some fans hoping that the pair of A-listers end up getting engaged.

As previously mentioned, fans are curious about Marvel's plans for a fourth Spider-Man movie, especially since the first three came out in such quick succession. Tom Holland is taking a break from the character, but given his popularity it seems like only a matter of time before he returns. Perhaps a crossover movie like Avengers: Doomsday could be the occasion.

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Have you ever caught a rerun of an older TV show and during the opening credits sequence, you spotted someone who made you say, “Hey, I know that person!”? This is actually a more common occurrence than you may realize, as there many A-list celebrities whose first IMDb credit (or one of the first) was a supporting role on a series long before they earned the honor of being a leading presence on the big (or small) screen. The following are some of our favorite examples of famous actors who appeared a bit further down the the line on the call sheet on a TV show when they were starting out.

Chris Pratt (Everwood)

Before Guardians of the Galaxy made him a leading man, Chris Pratt really began to gain traction from starring in the Parks and Recreation cast as Andy Dwyer. However, even earlier than that, he starred on a WB family drama called Everwood as high school joke Bright Abbott alongside fellow future MCU star Emily VanCamp, who played his sister, Amy.

Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show)

Before her Academy Award-nominated performance in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, her star-making role as Katniss in The Hunger Games and Oscar-winning turn in Silver Lining’s Playbook, Jennifer Lawrence was a sitcom star — specifically a cable network sitcom star. On The Bill Engvall Show, which lasted three seasons on TBS, she starred opposite the eponymous stand-up comedian as his on-screen alter ego’s teenage daughter, Lauren Pearson,

Austin Butler (Zoey 101)

The musical talents that earned Austin Butler the title role of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis can be traced back to his part on Ruby & the Rockits, which lasted 10 episodes on ABC Family (now Freeform) in 2009. However, the Oscar nominee’s first major TV role was on the final season of Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101 as James Garrett — a character missing from Paramount+’s feature-length follow-up, Zoey 102.

Margot Robbie (Pan Am)

While her earliest role was actually the long-running soap opera, Neighbours — much like many other Aussie A-listers — we thought we would highlight American audiences’ first true introduction to Margot Robbie on Pan Am. An interesting fact about Robbie is that the future Oscar nominee and DC movies star was actually roommates with co-star Christina Ricci while playing 1960s-era flight attendant Laura Cameron on the short-lived ABC drama from 2011 to 2012.

Seth Rogen (Freaks And Geeks)

While still part of the main ensemble, Seth Rogen’s role as the initially arrogant Ken Miller pretty much got the short end of the stick amongst the Freaks and Geeks cast, for the most part. Ironically, Rogen, arguably, went on to become the painfully short-lived coming-of-age dramedy’s biggest star, which is really saying something, given his co-stars include Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, and John Francis Daley.

Brie Larson (Raising Dad)

A notable moment in Academy Award winner Brie Larson’s evolution from child star to modern A-list actor was her role as the late Bob Saget’s youngest on-screen daughter on Raising Dad — a sitcom that ran for one season on The WB (now The CW) in the early 2000s. Following her success as the MCU’s Captain Marvel, Larson returned to TV in 2023 — reprising her Scott Pilgrim vs. the World role for Netflix’s animated series reboot, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and leading the Lessons in Chemistry cast for Apple TV+.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Growing Pains)

While doing press for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt recalled how they both appeared on the hit ABC sitcom Growing Pains much earlier in their career. Of course, Pitt had a one-episode guest appearance while the Oscar-winning The Revenant star and Titanic cast member had a prominent role as Luke Brewer — a homeless teen taken in by the Seavers in Season 7. 

Ana De Armas (The Boarding School)

One of the films that earned Academy Award nominee Ana de Armas a spot on the A-list was Rian Johnson’s hit whodunit, Knives Out, from 2019. More than a decade earlier, the Cuban-born actor landed a role on a coming-of-age mystery TV show called El Internado (or The Boarding School), which originally aired in Spain from 2007 to 2010.

Michael B. Jordan (The Wire)

After getting his start as a Toys ‘R Us kid, the fascinating Michael B. Jordan made his official acting debut on an episode of The Sopranos, but later landed a more prominent role on another acclaimed, gritty HBO series in 2002. He appeared amongst The Wire cast as Wallace — an orphan whose tragic story had a profound impact on the Emmy-nominated series beyond his 13-episode stint.

Anne Hathaway (Get Real)

Anne Hathaway fans should know that before she broke into the mainstream by leading Disney’s The Princess Diaries cast, the Academy Award winner made her acting debut on a 1999 Fox TV show called Get Real as a high school senior who shocks her family with the decision to refuse college. Coincidentally, the short-lived dramedy was also the debut of Hathaway’s Rio co-star, Jesse Eisenberg, and was an early gig for NCIS' Eric Christian Olsen as well.

Denzel Washington (St. Elsewhere)

With two Oscars to his name, it’s hard to imagine a TV screen big enough to contain the talent of one Denzel Washington, yet it was a TV show that helped launched the young actor’s career in the early 1980s. Following his official debut in the 1977 TV movie Wilma, the future Training Day lead played Dr. Philip Chandler on NBC’s hit medical drama, St. Elsewhere.

Michelle Williams (Dawson's Creek)

For years, Michelle Williams was known best from the Dawson’s Creek cast as Jen Lindley. Now — after receiving multiple Academy Award nominations for acclaimed dramas like Manchester by the Sea and Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans — that role on the hit teen drama is, typically, among the last things mentioned in regards to her career.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock From The Sun)

As a child actor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt starred in some good movies and made a few notable TV guest appearances before landing his first successful series regular gig with 3rd Rock from the Sun. He played the eldest member of a group of extra-terrestrial visitors, and the character resembles a teenager in human form on the Emmy-winning sci-fi sitcom.

George Clooney (The Facts Of Life)

As a TV star, George Clooney is best known from his main role on the popular ‘90s show, ER, on which he played Doug Ross. Much earlier, however, the future two-time Oscar winner had a memorable recurring role on Diff’rent Strokes' (very different) spin-off, The Facts of Life, as George Burnett — a carpenter who would become close to the girls living under Mrs. Garrett’s roof.

Woody Harrelson (Cheers)

With multiple Academy Award nominations to his name, Woody Harrelson is known today as one of Hollywood’s most versatile movie stars, but his first big break came when he joined the Cheers cast in the mid-1980s. In fact, he won his first Emmy Award for playing the naive, but lovable, Woody Byrd, whom Sam (Ted Danson) hires on as a new barkeep following he death of Coach (Nicholas Colasanto).

Jason Bateman (Little House On The Prairie)

At least before he led Netflix’s Ozark cast, Jason Bateman has always best known on the small screen as a sitcom star, with his roles as David Hogan on Valerie (later changed to The Hogan Family) and Michael Bluth on Arrested Development being the famous examples. However, his very first gig was playing James Cooper Ingalls for 21 episodes of Little House on the Prairie during the early 1980s.

Don Cheadle (The Golden Palace)

An early Don Cheadle role you may have forgotten about was featured on a TV show spin-off you may not have heard of, either. The future Academy Award nominee and MCU actor starred alongside most of the Golden Girls cast on The Golden Palace as Roland Wilson — the young manager of the titular hotel where the short-lived sitcom took place. 

Jason Momoa (Baywatch)

Even long before he landed the role of Aquaman in the DC movies, Jason Momoa was no stranger to saving lives in the water. The Hawaiian-born actor made his debut in his home state when he joined the Baywatch cast as a character also named Jason from 1999 to 2001.

Marisa Tomei (A Different World)

We know her from her Academy Award-winning role in My Cousin Vinny as Mona Lisa Vito (who she'd love to revisit) or as Peter Parker’s (reinvented) Aunt May in the MCU, to name a few examples. Yet before many people knew who Marisa Tomei was, she was on the first season of The Cosby Show spin-off, A Different World, as Hillman student Maggie Lauten.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (The Get Down)

One interesting fact about Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: before he was an Emmy-winning DC TV show star (for playing Cal Abar on HBO’s Watchmen) and a scene-stealing DC movie villain (Black Manta in Aquaman), he worked as a San Francisco city planner until he was laid off in 2010. The role that first helped him make a name for himself as an actor was night club owner Clarene “Cadillac” Caldwell in Netflix’s musical period drama series, The Get Down, from co-creator Baz Luhrmann.

Alexandra Daddario (All My Children)

Speaking to Women’s Health in 2022, Alexandra Daddario recalls that she was fired from the long-running daytime soap opera, All My Children, which she actually found to be a liberating, educational experience. It led to seek improvement in her acting skills and pave the way for her to breakthrough in the Percy Jackson movies, give an Emmy-nominated performance as part of the HBO’s The White Lotus cast, and star in many other notable works.

Adam Driver (Girls)

Without Lena Dunham, there might not be a Kylo Ren — or at least, the memorable version of the Sith Lord we got in the hands Adam Driver. The former Marine’s scene-stealing role on HBO’s Girls as Adam Sackler is what got Hollywood to take notice of his talent, leading to his casting in the Star Wars movies and his Oscar-nominated performances in BlacKkKlansman and Marriage Story.

Melissa McCarthy (Gilmore Girls)

Gilmore Girls proved to be a launch pad for many A-listers — few of which would blow up quite like Melissa McCarthy, who played Sookie St. James on the hit dramedy.  She later won an Emmy for her leading role on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly and received an Academy Award nomination for her supporting role as a member of the Bridesmaids cast. And that film skyrocketed her to the A-list as a trusted name in comedy and more.

Drake (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

One of the most memorable and important characters from Degrassi: The Next Generation is Jimmy Brooks, who served as an inspirational representation for wheelchair users on the long-running Canadian coming-of-age drama. The role was played by an actor named Aubrey Graham, who still acts on occasion — an Anchorman 2 cameo, for instance — but primarily performs as a rapper under the moniker Drake.

Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men)

At just eight years old, Kiernan Shipka proved to be a stand-out alongside AMC’s Mad Men cast with her performance as Sally Draper. She later went on to lead her own TV show (Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and headline movies like Amazon Prime’s horror-comedy, Totally Killer and The Silence.

Ryan Reynolds (Fifteen)

Despite his many earnest roles over the years, it may be hard to picture Ryan Reynolds as anything other than the smarmy goof he plays in the likes of the Deadpool movies and National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, for instance. Perhaps watching him make his debut in the Canadian coming-of-age drama Fifteen will help audiences see another side of him.

Tommy Lee Jones (One Life To Live)

It is amazing to think about how many acclaimed and even legendary actors started out on soap operas, such as Tommy Lee Jones. One of the earliest roles for the Academy Award-winning star of The Fugitive and the Men in Black movies was the ill-fated Mark Toland on One Life to Live from 1971 to 1975.

John Travolta (Welcome Back, Kotter)

Before his Academy Award-nominated role in 1977’s Saturday Night Fever — and its fantastic movie soundtrack — made him one of the biggest stars of all time, John Travolta was better known by another name: Vinnie Barbarino. That was the future Pulp Fiction cast member’s character on Welcome Back, Kotter — a hit sitcom that never made it to 100 episodes. He practically stole the show from star and co-creator Gabe Kaplan with his famous catchphrase, “Up your nose with a rubber hose!”

Jennifer Love Hewitt (Kids Incorporated)

Her role as Sarah Reeves on the original Party of Five may have made Jennifer Love Hewitt a teen idol, but it was not her first major TV gig. The Ghost Whisperer star was 10 when she demonstrated her multiple talents on Disney Channel’s Kids Incorporated, which focuses on the lives of a group of young artists who perform live music at a club for children.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Fortysomething)

It was his eponymous role on the modern crime drama Sherlock that made Benedict Cumberbatch a nigh-unpronounceable household name, but his first starring role on a TV series was Fortysomething. The MCU’s Doctor Strange actor played the on-screen son of none other than House’s Hugh Laurie on the English dramedy that lasted six episodes.

Jared Leto (My So-Called Life)

In one of the best ‘90s shows that ended too soon, My So-Called Life, Jared Leto portrayed what would become his first iconic role: high school heartthrob Jordan Catalano. The much celebrated coming-of-age drama also marked one for the first times the future Academy Award winner acted alongside his sibling and Thirty Seconds to Mars bandmate, Shannon.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Passions)

Movie star Mary Elizabeth Winstead has more than a few very notable small-screen roles — such as a leading stint in Fargo Season 3 and Hera Syndulla alongside the Ahsoka cast for Disney+. The Scott Pilgrim vs. The World cast member’s earliest major TV gig, however, was on the supernatural soap opera Passions.

For any TV actors out there hoping one day to make it onto the big screen, let these stories serve as proof that your dreams may not be far away from becoming a reality.

Soap Operas are not usually the first thing we think of when we think of “Prestige Television” but they have been popular since the dawn of TV and without them, some of our favorite stars might not have ever gotten their big break. In honor of that, we’ve compiled quite a list of famous actors who started out in soap operas. 

Brad Pitt (Another World)

There aren’t many bigger stars in the world than Brad Pitt. While he famously made his first mark in pop culture in Thelma & Louise, his first professional, credited acting role came on the soap Another World. The Ocean’s Eleven star played a character named Chris on two episodes in 1987. Little did anyone know just how famous he would soon be. 

Leonardo DiCaprio (Santa Barbara)

Pitt’s co-star in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio, is also one of the biggest stars in the world. Like Pitt, DiCaprio also can point to a turn on a soap opera early in his career as a launching pad. DiCaprio had a smattering of bit parts before starring in Santa Barbara, but it was five episodes on the soap that really got his career moving. 

Demi Moore (General Hospital)

In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Demi Moore was box office gold with films like St. Elmo’s Fire, A Few Good Men, and Ghost. Moore earned a then-unprecedented $12.5 million with her role in Striptease, but she got her start much more modestly as reporter Jackie Templeton in 85 episodes of General Hospital from 1982 until 1984. 

Marisa Tomei (As The World Turns)

Marisa Tomei’s career went into the stratosphere with her Academy Award-winning turn in My Cousin Vinny in 1992. She’s since been nominated for two more Oscars in her lauded career that all started with the role of Marcy Thompson, as a series regular on As The World Turns for three seasons. 

Alec Baldwin (The Doctors)

The Doctors debuted on NBC in April of 1963, on the very same day as General Hospital premiered on ABC. Unlike GH, which is still on the air, The Doctors lasted only a mere 20 years, but like GH, it helped launch a lot of careers. Alec Baldwin was one of those actors who appeared on the soap, as the character Billy Aldrich for a few years in the early 1980s, years before his big breaks would come in Beetlejuice and The Hunt For Red October. 

Kathy Bates (The Doctors)

Another actor who got her start on the oft-forgotten The Doctors is the great Kathy Bates. Bates worked hard while scratching out a living as an actor in New York City. After scoring just one bit part in the movie Taking Off in 1971, it was another 6 years before she would land a big role, this time on The Doctors.

Laurence Fishburne (One Life To Live)

Laurence Fishburne famously made waves as a teenager starring (as Larry Fishburne) in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece Apocalypse Now. While the role made him famous, his career started years earlier as Josh Hall in One Life To Live. Fishburne was only 11 years old when he debuted on the show.

Jordana Brewster (As The World Turns)

Jordana Brewster is a star in one of the biggest film franchises in history as Mia Toretto in the Fast & Furious movies. She got her start in one of the biggest soap operas in history as well. After a quick one-off on All My Children in 1995, Brewster landed a regular role on As The World Turns later that same year. She remained on the show for 118 episodes over the next six years. 

Shemar Moore (The Young and the Restless)

For over a decade, Shemar Moore starred as Derek Morgan on the beloved Criminal Minds and then on S.W.A.T for six years. Neither was his first long-time role on television, however, as Moore got his start on eight seasons of The Young and the Restless as Malcolm Winters, a role he’s returned to a number of times, most recently in 2023. 

Tom Selleck (The Young And The Restless)

Another actor who got his start on The Young and the Restless is the legendary TV star Tom Selleck. After bouncing around in bit parts for most of the ‘70s. The Blue Bloods star found a semi-regular role on the soap in 1974. He would later own TV in the ‘80s as Thomas Magnum on one of the greatest TV shows of all time, Magnum PI.

Meg Ryan (As The World Turns)

Meg Ryan was America’s sweetheart in the 1980s and '90s. Before she starred in numerous rom-coms, from When Harry Met Sally To You’ve Got Mail, she was Steve Andropoulos’ sweetheart Betsy on As The World Turns. She would play the role for three years, before snagging a role in a little movie called Top Gun, and off she went to stardom. 

Lauryn Hill (As The World Turns)

It’s not just actors who got their start on soap operas. Singer and rapper Ms. Lauryn Hill is famous for her amazing neo-soul album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998, but seven years before that, and before The Fugees, she starred as Kira Johnson on As The World Turns.

Taye Diggs (Guiding Light)

This one is a bit of a stretch because Taye Diggs had already put together a great career on Broadway, starring in the original cast of Rent and other shows. He did, however, get his regular screen time on Guiding Light in 1997, after a couple of smaller parts on TV. 

Julianne Moore (As The World Turns)

Julianne Moore has won a slew of awards in her career. The Boogie Nights star can boast five Oscar nominations and one win, she has an Emmy, multiple Golden Globe and SAG awards, and even one Daytime Emmy, which she won for Best Actress on the soap As The World Turns in 1988.

David Hasselhoff (The Young And The Restless)

Baywatch might have been a soap opera on the beach, but it wasn’t the first time David Hasselhoff starred in one. The Hoff played Snapper Foster (yes, that’s the name of the character) for seven years in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s on The Young and the Restless, before scoring his gig on Knight Rider. While starring on Knight Rider, The Hoff also appeared on one episode of Santa Barbara.

Mark Hamill (General Hospital)

Stars Wars has often been described as a “space opera” so it only makes sense that Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, got his start on a soap opera. The future superstar started smaller, with a role as Kent Murray on General Hospital for a couple of years right before Star Wars became the biggest thing, well, ever. 

Josh Duhamel (All My Children)

Transformers star Josh Duhamel has starred in 39 movies and had roles on 18 TV shows, including Las Vegas and Jupiter Rising, and it all started with a breakout role on ABC’s All My Children in 1999. He starred on the soap opera for a few years, before moving on, but did return briefly in 2011 to reprise his role as Leo du Pres. He even won a Daytime Emmy in 2002 for his performance. 

Kelly Ripa (All My Children)

Kelly Ripa has been everyone’s favorite morning talk show host for years now and over 30 years ago, she was a dancer on Dance Party USA. Her first serious acting gig came in 1990 as Hayley Vaughan on All My Children, a role she would play for more than a decade. Not only did it jumpstart her career, but the soap played an even more important role in her life, as that’s how she met her husband, Mark Consuelos.

Mark Consuelos (All My Children)

That’s right, Mark Consuelos also began his career on All My Children, playing Mateo Santos on the show for six years. The Riverdale star was a huge hit on the show, and like Ripa, returned in 2010 to help celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary. Consuelos and Ripa married in 1996 while starring on the show together and now almost 30 years later are still working together as co-hosts on Live.

Ryan Phillippe (One Life To Live)

From I Know What You Last Summer to Cruel Intentions, Ryan Phillippe played some iconic parts in the 1990s. It was One Life To Live where he landed his first one, though, in 1992. In the ‘00s, he got more serious, with major roles in Gosford Park and Crash, but none of it might have happened with the soap opera casting him as a teenager. 

Amber Tamblyn (General Hospital)

Amber Tamblyn wasn’t even a teen when she landed her first on-screen role on General Hospital in 1995. The 127 Hours star played Emily Quatermaine for six seasons on the soap.

John Stamos (General Hospital)

Before playing Uncle Jesse on Full House, and before playing bongos for The Beach Boys, John Stamos was breaking hearts as Blackie Parrish on General Hospital for three seasons in the early ‘80s. Stamos even earned a nomination for a Daytime Emmy for the role in 1983.

Mario Van Peebles (One Life To Live)

Mario Van Peebles made his permanent mark on film with his direction of the 1991 classic New Jack City. The cult classic was huge at the time, and Van Peebles has been acting and directing in TV and film ever since, but his career really got going a decade prior to New Jack City when he appeared as Doc Gilmore in One Life To Live in 1982 and 1983. 

Hayden Panettiere (One Life To Live)

“Save the cheerleader, save the world” is a now-legendary catchphrase from the TV series Heroes and the cheerleader was, of course, the great Hayden Panettiere. Panettiere had already scored numerous credits before Heroes, including her first role as a five-year-old One Life To Live for 26 episodes in the mid-'90s. She followed that up as Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light for four seasons.

Justin Hartley (Passions)

Justin Harley was part of the cast that made more TV viewers cry than any other as a part of the brilliant ensemble on This Is Us. Hartley got his start probably making daytime TV fans emotional on the short-lived (by soap opera standards) Passions. After becoming a series regular on Smallville, he returned to daytime TV on The Young and the Restless before landing his award-winning gig on This Is Us. 

Robin Wright (Santa Barbara)

In 1987 Robin Wright became part of cinema history with her role as Buttercup in the much-beloved The Princess Bride. It took a few years of starring on the soap Santa Barbara before she would get that breakout role, but she’s been on top ever since, with iconic roles on the Netflix series House of Cards and in movies like Wonder Woman 1984, which is pretty fitting, as that was the year she started on Santa Barbara.

Lindsay Lohan (Guiding Light and Another World)

Lindsay Lohan’s first movie role was actually two roles in 1998’s The Parent Trap. She immediately endeared herself to audiences, and that love only grew with Freaky Friday and Mean Girls. She’s had an up-and-down career since, but like so many others, that career started as a kid on a soap. Two soaps, actually. First, a brief one-off on Guiding Light, with a reoccurring role on Another World for two seasons. 

Kevin Kline (Search For Tomorrow)

Search for Tomorrow is one of those soaps that despite running for more than 35 years, it’s completely forgotten about today. It was canceled in 1986, but it was around long enough for Kevin Kline to make his first on-screen appearance. The classically trained Kline returned to the stage after leaving the show, but in 1982 he found himself in a role in Sophie’s Choice alongside Meryl Streep, and he’s never looked back. 

Tommy Lee Jones (One Life To Live)

Harvard grad Tommy Lee Jones actually got his first role in the classic Love Story but it was a minor “blink and you’ll miss it” type of role. It was probably his 21 episodes on One Life To Live in the early 1970s that really jumpstarted his now-legendary career. 

Tom Berenger (One Life To Live)

Speaking of One Life to Live in the ‘70s, Platoon star Tom Berenger overlapped with Jones for one season on the long-running soap. Berenger played Tim Siegel for 66 episodes from 1975 until his character’s death just after getting married in the 1976 season. Classic soap opera plot!  

While budgets of soap operas might not be that of prime-time TV, there is undoubtedly plenty of talent on these shows, and has been for many years, as this amazing of list famous actors who started out in soap operas proves. 

Kaley Cuoco played Penny on The Big Bang Theory for twelve seasons. It’s still hard to believe that the beloved CBS show ended three years ago. Believe it or not, there were actually three surprising actresses vying for the sitcom's lead role before Kaley Cuoco came into the picture. 

It’s hard to imagine what a long-running TV show would be like without a particular actress. The Hollywood Reporter shared a sneak peek of untold stories that are featured in Jessica Radloff’s novel The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series that said Penny was originally very different from what we know her to be now. While her original name was going to be Penny, they decided to change it to Katie, as there was initially a character named Penny in another CBS pilot. And instead of Katie having a Midwestern bubbly personality, she was more down on her luck and off-putting. When 20-year-old Kaley Cuoco first auditioned for The Big Bang Theory, co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady were taken with her, but the optimistic energy she brought out wasn’t what they were looking for in Katie, and thought she was too young for the part.

In the very early days, My Cousin Vinny’s Marisa Tomei auditioned with Jim Parsons. Then came American Pie’s Tara Reid and Saved by the Bell’s Elizabeth Berkley auditioning for the role that Prady described as "terrific." Canadian actress Amanda Walsh, who was known for the short-lived ABC dramedy Sons & Daughters, also auditioned for Katie. In the end, none of them made the cut the first time around. 

The first actress that they cast for the role of Katie ended up being She’s All That’s Jodi Lyn O’Keefe. During the table read, Parsons thought that O’Keefe nailed what was written. But, the creators felt that the female lead's interaction with the other characters was too harsh and dark. This led to O’Keefe being fired after that table read to the shock of Galecki and Parsons, which meant The Big Bang Theory creators had three days to recast. 

While Amanda Walsh didn't make it for round one, she was brought back again for round two where she was told she got the part after auditioning again. A little behind-the-scenes fact about The Big Bang Theory to share is that the show was originally going to have two female leads - tough Katie and scientist Gilda, who had a secret crush on Leonard and actually had sex with Sheldon at a Star Trek convention. The original Big Bang Theory pilot was considered “just a mess” because the creators were still failing to understand the characters they created. If a woman was going to enter Sheldon and Leonard’s life, it had to be someone who was “gentle” with them because of how vulnerable the male characters were. So, the original first draft of the female lead "Penny" resurfaced, Gilda was scrapped and Kaley Cuoco replaced Walsh.

Marisa Tomei, Elizabeth Berkley, and Tara Reid may not have been the next “Penny,” but their careers took them in a number of different directions that led them to success. Tomei would end up playing Aunt May in the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy, Reid would be in the Sharknado movies that helped change her career, and Berkley came back to the iconic role of Jessie Spano in Peacock's Saved by the Bell reboot, which lasted two seasons. Kaley Cuoco brought out a likable quality in Penny, who evolved over the years from a cute “girl next door” type of woman to someone who never had any problems calling out her awkward scientist friends for their stuff too. 

You can watch episodes of The Big Bang Theory and Kaley Cuoco’s newer show The Flight Attendant with your HBO Max subscription. 

Spoiler alert for Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Even if Tom Holland’s Spider-Man comes back swinging next year, following No Way Home, his Peter Parker will never be the same. The blockbuster Marvel Cinematic Universe film changed the hero’s life in a big way, and now that we’ve witnessed what was in store for him, Holland has broken down one particular relationship in the trilogy he believes to be the “heart and soul” of his movies. 

While getting into spoiler talk with Marvel.com, Tom Holland spoke to one particular moment in Spider-Man: No Way Home that he finds to be the core of the trilogy. In his words:  

Of course, he’s talking about the death of Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May, which was a particularly gut-wrenching moment in No Way Home midway through the film. As audiences, we’ve already seen Peter Parker lose a mentor in Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, so when a confrontation with Green Goblin leads to her unexpected death, we’re destroyed alongside young Peter. 

It’s a pivotal scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home, because it allows Tom Holland’s Peter Parker to bond with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spidey, who had their own Aunt May and lost their Uncle Ben in their own movies. While Marisa Tomei’s May has been a more fun-loving element of the series, she’s the character Peter has had with him through everything, even before becoming a hero, so it’s hard to see the character grieve this loss. 

During the interview, Tom Holland also said that Aunt May is an “incredible role model,” and even though her ending is super sad, he wouldn’t “change a single moment of it.” Following her death, MJ and Ned help Spidey through it by introducing him to the other Spider-Men. Additionally, Zendaya spoke to Peter and MJ’s relationship: 

The pair really help each other throughout the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and become a super sweet partnership to witness throughout the three movies. In the end, it’s not Tony Stark or Doctor Strange who gear the deepest relationships in the most recent Spider-Man trilogy, it’s the women in his life: Aunt May and MJ. 

Major spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home lie ahead.

Spider-Man: No Way Home was a truly visceral experience for Marvel Cinematic Universe fans and longtime admirers of the character. The sequel, which has received critical acclaim and crushed at the box office, provided massive action, big laughs and plenty of fan service. However, it also offered up some genuinely emotional moments. One of these involved the death of a beloved character, which likely came as a shock to viewers. But based on the writers’ recent comments, there were specific reasons for including that major “sacrifice.”

Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna have been with Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man franchise from the beginning. Together with director Jon Watts and producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal, the two scribes built out a fresh take on the wall-crawler’s world, which included lovable characters. So you can imagine it must’ve been somewhat difficult for them to kill off Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May in No Way Home. Despite this, Sommers told Variety that the loss was necessary given how Peter Parker was dealing with the returning interdimensional villains:

Instead of eliminating Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn, Alfred Molina’s Otto Octavius and the others, Parker sought to reform them. This approach was working until Osborn, who’d been mentally hijacked by his Green Goblin persona, wrecked the plan. And before departing, the Goblin killed May with his glider. It was indeed a sad moment, to say the least but, as Erik Sommers mentioned, it did need to happen. Like his cinematic predecessors, Tom Holland’s web-slinger needed a massive loss to propel him to become the hero he was meant to be. Chris McKenna, in the same interview, provided additional thoughts on the lead-up to the moment and how it affected the titular hero:

Though Aunt May’s death was rough, it served as a nice way for the MCU to refresh Peter Parker’s story while still staying true to the core of it. Most have always viewed Uncle Ben as the source of Peter’s heroism but, here, May serves as the catalyst for it. This is solidified when she finally utters the iconic “with great power, comes great responsibility” line. Considering all of this, May received the exit of a true hero. 

Marisa Tomei’s iteration of the classic mother-figure quickly became popular with fans following her debut in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. The actress recently explained that her “reinvention” of the character was the result of collaboration amongst her, Jon Watts and even Robert Downey Jr. While she didn’t get in on too much of the action until later in the franchise, she was still a joy whenever she appeared on screen.

May Parker will certainly be missed within the MCU, but her memory will definitely live on through the lead hero. And it’ll be interesting to see how her selfless spirit will continue to guide the character as the franchise continues.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently playing in theaters.

When Marisa Tomei first popped up as Peter Parker’s Aunt May, it threw audiences for a loop. Previous takes – live-action, animated, and comics – had portrayed Parker’s surrogate mother as a white-haired older woman unaware of her nephew’s secret identity. Captain America: Civil War changed all that as Tomei made May Parker a modern New York woman. Her portrayal changed moviegoers’ perspective on the iconic character. With the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the Oscar winner broke down how the reinvention came to be.

The King of Staten Island star allowed the beloved Spidey character to be witty, independent and liberated in a way fans hadn’t even seen before. It was a refreshing take on everyone’s favorite comic book aunt. But this interpretation of May Parker might’ve started before Marisa Tomei secured the role. The MCU star revealed to The Wrap the unique way Aunt May’s reinvention went down.

Robert Downey Jr. proved once again to be the true mastermind behind the MCU. Of course, RDJ would want the MCU’s Aunt May to be hipper, liberated and younger compared to previous incarnations. And Marisa Tomei was the best choice for this shift. The Spider-Man: Far from Home star gave Aunt May an air of sophistication and street smarts never exhibited before. There also might’ve been some inspiration from Sally Field’s Aunt May from the Amazing Spider-Man films. Her take has fit in with the MCU’s interpretations of many beloved characters.

RDJ probably vouched for Tomei the way he did for Tom Holland to become Spider-Man. The former MCU co-stars had a shared cinematic history before Marisa Tomei joined Marvel. Robert Downey Jr. co-starred with the Oscar winner in the acclaimed 1992 biopic Chaplin as well as the 1994 rom-com Only You. So, Downey Jr. knew the Ides of March star could elevate the matronly role. And of course, she did as evident by her recurring role in the MCU.

Of course, Marvel fans get to witness Tomei as Aunt May again. The actress can see her in action as Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently in theaters. But taking on Aunt May isn’t the only role as the Oscar winner will pop up in 2022 in the drama Delia’s Gone. Hopefully, the Chaplin star’s MCU future won’t end anytime soon. If you want to relive the Cousin Vinny star’s career, check out and stream some of her best movies.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home stars Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Zendaya (MJ), Jacob Batalon (Ned), Marisa Tomei (Aunt May) and producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal discuss their upcoming Spider-Man film in this spoiler-free interview with CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell. Kevin Feige confirms Charlie Cox will be the MCU’s Daredevil, Tom Holland reveals he wants to recreate Peter and MJ’s iconic upside-down kiss and more!

Video Chapters

• 00:00 - Intro (Peter/MJ Kiss Tease) 
• 0:18 - Tom Holland On How He Patched Up Marvel And Sony’s Break-Up 
• 02:15 - Kevin Feige Confirms Charlie Cox Is Daredevil In The MCU 
• 02:34 - How Zendaya Feels About The Gwen Stacy/MJ Trailer Shot Comparison 
• 03:32 - Tom Holland’s Reaction To Joining Venom 2
• 05:08 - Marisa Tomei On How Tom Holland Has Evolved As An Actor 
• 06:00- Tom Holland Wants To Meet J.K. Simmons 
• 06:52 - Kevin Feige And Amy Pascal Reveal The ‘Secret Sauce’ To A Successful Spider-Man Movie 
• 07:38 - Tom Holland Wants To Recreate The Iconic Peter And MJ Kiss, But There’s A Twist 
• 08:23 - Kevin Feige Is Numb To Your Marvel Tweets 
• 08:41 - Jacob Batalon On The ‘Home’ Theme In Their Spider-Man Trilogy 
• 09:29 - Tom Holland And Zendaya Say No Way Home Trailers Show You ‘Nothing’ In The Movie

Marisa Tomei has spent decades creating a career full of diverse projects that showcase her top-notch acting abilities and inspire audiences to root for her. Whether her characters are helping their boyfriends win a case or having an affair with her husband's brother, you’re going to be on her side. Marisa Tomei movies have created a legacy of iconic characters and award-worthy performances, many of them streaming. Soon, Tomei fans will once again see her as Aunt May in one of the biggest upcoming Marvel movies, Spider-Man: No Way Home. 

This Marvel movie will remind audiences just how much they enjoy Tomei's movies and TV shows, so now is the perfect time to start streaming some of her most well-known films. Here are some great Marisa Tomei movies and where you can find them streaming, to rent or to buy. 

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

My Cousin Vinny is a comedy about two young men falsely accused of murder.  One of the men enlists his cousin, Vinny (Joe Pesci), to act as his lawyer. Vinny has only recently passed the bar exam and basically stumbles his way through the trial. My Cousin Vinny’s cast also includes Ralph Macchio, Mitchell Whitfield, and Marisa Tomei.

Tomei plays Mona Lisa Vito, Vinny’s girlfriend and one of the expert witnesses. My Cousin Vinny is a fun comedy that works so well because of Pesci and Tomei’s comedic chemistry and their separate comedy skills. Her role in the film earned her a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. 

Rent//buy My Cousin Vinny on Amazon. 

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) And Other Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man Movies

Spider-Man: Homecoming follows Peter Parker (Tom Holland) as he tries to balance being a superhero with being a teenage boy. This is the second Marvel Cinematic Universe film to feature Tom Holland’s Spider-Man.

Marisa Tomei plays Aunt May in the MCU. Unlike most of the previous depictions of Aunt May, she's a lot younger. The character is Peter’s guardian and one of his moral compasses. We’ve already seen Aunt May in the previous MCU Spider-Man movies and she’ll be making her return when Spider-Man: No Way Home premieres, which is already one of the most anticipated 2021 movies. 

Rent/buy Spider-Man: Homecoming on Amazon. 

The Wrestler (2008)

The Wrestler is a sports drama about an aging wrestler who continues the sport, despite his health, because the highs of the glory are too great. It was directed by Darren Aronofsky and stars Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood. 

Tomei gives one of her best dramatic performances in The Wrestler, so it makes sense that she received several major award nominations, including an Oscar nod. Her performance in this acclaimed film earned her another Academy Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. The Wrestler is considered one of the best films of 2008.

Stream The Wrestler on Hulu.
Rent/buy The Wrestler on Amazon. 

The King of Staten Island (2020)

The King of Staten Island is about a 20-something man child who has to start to get his life together when his mom begins to date a new guy. Judd Apatow co-wrote and directed The King of Staten Island. It stars Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei, and Bill Burr. Davidson also co-wrote the film alongside Judd Apatow and Dave Sirus. 

Marisa Tomei plays Margie, the mother of Pete Davidson’s character, Scott. The King of Staten Island has some laugh out loud moments, but I believe what works best with this film is the ensemble of characters. Davidson’s Scott is at the heart of the story, but he’s surrounded by characters with interesting histories and quirks. From what we see of Margie, she’s a fascinating character with or without her dysfunctional son. 

Stream The King of Staten Island on HBO Max.
Rent/buy The King of Staten Island on Amazon. 

Untamed Heart (1993)

Untamed Heart is a romantic dramedy about two young people who fall in love after a man rescues a woman. She then begins to rescue him from his life of loneliness and solitude. It stars Marisa Tomei as Caroline and Christian Slater as Adam. He's a very shy person whom Caroline helps open up so he can be more of a part of the world. 

Untamed Heart, in my opinion, is a really heartwarming romantic dramedy that’s not appreciated enough. Tomei and Slater both make you grow attached to them as they learn to truly love someone for the first time. Untamed Heart is a really sweet movie that’s good to watch for a sentimental love story. 

Stream Untamed Heart on Youtube.

Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a crime drama about a set of brothers who decide to commit a robbery. They hope it will be the solution to their problems, but it just creates gigantic troubles. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, and Albert Finney. 

Marisa Tomei plays Gina Hanson, the wife of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character and the lover of Ethan Hawke’s character. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a very interesting crime drama that’s more character driven than action focused. Tomei’s character is more of a minor figure, but she has some moments that stand out and showcase Tomei’s strong acting abilities.

Stream Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead on Tubi.
Rent/buy Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead on Amazon. 

Only You (1994)

Only You is a romantic comedy about a woman named Faith (Marisa Tomei), who as a child learns the name of the man who is supposed to be her soulmate. She moves past that dream as an adult until he suddenly calls her and an adventure ensues. Only You also stars Robert Downey Jr. and Bonnie Hunt. 

Maria Tomei was perfect for '90s rom-coms. She had a whimsical, hopeful quality that made her an ideal girl next door / hopeless romantic. Her sweet nature pairs well with Downey Jr.'s almost con-artist persona in Only You. They’re a great romantic pairing that balances each other. 

Stream Only You on Starz.
Rent/buy Only You on Amazon. 

In The Bedroom (2001)

In the Bedroom follows the Fowler family, which consists of Ruth (Sissy Spacek), Matt (Tom Wilkinson), and Frank (Nick Stahl). Frank is Ruth and Matt’s only son who begins a relationship with an older woman, Natalie (Marisa Tomei).

The film earned Marisa Tomei an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. It’s an intense family drama with amazing performances by the entire cast. This is one of those quiet dramas where in every moment, you know great pain and destruction are brewing underneath all that’s not said. Tomei isn’t featured as much in the second half of In the Bedroom as she is in the first half, but she has some of her most heartbreaking moments in the second half of In the Bedroom. The audience feels the weight she feels, even if they only see her for a few moments. 

Stream In the Bedroom on Paramount+.
Rent/buy In the Bedroom on Amazon.

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)

Crazy, Stupid, Love follows a recently separated man, Cal (Steve Carell). Jacob (Ryan Gosling) starts to mentor Cal on how to become more successful in the art of seduction. However, as Jacob is teaching Cal his ways, he finds himself falling for Hannah (Emma Stone). The Crazy, Stupid, Love cast also includes Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, and Marisa Tomei.

Tomei plays Kate, and her character has some of the funniest moments in the movie. The movie is one of the best romantic comedies released after 2010, so if you’re a fan of them, and have never seen this one, then definitely add Crazy, Stupid, Love to your to-watch-list.

Rent/buy Crazy, Stupid, Love on Amazon. 

The First Purge (2018)

The First Purge explains the origins of the purge. It’s the fourth film in The Purge franchise. The First Purge cast includes Y'lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Joivan Wade, and Marisa Tomei.

Tomei plays Dr. May Updale, a vital figure in the creation of the event. Her character isn’t quite a villain, but definitely not the hero of this story. It’s a character out of Tomei’s norm, but that’s one thing that adds to the intrigue of Dr. Updale.

Rent/buy The First Purge on Amazon. 

Bonus

A Different World (1987-1993)

This isn’t a Marisa Tomei movie, but definitely, something to start streaming if you’re a fan of the Spider-Man: No Way Home actress. A Different World was a sitcom set at the fictional historically black college, Hillman College. It was a Cosby Show spin-off that originally centered around Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet). It aired for six seasons, from 1987 to 1993.

Marisa Tomei played Maggie Lauten in A Different World Season 1. Maggie was the roommate of Denise and Jalessa (Dawnn Lewis). This series was one of Tomei’s first major TV show gigs. A Different World gives fans a charming character in Maggie, but it’s also a show that’s still funny, and relevant to today’s issues. A Different World is also a fun watch so you can spot future stars early in their careers. 

Stream A Different World on HBO Max.
Buy A Different World on Amazon. 

There are plenty of great Marisa Tomei movies to watch streaming, but the films listed here are some of her best movies, due to her performance and the movies overall stories. Catch Marisa Tomei next when Spider-Man: No Way Home hits theaters, on December 17, 2021. 

In 2018, Blumhouse took us back to the early days of The Purge with The First Purge, a prequel that depicted the origins of the annual lawless evening and how an experiment in Staten Island resulted in the most ruthless and deadly night of the year. While the horror movie received a mixed reception from critics and audiences alike, it didn't have any trouble scaring up an audience. To date, it remains the highest-grossing installment in the franchise, grossing nearly $140 million worldwide. It's certainly not the last we'll see of The Purge, as The Forever Purge is slated to come out on July 9, 2021.

If you're wondering where you've seen The First Purge cast, including Marisa Tomei and Y'lan Noel, in the nearly three years since this movie's release, we're here to help. Here's what the actors behind in this top-grossing horror prequel are doing now.

Y’lan Noel (Dmitri Cimber)

As Dmitri Cimber, a drug lord in Staten Island and Nya's ex-boyfriend, Y'lan Noel was the protagonist in The First Purge. Most notably, Noel played Daniel King in HBO's Insecure. He also had a main role in The Hustle. Away from TV, Noel appeared in Slice, House of Another, The Weekend, and last year's The Photograph. The actor also acted in the short film, The Spartan King. Currently, Noel is shooting Mo McRae's feature directorial debut, A Lot of Nothing. Additionally, he's signed on to lead Lee Daniels' newest show.

Lex Scott Davis (Nya Charms)

In the role of Nya Charms, an anti-Purge activist, Lex Scott Davis plays a main character in The First Purge. Previously, Davis played Toni Braxton in Lifetime's biopic, Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart. The actress also had a starring role in CBS's short-lived series, Training Day. Additionally, Davis played a recurring role as Quiara Thompson in Showtime's The L Word: Generation Q. Her other television credits include All Rise, The Exes, and Tales. Away from television, Davis can be seen in Superfly (2018) and Foster Boy. Additionally, she co-wrote and starred in 2014's short film, ColorBlind.

Most recently, Lex Scott Davis was seen in Son of the South. The actress also played the title role of Joy in Joy & Jim and appeared in the short film, Magnolia Bloom. Currently, Davis plays the part of Cassidy "Cass" Ray in ABC's Rebel. Currently, she's filming a role in Mo McRae's feature screenwriting and directorial debut, A Lot of Nothing. Additionally, Davis will be seen in Sweet Girl later this year.

Joivan Wade (Isaiah Charms)

Playing the part of Isaiah Charms, a high school student who lives with his older sister, Nya, Joivan Wade is one of the main characters in The First Purge. Most notably, Wade is known for his performances as Manyou in BBC's Big School and Jordan Johnson in BBC's EastEnders. His other TV credits include Youngers, Doctor Who, Casualty, and The Interceptor. Away from television, Wade can be seen in The Weekend, The Dare, VS., and a series of short films, including 2012's Callum, 2015's Chick or Treat (which he co-wrote), 2016's Rwd/Fwd, 2017's The Riot Act, 2018's Shiro's Story (which he produced), and 2019's Amani (which he produced). Outside of acting, Wade produced the short film, Joy, last year.

Currently, Joivan Wade plays Victor Stone, i.e. Cyborg, in HBO Max's Doom Patrol. The third season is expected to premiere later this year. The actor also played the part in a recent episode of The CW's Legends of Tomorrow. Additionally, last year, Wade produced, wrote, and played a version of himself in the short film, Wade in the Water.

Marisa Tomei (Dr. May Updale/The Architect)

As Dr. May Updale, i.e. The Architect, the psychologist who created a social experiment that would later become the annual Purge, Marisa Tomei played a pivotal supporting character in The First Purge. Most famously, Tomei is an Oscar-winning actress for her supporting turn in My Cousin Vinny. The actress also received acclaim for playing Cassidy in The Wrestler, Gina Hanson in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Rita Abromowitz in Slums of Beverly Hills, and Natalie Strout in In the Bedroom. Additionally, the actress plays May Parker, a.k.a. Aunt May, in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home, as well as Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame. Her other notable film credits include What Women Want, Anger Management, Wild Hogs, Cyrus, The Big Short, Crazy Stupid Love, and The Ides of March.

Most recently, Marisa Tomei appeared in Human Capital, Judd Apatow's The King of Staten Island, and the Netflix special, Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine. Next, Tomei reprises her role as Aunt May in Spider-Man: No Way Home. She'll also star in Delia's Gone.

Lauren Velez (Luisa)

In the role of Luisa, the Charms' neighbor, Lauren Velez played a supporting character in The First Purge. Most notably, Velez is known for her performance as Maria LaGuerta in Showtime's Dexter. Her other notable television credits include HBO's Oz, ABC's Ugly Betty, Fox's New York Undercover, and ABC's How to Get Away with Murder. The actress's other TV credits include South of Hell, Madam Secretary, Blue Bloods, and MacGyver.

Away from television, Lauren Velez played Elaine Santos in City Hall and Lisette Linares in I Like It Like That. She can also be seen in I Think I Do, Officer Downe, Prince of Central Park, and Shaft (2019). Additionally, Velez voiced Rio Morales in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. She also starred in and produced 2016's America Adrift. Last year, Velez was seen in Ana and Swallow. Next, the actress will appear in Rogue Hostage.

Rotimi Paul (Skeletor)

Playing the part of Skeletor, a sadistic criminal who'll kill anyone he wants for his own depraved pleasure or gain, Rotimi Paul was a menacing figure in The First Purge. The actor can also be seen as Ken Moody in Mapplethorpe and Schmitty in Dutch Kills, which he also produced. Additionally, Paul can be seen in a variety of short films, including 2014's Ship of Fools (which he also wrote and produced), 2015's The Reels. 2016's New York I Love You, and 2019's Brooklyn Park. Away from movies, Paul appeared in episodes of As the World Turns, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Sleepy Hollow, Bull, and Blue Bloods.

Last year, Rotimi Paul was seen in the short film, A Storybook Ending. Next, he'll be seen in another short film, How I Learned to Breathe Out Water.

Mo McRae (7 & 7)

As 7 & 7, a loyal friend of Dmitri, Mo McRae plays a dependable supporting character in The First Purge. Most notably, McRae had a recurring role as Tyler in FX's Sons of Anarchy. His other TV credits include Big Little Lies, Almost Family, Empire, Ray Donovan, and This Is Us. He can also be seen in Murder in the First, Pitch, The Defenders, Southland, ER, Cold Case, NYPD Blue, and The Shield. Additionally, McRae's film credits include Wild, The Butler, Gridiron Gang, All the Way, and Den of Thieves.

Currently, Mo McRae is making his feature screenwriting and directorial debut with the upcoming dramedy thriller, A Lot of Nothing. The actor also produces the film. Additionally, McRae directed an episode of CBS's All Rise. As an actor, McRae recently played a recurring role in ABC's Rebel. He also appeared in the historical drama, The 24th, last year. Next, the actor will star in MVP, which he also produced, and the short film, Rock a Bye Baby. Additionally, McRae produced Joy & Jim earlier this year.

Siya (Blaise)

In the role of Blaise, a loyal member of Dmitri's gang, Siya played a minor character in The First Purge. Prior to acting, Siya was a rapper with four mixtapes, including 2011's Elevator Music, 2015's Better Late Than Never and What Never Happened, and 2017's Commitment, and three albums, including 2016's SIYAvsSIYA, 2017's 383 - for Roosevelt, and 2018's Mad Energy, respectively. The musician also starred in Oxygen's reality TV series, Sisterhood of Hip Hop. Prior to her performance in The First Purge, Siya made her acting debut in Netflix's Deuces. The actress can also be seen in Street Dreams: Los Angeles.

Last year, Siya appeared in the horror film, No Escape. Currently, the actress is filming a role in Good Intentions. She's also expected to appear in Blind Currency.

Melonie Diaz (Juani)

Playing the part of Juani, Melonie Diaz had a minor role in The First Purge. Prior to this performance, the film-television actress was known for her standout supporting turns in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints and Fruitvale Station. She also starred in Itty Bitty Titty Committee, American Son, Be Kind Rewind, Supporting Characters, and Ghost Team. Her other notable film credits include Lords of Dogtown, The Belko Experiment, Hamlet 2, Gringo, Feel the Noise, All About Nina, Nothing Like the Holidays, and Assassination of a High School President.

On television, Melonie Diaz had a main role in VH1/BET's The Breaks. Her other television credits include Nip/Tuck, CSI: Miami, Girls, Room 104, Elementary, Rizzoli & Isles, and Law & Order. Outside of acting, Diaz produced two short films, 2009's She's a Blur and 2015's Wedding Dress. Currently, the actress leads The CW's Charmed in the role of Mel Vera.

Steve Harris (Freddy)

As Freddy, the best friend of Taz and Sharpie, Steve Harris plays a supporting character in The First Purge. Most notably, Harris is known for his two-time Emmy-nominated performance as Eugene Young in ABC's The Practice. His other television credits include main roles in TNT's Legends and NBC's Awake. He can also be seen in Justified, The Crossing, Friday Night Lights, Heist, New York Undercover, and The Twilight Zone. Additionally, Harris can be heard in Kids' WB/Cartoon Network's The Batman. Away from television, the actor can be seen in Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Minority Report, Quarantine, The Rock, Bringing Down the House, Sugar Hill, and 12 Rounds. He also appeared in Burning Sands, Takers, The Skulls, George Wallace, and Chi-Raq. Outside of acting, Harris was also a co-producer on 2018's Revival.

Most recently, Steve Harris appeared in Fox's short-lived drama series, Filthy Rich. He was also a guest star in an episode of NBC's Chicago P.D. Next, Harris will be seen in Starz's Black Mafia Family. He's also attached to produce A Love to Die For.

Remember when Marisa Tomei was cast as Aunt May for Spider-Man: Homecoming? It was a choice that caught fans off guard because Marisa Tomei had the opportunity to completely turn the archetype of the character on its head – and she did. Tomei had us completely shifting our perspective on the matriarch in Peter Parker’s life. But Tomei doesn’t like the idea of being known for her “mom roles.”

While talking about her latest role in the new Judd Apatow film The King of Staten Island (in which she also plays a mom), the actress got candid about her recent work. Tomei told Collider:

The 55-year-old My Cousin Vinny actress is incredibly memorable as the "mom" in Spider-Man: Homecoming and The King of Staten Island. Marisa Tomei brings a unique quality to the “mom role” that is refreshing to see play out. But that must be a double-edged sword. Now that Tomei is famous for her Aunt May character, she’s getting offered more types of parts like it, and she doesn’t want to be boxed in.

Marisa Tomei showed interest in tackling the femme fatale in a noir or starring in a screwball rom-com. The point is she’s not content with being known as just the “mom type” on film. She continued with:

Tomei’s role in The King of Staten Island is a weighty one as she plays the widowed mother in Pete Davidson’s semi-biographical dramedy. Like his own dad, Davidson's character's father was killed in 9/11 while working as a firefighter when he was a young kid. In the movie, Scott is a 24-year-old stay-at-home burnout who aspires to become a tattoo artist. Check out the trailer below:

There is stil this looming expectation that female actresses often catch wind of when they pass their 30s that talents like Marisa Tomei find themselves fighting against. Reese Witherspoon recently recalled a time when her financial advisor told her to “start saving” when she hit 37 because she wasn’t “going to have much of a career” in her 40s.

That’s clearly not the case for the Big Little Lies, The Morning Show and Little Fires Everywhere actress/producer, and she ended up firing her team member for his comment. Marisa Tomei similarly pushes back against the idea that the possibilities for her career need to shift just because of her age. Just because many women her age are mothers, there should not be a ceiling for the Oscar winner.

The King of Staten Island has been welcomed with positive reception, with a 70% Rotten Tomatoes score and favorable review from CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell. Judd Apatow’s latest film is available to rent on VOD now.

Marisa Tomei has a great arc to execute in director Judd Apatow’s new dramedy The King Of Staten Island. Playing Margie, the mother of Pete Davidson’s character in what is a semi-biographical movie about the Saturday Night Live star, Tomei successfully navigates the character from introverted, doting mother to independent force of nature. It’s a great turn to see from the Academy Award-winning actor – but what makes it a touch surprising is that one of her key scenes was evidently a late addition to the film.

With The King Of Staten Island set to drop online this week, I had the wonderful pleasure of interviewing Marisa Tomei via video chat last week to talk about her character in the movie, and one thing she revealed during our conversation was that one of her best bits wasn’t originally in the script and was something that was developed later in production. Click play on the video below to watch the discussion!

In The King Of Staten Island, Margie is a woman who has kept herself mostly cut off from the world since the death of her firefighter husband – who was also the father of her two kids (Pete Davidson, Maude Apatow) – but that all changes when her son, Scott, has an unfortunate run in with a guy named Ray (Bill Burr), who ends up asking her on a date. Having been entirely focused on being a mom for nearly two full decades, she finally has the opportunity of come out of her shell a bit… and that notably means her relationship with Scott changing.

When we first meet Pete Davidson’s Scott in the movie, he is a directionless loser who lives at home merely talking about the idea of becoming a tattoo artist, but never making any real concrete steps to achieve his goals. With a new outlook on life, Margie winds up feeling compelled to give him the push out of the nest he very much needs, forcing him to move out and try to make it on his own – and this led to the inclusion of a great scene where Scott makes a desperate effort to get back inside his totally redecorated childhood home, and is aggressively shown the door by his mother. Said Tomei of the scene,

Not only is the scene a great inclusion of Marisa Tomei’s performance, as it really drives home how much her character changes over the course of The King Of Staten Island, but it also speaks to Judd Apatow’s famed style of filmmaking – which involves flying by the seat of his pants sometimes. Known for having his actors do a lot of improvisation on set, Apatow has a tendency to let his projects speak to him to a certain degree during production, and sometimes that results in great new scenes like the one that’s been highlighted here.

The King Of Staten Island, which also features Steve Buscemi, Bel Powley, Ricky Velez, Moises Arias, Lou Wilson, Kevin Corrigan, and more in addition to the names highlighted above, is available this weekend for digital rental and purchase. Check it out, and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from my interviews with the director and stars of the new film.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ever-growing place, with the rabid fanbase anxiously awaiting the start of Phase Four and Five. Moviegoers are excited to see Tom Holland's Peter Parker return to the big screen with a third solo flick, especially after Spider-Man: Far From Home's cliffhanger ending. A Spider-Man threequel would presumably include Marisa Tomei's Aunt May, and now the iconic actress has revealed what she hopes for her signature Marvel character.

Given the popularity of Spider-Man, Aunt May has been adapted countless times throughout the years in animation, video games, and on the big screen. Marisa Tomei follows in the foot steps of Rosemary Harris and Sally Field, although she's bringing a whole new energy to the character within the MCU. She was recently asked about the future of May, and shared how she hopes the character's story is expanded. The My Cousin Vinny actress said:

Rather than being interested in Spider-Man's crazy action or Peter Parker's identity being revealed to the public, Marisa Tomei wants to see Aunt May's career continue to shape the character. Instead of a retiree, Tomei's version of May has an active career and romantic life. And she is particularly interested in seeing May's work as a community organizer in the next Spider-Man flick.

Marisa Tomei's comments come from her recently conversation with ScreenRant about her role in Judd Apatow's The King of Staten Island. Eventually the subject turned to her tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Tomei got honest about her hopes for the character in Phase Four. Aunt May is a fan-favorite character from Marvel's Spider-Man movies, so it should be interesting to see where the character ends up going next.

Narratively, the third Spider-Man movie could seemingly go anywhere when it arrives in theaters in November of 2021. Tom Holland appeared in a whopping five MCU movies in the last slate of movies, with Peter Parker becoming a bonafide Avenger in the process. But Spider-Man: Far From Home's mid-credits scene saw Mysterio reveal Peter's identity as Spider-Man, so his life will never be the same again.

Marvel fans can re-watch the Infinity Saga on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.

Peter Parker being outed as Superhero would also seemingly put Aunt May in danger, since she's his legal guardian. What's more, it puts new light on her community organizer work that featured Spider-Man as a special guest. This might give Marisa Tomei the opportunity to continue that particular plot line, while also getting May involved in Spider-Man's adventures for the first time.

Spider-Man's mysterious third Marvel solo flick is currently expected to arrive in theaters on November 5th, 2021 as the fourth installment of Phase Four. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

It’s been a rough week for Spider-Man fans. Marvel and Sony’s joint custody with the beloved webslinger suddenly came to an end, after the two studios reportedly couldn’t reach an agreement over Disney’s proposed 50/50 profit split. The decision has left us with tons of questions about the break-up, especially concerning how the inherent ties Tom Holland’s Spidey has with the MCU will be dealt with if Sony moves forward without the shared universe.

While Jon Favreau was a D23 to promote his exciting upcoming Mandalorian series for Disney+, he was asked about his thoughts on the situation. In his words to Rotten Tomatoes:

That’s right! What about Happy Hogan and Aunt May’s budding romance in Far From Home? Jon Favreau’s character has had strong ties to the late Tony Stark, so it’s doubtful the character would be able to live on in the Spider-Man movies without referencing his roots in the MCU. That leaves those rooting for more from his relationship with Marisa Tomei’s hip Aunt May as a “one that got away” story. Here’s one more reason fans are organizing to “storm Sony” in their New York lot!

Jon Favreau gives a wistful answer in hopes of Disney and Sony coming to a decision that would keep Spider-Man in the MCU. He’s been a part of both of Jon Watts’ Spider-Man films after starting as a director himself in the first movies in the universe for Iron Man 1 & 2. Sony taking full control without Disney or the MCU to pull from could derail what was planned for Tom Holland’s character under Marvel Studios Pres. Kevin Feige’s plans.

For the past four and a half years, the Sony and Disney deal had the latter studio retaining earnings from all Spider-Man merchandising and 5% of the earnings the movies made. After Spider-Man: Far From Home recently became the highest-earning Spidey movie of all time over summer, Disney reportedly attempted to negotiate the deal for a higher percentage (50%) which was not agreed upon by Sony.

In a recent statement, Sony clarified that the partnership ended on the terms of Disney’s Marvel Studios. Sony said it was “disappointed” but will “respect Disney’s decision” to leave Spider-Man out of the MCU. It’s now been reported that the two studios are fighting over Homecoming and Far From Home director Jon Watts as well.

Stay tuned with CinemaBlend as the Spider-Man controversy continues to unravel!

When Marisa Tomei was first cast as Aunt May, it was an unexpected choice. “Wait… isn’t she supposed to be old and gray?” The accomplished actress has brought a new hip, cool Aunt reputation to the comic book character for Jon Watts’ Spider-Man films, which has audiences either wanting to replicate her style or fall in love with her.

Marisa Tomei has now taken to Instagram to give us a behind-the-scenes look into the evolution of her Aunt May’s fashion sense before landing on the version found on the big screen. Take a look:

Gotta love how she Marisa Tomei not only posted these looks, but broke them down with videos as well! The first Aunt May we see is lovingly named “curly top” by Tomei with a “‘40s meets ‘70s thing” going on. She has big curly hair, a checkered shirt and high-waisted jeans. This one is definitely is less in with the times and a different kind of quirky then the May we know and love.

The second look is an older looking Aunt May that is more along the lines of Sally Field’s version in the Amazing Spider-Man movies lead by Andrew Garfield. It adds a few years on Tomei’s character with the streak of gray in her hair. The actress explained that this look was played with when they were trying to figure out what age this May would be.

Since they were trying to “reinvent” her, it makes sense they went with a younger look. The last three variations show Marisa Tomei trying out a few more hairdos including a curly afro, bangs and glasses and longer hair with bangs. Looks like it was a really fun process figuring out a fresh update for Aunt May and after seeing these funky ones, we’re happy with the final result.

When she was originally cast, she was willing to age up to fit the source material but they didn’t go with it. The typical silver-haired May was already done by Rosemary Harris in Sam Raimi’s trilogy and more recently Lily Tomlin brought a more badass elderly Aunt May to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Marisa Tomei’s younger May is refreshing and allowed her to differentiate herself from the many iterations.

It’s also allowed for some comedic moments as Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark and Jon Favreau’s Happy have shown a bit of flirtation toward her, much to Peter’s disdain. Also, at the end of Homecoming she actually learns of his secret, making for new territory for their relationship in Far From Home.

In Far From Home, May is dealing with coming back from the Snap along with supporting his hero endeavors with funny quips such as calling his Spidey Sense into the “Peter Tingle”.

You can give Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May some love by catching Spider-Man: Far From Home, in theaters now!

After years of waiting, Spider-Man is now firmly a key figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- and it looks like things are going to stay that way for at least the next few years. Not only did the character have a very significant part in Avengers: Infinity War, but we also know that he'll have a role to play in Avengers: Endgame. And, the character's part of the action in that superhero team up sequel will lead right into the Web-Slinger's solo sequel for Marvel and Sony -- a project that's been officially titled Spider-Man: Far From Home.

So, what can we expect from this sequel? When will it be released? Which characters will return? What will it be about? We've built this feature with the exact purpose of answering those questions, so read on to learn what we know so far about the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming!

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War. If you have not yet seen the films, and don't wish to have any specific details ruined, please bookmark this page and come back after your screening!

What Have We Seen From Spider-Man: Far From Home?

For a while, our only looks at Spider-Man: Far From Home came from leaked set photos and videos, but, at the beginning of January, the first trailer finally dropped. As you can see from the video above, there have been a few reveals that let us in on the storyline. An international Far From Home trailer was also released that has a different opening sequence of events. So, at least now we have two different videos providing footage for the Wall-Crawler’s next adventure, but you can be sure more previews are on the way in the coming months.

Spider-Man: Far From Home's Release Date

While Marvel Studios has always been a house of secrets, what they have planned beyond Avengers: Endgame was kept mostly under lock and key for a while. This is primarily so that fans have no idea what to expect in the outcome of Avengers: Infinity War and its sequel. However, that's finally started to change, as a number of post-Phase 3 projects have slowly been announced or reported. Nevertheless, Spider-Man: Far From Home was announced long before those others, so, naturally, it will be the first of this bunch to come out.

To be specific, Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures have jointly announced that Peter Parker's next solo adventure will be hitting the big screen on July 5, 2019. As such, it will be the first title to kick off Phase 4 -- if that's even still a thing after the fourth Avengers movie. It's noteworthy how close the release dates are for Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home, but there's a good reason for that, and we'll get into it in a bit.

Spider-Man: Far From Home's Rating

Between 2004 and 2007, Marvel Comics did published Spider-Man issues that had a more mature edge to them (specifically under their 'Marvel Knights' banner), but that's hardly the Spidey that audiences recognize. The Web-Head is famously kid-friendly and fun, and there are no future plans to release an R-rated title featuring the character.

While it was fine to consider that Sony's Venom spin-off could be restricted to those aged 18 years or older (that ended up not being the case), having an R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man film really just wouldn't make any sense. There are a whole lotta kids out there who just flipped their collective lids for Tom Holland's new big screen version of the Wall-Crawler, and it would be insane to bar them from getting to see his second solo adventure in the franchise. Obviously, official decisions regarding the rating are only decided when a final cut is assembled and screened for the MPAA, but you can be sure that Spider-Man: Far From Home will be made with a PG-13 rating in mind.

Spider-Man: Far From Home's Director

Following the Sundance premiere of his critically-acclaimed sophomore feature, Cop Car, director Jon Watts was brought on board to take the helm of Spider-Man: Homecoming. It was a decision that met with a good deal of head-scratching, given Watts' lack of experience with big projects -- but he wound up proving all doubters wrong. He provided fans with a great Spidey full of energy and spirit... but for a long time we weren't quite sure if he would get the chance to do it again. But, at the beginning of 2018, during Brazil's Comic-Con, reports came out that Kevin Feige announced Watts' return as director during the Marvel panel, and it was later confirmed that Watts would reprise his helming duties on Spider-Man: Far From Home.

This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise for fans. His first superhero movie was not only monstrously successful at the box office, but also stands as one of the best-reviewed installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Watts oversaw Spider-Man: Far From Home's principal photography from July to October of 2018, but there's likely still some post-production work to be done for Watts to supervise.

The Story

The events that go down in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame will have a serious impact on Spider-Man: Far From Home -- and we're not only saying that because the Wall-Crawler has a part in both movies. As alluded to earlier, it has been confirmed that the events that play out in the sequel will begin literally minutes after the end of Endgame. Obviously, Infinity War saw young Peter Parker slowly turn to dust after Thanos gained full control of the Infinity Gauntlet, in one of the most heart-breaking scenes the MCU has ever brought us. Avengers 4, then, will need to restore the hero in some way, though we have no clue how that could work right now. However this is accomplished, it's entirely possible that the events of Infinity War and Peter's resurrection could be addressed in Spider-Man: Far From Home, unless, of course, that some timey-wimey goings on in Avengers: Endgame mean that said events never occurred in the new timeline, in which case from Peter Parker's perspective, there's nothing to address.

As for where we'll find Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Far From Home, it was previously hinted that the sequel, which was written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (who also worked on the original), will move the hero up a grade -- from sophomore to junior. But, more importantly, it was revealed that Far From Home will see Peter traveling to Europe with his classmates during summer vacation. We will see a little bit of Spidey in his native New York, but otherwise he won't technically be a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in Far From Home since he'll be swinging around London, Venice and other European locales. And, needless to say, this trip won't be as relaxing for Peter as he hoped, because (as is the life of a superhero) eventually he'll have to clash with supervillains.

As for who the primary villain is, there was certainly no shortage of individuals to choose from since Spider-Man has one of the biggest rogues gallery in all of superhero comics history. And as most of you reading this already know, many of Spider-Man's greatest foes have already been on the big screen -- including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Venom, Lizard, Rhino, and Electro -- but the good news is that the Web-Slinger has one of the deepest villain benches around, and we still haven't seen notable baddies like Kraven The Hunter, Mysterio, Morbius The Living Vampire, Chameleon and Hobgoblin. One of these villains has now been confirmed to appear and is possibly being the Big Bad of Spider-Man: Far From Home, and we'll get into that a bit later.

Peter Parker/Spider-Man

While Spider-Man: Homecoming wasn't a traditional origin story for the hero -- not featuring Uncle Ben or radioactive spider bites -- it is still very much an introduction to him and his world. The movie lets us get to know the kid superhero, reveals the people in his life who are closest to him, and even still manages to give us a proper training montage as he learns to use all the aspects of his new suit. Now that that's all out of the way, however, there are no limits to what the next story can do, and what growth we may see from both Peter Parker and Spider-Man.

Thus far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man has faced off against both rogue superheroes and alien tech-wearing villains, but in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, we expect that the teenager is going to see things far, far more intense. As such, Peter Parker may be a totally different person by the time we meet him again in Spider-Man: Far From Home... but he still has to be a high school student working towards building a future for himself. There should be plenty of drama and conflict as a result, but that all just makes for good storytelling.

One of the cool things about the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel is we will definitely see a version of the titular hero who is much more adept with both his own abilities and technology. Not only is it possible that we will see a stronger manifestation of the character's famed spider-sense (which made a brief appearance in Infinity War), but also much greater creativity when it comes to utilizing 'Karen' and the various capacities of his Stark Industries-designed suit. Plus, Peter will also be donning a new stealth suit during Far From Home, indicating that he'll be on a mission requiring him to maintain a lower profile.

Michelle/Mary Jane

In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter Parker spends most of the movie pining for the girl who is his true first crush in the comics: Liz Allen (Laura Harrier). That being said, the fact that Liz is moving across the country following her father's incarceration means that romance is probably dead. The good news is that real love has been under Peter's nose all along.

The final high school scene of the latest Spider-Man movie ends with Michelle (Zendaya) exposing that she's not just some ordinary original character made up for the reboot. Instead, by noting that her friends call her M.J., she is revealed as the woman who Peter Parker will ultimately be with forever. Her name clearly isn't Mary Jane Watson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but she is Michelle J.-Something.

Truth be told, we don't really learn much about Michelle in the first movie -- though the fact that she keeps following Peter around and keeping tabs on him clearly demonstrates a crush. Hopefully she will wind up getting much more to do in Spider-Man: Far From Home, now that she doesn't have to lurk in the shadows in order to conserve a twist. Peter is definitely interested in exploring a romantic relationship with her, and she might feel the same way with him.

Ned Leeds

In the modern age, no hero is truly complete without their "Man In The Chair," and for Peter Parker that man is Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon). Ned is one of the few people in the world that know that Peter is actually Spider-Man, and while that information caused him to freak out a bit at first, he eventually settled down enough to be a real asset to Peter when things go seriously wrong in the third act of Spider-Man: Homecoming.

So, what does the future hold for Ned Leeds? It's really impossible to say at this point. On the optimistic side of things, we can probably expect him to continue helping Peter Parker in the sequel, and perhaps pester him for endless details about fighting with The Avengers. There is a serious downside to knowing Spider-Man's real identity, however, in that it basically puts a target on his back. It's cool that Peter has a friend his own age with whom he can talk about Spidey activities, but it also means that he's constantly in very real danger. Of course, he's not the only person who knows...

Aunt May

In the comics, Peter Parker has typically been very successful when it comes to hiding his Spider-Man activities from Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), but apparently that's not the case in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter successfully dodges the Civil War-esque press conference that would reveal his identity to the world, but one person he's unable to hide this secret from is May, who accidentally walks in on him while he's putting on his costume in his room.

If this Aunt May knows that Peter is Spider-Man, she's not going to have to wonder what it is that he gets up to at night when he's fighting crime -- though surely she will still be very concerned about her young nephew's safety. We probably won't really get to see her fully come to terms with it all because her discovery is literally the last thing that happens in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame happen between now and Far From Home, but it will be great to see May and Peter have a dynamic that is completely different than anything we've seen before. Judging from the trailer, she seems to be very supportive of Peter playing superhero. Plus, it looks like romance might be in store for May in this movie as well, as she appears to have sparks with Jon Favreau's Happy Hogan.

Mac Gargan/Scorpion

The folks at Marvel Studios have found many different ways to utilize their trademark post-credit scenes, and part of that tradition is teasing villains for the follow-up film (recently seen in both Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2). It certainly looks like the Spider-Man movies are going to follow in that tradition as well, as Spider-Man: Homecoming definitely sets up the possibility of seeing Mac Gargan a.k.a. Scorpion as an antagonist in the sequel.

Played by Michael Mando, Mac Gargan first shows up in the Staten Island Ferry sequence in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and winds up getting seriously injured during his battle with the web-slinger. It's an event that puts a rather sizable chip on his shoulder, and leads him to confront Adrian Toomes in prison about attacking Spider-Man. Toomes rejects Gargan's offer, but it's easy to imagine that not stopping Gargan from trying to get some revenge.

The fact that Mac Gargan was dealing with Adrian Toomes means that he is interested in utilizing alien tech for crime purposes, so is it possible that he could track down The Tinkerer and get him to build a Scorpion suit -- complete with barbed tail? Homecoming co-producer Eric Hauserman Carroll has already intimated that we could see The Tinkerer again, since he was never apprehended at the end of the movie, so it's an absolute possibility. This could certainly be a B-plot in Spider-Man: Far From Home, but we don't expect that Scorpion will wind up being the sequel's central villain. Not to mention that so far, Michael Mando hasn't been announced to appear in Far From Home.

Adrian Toomes/Vulture

While Marvel Cinematic Universe movies have a history of less-than-fantastic villains, Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes does not belong on that list. In fact, with the exception of Loki, he may be the best we've seen from the franchise. The guy is not only excessively menacing and dangerous, but he also has understandable motivations and a plan that actually makes sense. Add in the fact that he survived Spider-Man: Homecoming and knows Peter Parker's biggest secret, and it wasn't hard to imagine him finding some way to be included in the 2019 sequel.

Barring a jail break, Adrian Toomes will still be in prison when the story of Spider-Man: Far From Home begins, but that doesn't mean that he'll just be sitting on his hands. The guy is clearly very smart and very passionate, and those two elements can be very dangerous when combined with the wrong personality. Sure, he turns down Mac Gargan's offer to form some kind of anti-Spider-Man team, but that hardly means his days of villainy are totally behind him. It should be noted that May 2018 brought us the news that Michael Keaton will be back as Toomes in the sequel, so we can likely count on him causing trouble for Peter in the next film.

Herman Schultz/Shocker

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies weren't really made with a massive franchise in mind, and yet it's still disappointing that all three titles wind up killing one of the primary antagonists. Fortunately, this wasn't a mistake made by Spider-Man: Homecoming, and as a result we not only have Adrian Toomes being incarcerated, but also Bokeem Woodbine's Herman Schultz, a.k.a. Shocker, still walking around.

Shocker is able to deliver Spider-Man a rather excessive beating in his final scene of Spider-Man: Homecoming, meeting the hero outside of the Midtown School Homecoming Dance, but it's thanks to the bravery and good timing of Ned Leeds that he is stopped and webbed up against a school bus. We don't know if he was ultimately arrested, or managed to escape the sticky net, but one thing is for certain: he's going to want to get some payback. Hopefully the next time we see him he'll be wearing an entire costume made of the yellow, quilted material that insulates him from the energy of his own gauntlet, which is to say, as he appears in the comics.

Quentin Beck/Mysterio

Now, here's where we get to the part where we need to talk about the possible Big Bad that's being looked at for Spider-Man: Far From Home. In mid-May 2018, THR reported that the film was looking to cast Jake Gyllenhaal as classic Spidey villain Mysterio for the sequel. The stuntman/failed illusionist was known to use his own brand of movie magic to help hide his criminal activities. He's also, of course, known for his crazy costume, which features a fishbowl-style helmet, green and purple suit and massive cape. It's since been confirmed that Gyllenhaal is indeed playing Mysterio, but rather than being the main antagonist, he's been tasked by someone (we'll tell you who in a bit) to help Peter Parker battle strange creatures called Elementals in Europe.

The Far From Home trailer showed a little bit of Quentin Beck in action, and on the surface, he appears to wield tremendous power. However, misdirection and illusions are Mysterio's bread and butter. Not only could these abilities be the product of advanced technology, it's also possible that, like his comic book counterpart, Gyllenhaal's Mysterio is a tried-and-true villain. Maybe he's behind the rise of the Elementals, using them as a way for him to "save the day" and look like a hero to the public.

The "Femme Fatale"

Here's where we get into some major speculation. It was revealed in early 2018 that the production was looking for a European actress in her twenties to play the role of a "femme fatale" in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the problem, of course, is that we have no solid idea right now as to who this character will actually be. Since the film is going to shoot in Europe for at least part of production, and they're looking to cast a European actress, one of the possibilities for this unnamed character is Jessica Drew, a.k.a. Spider-Woman. In the comics, the character is British, so this would make her a natural fit for this addition to the cast.

Of course, the other major possibilities are Black Cat and Silver Sable. The master thief and mercenary (respectively) have storied histories with Spidey in the comics, and with the plans to develop a movie around those two currently pushed back, it's not completely unlikely that a new plan is in place to introduce one or both of the characters in Homecoming 2, provided that there's another agreement between Sony and Marvel over how they could be used. Yet another option for this casting would be Gwen Stacy, seeing as how an audition video surfaced a while ago showing an actress trying out for the role.

Nick Fury

Just like Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home will have a certain team-up element. In Tom Holland's first solo Spider-Man adventure, the young Peter Parker found himself interacting quite a bit with Tony Stark/Iron Man, and for Far From Home, Peter will finally come face-to-face with spy extraordinaire/ex-director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury.

While Captain Marvel brought Samuel L. Jackson in to play a two-eyed Nick Fury in 1995, Spider-Man: Far From Home is reuniting us with the present day Fury, who was last seen turning to dust in the Avengers: Infinity War post-credits scene. We don't know for sure if Fury is in Avengers: Endgame yet, but the fact that he's appearing in Far From Home means he will be restored to life, just like Spider-Man. As for why he's finally crossing paths with Peter Parker, Fury is the one who's tasked Quentin Beck with helping the Web-Slinger fight the Elementals. Beyond that, we have no idea about what to expect from Fury, although given that he and Peter form a mentor/mentee relationship in the Ultimate universe, perhaps this means Jackson's iteration of the character will form a soft spot for the teen hero as well. Fury will also be accompanied by his second-in-command, Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill.

We only have a few months now until Spider-Man: Far From Home arrives in theaters, so be sure to bookmark this guide to stay up to date on all the latest news about the film as it becomes available!

After a year of patiently waiting, Hulu's new flagship series has finally returned. This week brought the highly anticipated second season of The Handmaid's Tale, after making history by winning a slew of Emmys this past award season. The most harrowing show on TV is back, and its two part premiere certainly didn't pull any punches when it came to terror and gut wrenching tension. Season 2 has already gone full tilt into the craziness that is Gilead, and is expanding the universe with new settings. There were plenty of crazy scenes in the first two episodes, but there are 5 moments in particular that may tease an interesting season. WARNING: Spoilers ahead for the first two episodes of The Handmaid's Tale Season 2.

The Opening Sequence

Season 1 of The Handmaid's Tale ended with June/Offred being taken away in a black van to an unknown fate. It turns out all of the Handmaids had been rounded up, as they were to be punished for disobeying Aunt Lydia and not stoning Janine to death. The girls are rounded up, gagged, and transported to Fenway Park for their apparent execution via hanging. The sequence was truly horrifying, and show characters like June and Alma attempt to silently communicate and offer each other some comfort. While it ended up being a fake out and attempt at emotional manipulation, it's clear that the Handmaids aren't untouchable, and that Gilead might not be so forgiving if they misstep again.

Emily/Ofglen Kills Marisa Tomei

The second episode, "Unwomen" brought a new setting and set of horrifying circumstances to The Handmaid's Tale. We traveled to The Colonies, which is the toxic wasteland where unwanted women are brought to work until they eventually die of radiation poisoning. This is where Emily (Alexis Bledel) was sent after she ran over that guard back in Season 1, and she's playing a nurse of sorts for the other women. She seemingly helps a newcomer, a former wife played by Marisa Tomei (!!), but her true intentions quickly become clear. Instead, Emily kills the newcomer as penance for being apart of Gilead, and the monthly sexual assault that is The Ceremony. While Emily's seriously down on her luck, it's exciting to see her find some power. Since she's now taken two lives, could the former Mayday member orchestrate some sort of uprising from within The Colonies? We'll just have to wait and see.

June Is Free... Almost

Season 2's premiere episode turned the entire series on its head by having June escape captivity after a doctor's appointment. While being left temporarily alone in the examination room, she was slipped a key by a member of Mayday and made a run for it. This was what Nick meant when he said everything would be fine in the finale; he planned a rescue mission for when she inevitably went to the hospital. While she's out of the Waterford home, it's clear that June is going to be en route to freedom for quite some time. This will no doubt be her story for Season 2, a bold departure from the show's format in Season 1. She's already shown having the grit to do what it takes, as she brutally freed herself from the tag on her ear. And with Luke fighting for her from Canada, it's going to be a thrilling season.

Gilead's Anti-LGBT Agenda

The Handmaid's Tale is made terrifying by the actions and policies of the puritanical regime Gilead. Because the show picks up a few years into the takeover, audiences must wait for flashbacks to fill in the gaps. Episode 2 did just that by showing how homophobia began to rise in the times leading up to Gilead, and how it ultimately stopped Emily from escaping the country with her wife and child. Her marriage was deemed invalid in front of her eyes, and we saw as Emily's openly gay colleague (American Horror Story's John Carroll Lynch) was hanged for his sexual orientation. Gilead's various levels of bigotry has been teased to be a focus this coming season, as we learn how many citizens fell victim to the group's violence. Could Emily's wife (Clea Duvall) join Luke and Moira in the fight from Canada? Let's hope so.

Aunt Lydia's Revenge

When the Handmaids refused to kill Janine in the Season 1 finale, Aunt Lydia promised there would be consequences-- and she wasn't kidding. After threatening to kill them, the girls were forced to kneel in the rain with the stones they so bravely dropped in the finale. Eventually they were also brought inside and their hands were brutally burned on a gas flame-- all while June was exempt. This will no doubt have major ramifications among the Handmaids, as well as the resistance Mayday. Will this break their spirit? Or will Alma and the rest of the girls be doubly inspired to find a path to freedom? They'll now be carrying physical and emotional scars as a result of rising up, and Aunt Lydia's mind games seem to pit them against June for leading them into disaster.

The Handmaid's Tale premieres new episodes Wednesdays on Hulu. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our superhero premiere list and Amazon premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode.

Note: There are plenty of spoilers for Spider-Man: Homecoming that are going to be discussed in this article beyond the mention of an f-bomb. If you haven't caught the flick, yet, now is a good time to turn back.

Spider-Man: Homecoming does a lot during its more than two hour runtime. We get to see Spidey grapple with getting ignored by Tony Stark and the Avengers, we get to see him take on his very first full-blown villain, and we even get a glimpse of a potential supersuit he could be wearing down the line. But one of the most exciting moments in the film came at the very end, when Aunt May screamed out a very memorable f-bomb. When asked about how Spider-Man: Homecoming ended, Marisa Tomei revealed that they actually had her scream out the word while filming and then had to work and work to make the moment appropriate for the film's tone and audience. She said:

When Peter Parker got back home from his epic adventure and his Aunt May saw him in his suit, she screamed out a pretty loud f-bomb--well, part of a pretty loud f-bomb--which the movie capably edited so you'd know what she said without super offending any parents who may have brought their younger kids to the screening. Although movies can get away with one f-bomb before being giving the dreaded r-rating, Spider-Man: Homecoming isn't the same sort of film as Deadpool. It's actually pretty tame for most kids, provided their parents can get over the fact their kids will hear a portion of an f-bomb and another crack about porn.

Regardless, getting Spider-Man: Homecoming to the point where Jon Watts got to make the movie he wanted while still making a movie that families can see, even with younger kids. According to what Marisa Tomei told the Huffington Post, it took a lot of tweaking to get there. From what I can remember, we ended up with probably 1/3 of an f-bomb, which really constitutes the f and like part of a u sound. Still, the fact that Peter Parker is actually Spider-Man is a huge reveal and that comes across with Aunt May's reaction. Plus, the curse word ends the film on a comical note.

Profanity has its time and place if it still wants to be impactful, and figuring out when it's an acceptable moment for a curse word to make an impact can be very difficult. With great power comes great responsibility, amiright?

Spider-Man: Homecoming is currently in theaters. To find out what else Marvel has coming up, take a look at our Phase 3 guide.

Jonathan Lynn's My Cousin Vinny is best remembered for the fish-out-of-water comedy mined from sending Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei to rural Alabama, where Pesci struggled to convey the word "youths" to the brilliant Fred Gwynne. What you might not remember is that Vinny also earned Tomei her Oscar, as her portrayal of Mona Lisa Vito earned recognition in the Best Supporting Actress category in 1993. So it's not that surprising that, when asked, Tomei told me that Vito is the one character she dreams of playing again on the big screen, near you. Says Tomei:

The question came about during the Spider-Man: Homecoming press junket, where CinemaBlend pointed out that Marisa Tomei's co-star, Robert Downey Jr., has been able to play Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe seven times. I asked Tomei if there's an older character of hers that she wishes she could revisit that many times, developing her over the course of numerous films to see where her story went to. I love Tomei's answer, and I join the rest of you in hoping that a My Cousin Vinny follow up could ever come to pass.

This is what Marisa Tomei looked like, accepting her Oscar for her role in My Cousin Vinny:

And this is her talking with CinemaBlend, in behalf of Spider-Man: Homecoming:

Aunt May remains an integral force in the development of our young Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland. Naturally, with Marisa Tomei, she's younger and sassier than the dowdy, silver-haired aunt who is portrayed in the comics (and on screen in the previous Spidey films). Tomei plays May as supportive and caring, a shoulder for Peter to lean on when life gets confusing. But their maintain that dynamic of Peter protecting May from his secret, crimefighting lifestyle. Now, who is her Ben Parker? I wonder...

See Marisa Tomei in Spider-Man: Homecoming, which opens in theaters on July 7.

After five Sony movies that featured two different Peter Parkers (in Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), Spider-Man is now in the creative hands of Marvel Studios, and is ready to make a major impact on the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The webslinging hero made his tremendously exciting franchise debut in Captain America: Civil War, but now he's ready to be the star of his first MCU solo movie in the form of Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Because of the excitement that the project has generated, we have been getting regular updates about the development of the film since the day it was officially announced -- and as a result there is quite a bit to know going in. We've already seen a number of trailers for Spider-Man: Homecoming, and you can watch the latest one below:

For your convenience, we've put together this handy What We Know So Far guide, which we will keep updated as Spider-Man: Homecoming edges closer and closer to release. Who is making the blockbuster? Who is starring in it? What will it be about? For all the answers you seek, read on!

What Is The Spider-Man: Homecoming Release Date?

It originally looked like 2017 was going to be a typical year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with two new movies hitting theaters (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Thor: Ragnarok), but the deal between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures means that 2017 will be the first year that we get three MCU titles in one calendar year. It was originally announced that the movie would be coming out on July 28, 2017, but now Spider-Man: Homecoming will officially be swinging into theaters on July 7, 2017.

What Is Spider-Man: Homecoming Rated?

Spider-Man has had a few darker adventures over the years, but as a teenage superhero, it would be silly for Marvel and Sony to deprive teenage audiences of his new movie. Fans of the webslinger definitely shouldn't be expecting any cursing or excessive, bloody violence in Spider-Man: Homecoming, as the film will be swinging into theaters brandishing a PG-13 rating.

When Is Spider-Man: Homecoming Set?

Thankfully, Marvel Studios knows that audiences really, really don't want to see another version of Spider-Man's origin story, so they're skipping over that part entirely. When we meet Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War, he mentions that he has had his powers for about six months -- and video played by Tony Stark reveals that he has already been donning a costume and using web-shooters to help people and stop crime in New York City. That and the events at the Leipzig-Halle airport helps give us a sense of how much experience the hero will have going into Spider-Man: Homecoming, but what remains unclear is exactly when the blockbuster will be set.

It's pretty typical for Marvel movies to use real time to establish the temporal distance between their different projects, but it's unclear if they'll be able to do that with the Spider-Man films. After all, one of the most important elements of this big screen incarnation is the fact that he's a young, high school-aged kid, and if Marvel wants to not have him graduating in 2020 then they will have to slow things down a bit when it comes to the passage of time. As a result, it's probable that the happenings in Spider-Man: Homecoming will take place a few months or weeks (if not days) after the events of Captain America: Civil War, rather than a full year.

What Is Spider-Man: Homecoming About?

John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein, screenwriters best known for scripting R-rated comedies, are holding the pen for Spider-Man: Homecoming, and they are spinning a few plates in doing so. The movie is not only the first solo film for a brand new version of the wall-crawler, but also tasked with firming up the titular hero's place in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. With a John Hughes-inspired vibe, a good portion of the film will be a coming-of-age story set within the halls of Midtown High School - Peter Parker (Tom Holland) hanging with his friends and falling in love - but, of course, the rest will find Spider-Man adjusting to life as a hero after the events of Captain America: Civil War.

The story will find young Peter Parker (Tom Holland) still learning at the hand of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who has started to open up some of the real potential that's available in the Stark Industries-designed Spider suit. Unfortunately, this leads Peter to be a bit too excited about the prospect of hero-dom, and it couldn't come at a worse time. Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), who basically works as a garbage man cleaning up after the Avengers, has devised a plan to create a bit of chaos out of revenge, and part of that involves the creation of an incredibly powerful winged flying suit.

Who Is Directing Spider-Man: Homecoming?

Jon Watts isn't exactly a household name just yet, but he has been selected by Marvel Studios and Sony as the man they want to make the first Spider-Man movie set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, just because you don't know his name doesn't mean he doesn't have any experience. He made his feature directorial debut with the horror flick Clown, but what really got him noticed was his 2015 film Cop Car. Telling the story of a couple of kids who make the mistake of stealing the vehicle of a corrupt sheriff (Kevin Bacon), the film is an excellent, dark drama with wonderful bits of comedy -- and it's entirely possible that it was the great performances by the two young leads that helped inspire Marvel to hire Watts for Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland)

Tom Holland is surely the envy of every young actor in Hollywood right now. After a long and grueling casting process, he was ultimately selected as the star who will portray Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for years to come. Prior to landing this gig, the young British actor was best known for playing Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor's brave son in the tsunami thriller The Impossible. He also starred alongside fellow MCU superstar Chris Hemsworth in Ron Howard's In The Heart of the Sea (Hemsworth even takes some credit for pushing Holland in front of the Marvel executives during the casting process), and was in The Lost City of Z with Charlie Hunnam.

But what do we know about this new incarnation of Peter Parker/Spider-Man? In Captain America: Civil War, we learned that Peter has had his Spidey powers for about six months, and that he has been using them to prevent crimes around his neighborhood - and Spider-Man: Homecoming will likely be set just a few months after the events in that film. As he should be, he is a scientific genius and brilliant inventor who has created his own webbing and webshooters. This ingenuity should serve him well, as the trailers for the film make it look like he won't always be able to rely on having the special suit that Tony Stark designed for him.

As for his home life, Peter lives in an apartment in Queens, New York with his Aunt May, and while he's not mentioned by name in Captain America: Civil War, it's pretty clear that the death of his Uncle Ben has left him feeling the need to be responsible with his great power. Peter likes to collect old technology (he's not hesitant about dumpster diving), and he uses the components to build inventions of his own -- inventions that will surely help in his future as a superhero.

Adrian Toomes/Vulture (Michael Keaton)

On the big screen, we've seen Spider-Man tussle with Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Venom, The Lizard, Rhino, and Electro -- and while this is a pretty substantial list of great Spidey antagonists, Spider-Man: Homecoming has still found a classic villain from the rogues gallery to adapt in live-action for the first time. It's been confirmed that the blockbuster will feature Adrian Toomes a.k.a. Vulture as its main baddie, and he will be played by none other than Batman himself, the legendary Michael Keaton.

Vulture is one of Spider-Man's original antagonists, debuting in 1963's Amazing Spider-Man #2, and while the Spider-Man: Homecoming adaptation won't be exactly like the comic book counterpart, the spirit of the character is certainly there. The new film will introduce Adrian Toomes as the owner of a salvage company that has found business cleaning up after large-scale superhero heroics. He winds up being hit hard in the pocket, however, when Tony Stark and the government team up to create a federal Department of Damage Control - and he makes plans to take his revenge using alien technology to build his very own flying exo-suit.

Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.)

In Captain America: Civil War, it was Tony Stark who first brought Spider-Man to the attention of The Avengers, bringing him in to fight in the Leipzig-Halle Airport -- so it's only fitting that he also play a significant role in the webslinger's first solo movie. Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and the trailers certainly suggest that he has a substantial role to play in the story.

In the months following Captain America: Civil War, Tony Stark has evidently kept in contact with Peter Parker, and has also let him keep the specially-designed Spider-Man suit that he built (albeit with a few safeguards built in). He is definitely considering the young hero for a position with the Avengers, but until the time is right, he wants the kid to lay low and be a "neighborhood-friendly Spider-Man." Naturally, this is an order that Peter directly disobeys, leading Tony back into the Iron Man suit to try and save the day.

Impressively, this will be Robert Downey Jr.'s eighth time playing Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (including his cameo at the end of The Incredible Hulk) -- which is pretty impressive when you consider that it was once thought he was far too expensive for the studio to repeatedly bring back. By the time Phase Three is over, he will have starred in at least four out of 10 of the features, as he is expected to be a prominent figure in both The Avengers: Infinity War and The Avengers 4 (whatever it winds up being called).

Aunt May (Marisa Tomei)

You can't tell a proper Spider-Man story without including Peter Parker's Aunt May. What makes the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the character different, however, is that she's not exactly the older woman that's been featured in the comics for decades and was played by Rosemary Harris in the Sam Raimi films and Sally Field in Marc Webb's two Amazing Spider-Man flicks. In Captain America: Civil War audiences were introduced to Aunt May being played by 51-year-old Marisa Tomei. It seems that getting a younger version of Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Homecoming also means Aunt May will be younger than she's traditionally been as well. We don't know exactly what she'll be doing in the 2017 film, but we do know that Peter will be doing everything in his power to hide his superhero life from her.

Peter Parker's Classmates And Teachers

School is a huge part of a young person's life, and as a result a large percentage of Spider-Man: Homecoming's cast is populated with characters who are either fellow students or teachers at Peter Parker's Midtown High School. The most significant member of this group is Disney Channel standout Zendaya, who is playing a classmate of our hero's named Michelle and is said to be the female lead. While trailers don't seem to pin her as the main romantic interest - with that role belonging to Laura Harrier's Liz Allan - she does seem to be a friend of Peter's with a funny attitude. As Ned Leeds, actor Jacob Batalon is also set up with a key role in the blockbuster, as he is not only Peter Parker's best friend, but one of the very few who know about his antics as Spider-Man. Other notable students/classmates include Grand Budapest Hotel star Tony Revolori as school bully Flash Thompson and The Nice Guys actress Angourie Rice as Betty Brandt.

The faculty of Midtown High will also apparently play a key role, as there are some very talented actors teaching students at the school. Kenneth Choi (who previously played Howling Commando Jim Morita in Captain America: The First Avenger) is playing Principal Morita (presumably Jim's grandson), and the rest of the staff includes Hannibal Burress, Selenis Leyva, and Martin Starr among others.

Spider-Man: Homecoming's Other Villains

As mentioned earlier, Vulture will be the central antagonist in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but he will have some help from some noteworthy bad guys from Spider-Man comics. Other than Adrian Toomes, one of the other most important villains in the blockbuster will be Phineas Mason a.k.a. The Tinkerer. Set to be played by Orange Is The New Black's Michael Chernus, in the movie he will apparently have a bone to pick with Tony Stark and teams up with Toomes for some technological-based mischief (presumably using the tech that Toomes' company salvaged).

Also playing a notable villain role in Spider-Man: Homecoming will be both Logan Marshall-Green of Prometheus fame and Bookeem Woodbine, who recently earned heaps of critical praise for his turn in the second season of the FX series Fargo. Footage that we've seen from the blockbuster suggest that both actors will be playing the first live-action version of the villain known as Shocker - who famously wears a pair of gauntlets on his wrists that fire concentrated vibrational air blasts. It looks like Woodbine will be playing Herman Schultz - who is Shocker from the comics - while Marshall-Green has been featured in footage wearing the same diamond-pattern yellow that the character is famous for wearing.

Is Spider-Man: Homecoming A Marvel Movie, Or A Sony Movie?

Given that Spider-Man's existence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is because of a deal that was made between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, there are many fans who have wondered if Spider-Man: Homecoming is technically a Marvel movie or a Sony movie. The answer is that it's technically both.

From a creative standpoint, Spider-Man: Homecoming is most definitely a Marvel movie -- not only because it firmly takes place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but because it's the comic book company that is calling all of the shots when it comes to casting, the script, villain/narrative choices, and all major decisions on how Spider-Man fits into the larger franchise.

Sony, for their part, will handle things on the business end - including distribution and marketing when Spider-Man: Homecoming is released in theaters. As for the movie's profits, they will be shared... somehow. All you really need to know is that the previous Sony Spider-Man movies don't factor in to what Marvel is doing now, and now Marvel has creative control over how Spidey is used on screen moving forward.

Where Might We See Spider-Man After Spider-Man: Homecoming?

Marvel Studios has surely wanted to bring Spider-Man into the fold for years and years now, and now that he's back, we expect that we should be seeing quite a bit of him. Not only will it be fun to see a legitimately young Peter Parker on the big screen, but the character is now set up to come back year after year as the franchise heads into the future.

We have no idea how many movies Tom Holland will wind up doing as Spider-Man, though we do know where he will be popping up first right after Spider-Man: Homecoming. The British actor has already been working on Joe and Anthony Russo's The Avengers: Infinity War, and will also be a key player in The Avengers 4 as well. As for what happens in 2020 and beyond, really only the studios know for sure, though Holland has recently mentioned that he believes the studios are working on plans for Homecoming 2 and 3 in the coming years.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ever growing place. Phase Three of the MCU in particular will expand the universe to new places like Wakanda and Queens, NY. The latter comes to us from Spider-Man: Homecoming, which will show Tom Holland's Peter Parker attempting to go back to his High School life after being involved in the events of Captain America: Civil War. This new Spider-Man seems to be the most true to the comics yet, as Tom Holland is young enough to pull of the teenaged character. But while Peter Parker is age appropriate, the MCU made a major change by casting Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei as Aunt May.

Marisa Tomei is obviously far younger than any version of Aunt May we've seen previously, and the actress recently revealed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert how she felt about this change. She said,

It looks like Marisa Tomei would have been more than happy to slap on some prosthesis and become a more traditional Aunt May. So take that, haters.

In all seriousness, it's refreshing to see that Marisa Tomei did her proper research for Aunt May. Comic book characters are near and dear to many folks' hearts, and a major change like making Aunt May a sexy and flirtatious 50 year old is sure to ruffle a few purist feathers.

But the fact that Marisa Tomei actually campaigned to age her character should help the fandom breathe a sign of release. The My Cousin Vinny actress understood she'd be playing a figure in the Marvel world, and was willing to portray a more traditional Aunt May. Alas, the Russo Brothers and company decided to create their own version of May, one that would be completely independent from past versions.

Because Aunt May is typically Peter Parker's sole guardian, she's been played by quite a few actresses over the years. In Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy she was played by English actress Rosemary Harris. This was probably the most age appropriate version, as the now 80 something year old actress played the loving matriarch with grace.

For The Amazing Spider-Man films, Aunt May was played by the always delightful Sally Field. And although she's since admitted she wasn't fond of the role, Field was a step in the younger direction. But now we know that we were just hitting the iceberg in regards to Aunt May's age. Because Marisa Tomei's version will make Sally Field's seem downright geriatric by comparison.

It should be interesting to see where Marisa Tomei's Aunt May goes during Spider-Man: Homecoming. Tom Holland already revealed that she won't be flirting with Tony Stark anymore, so almost anything is possible.

Spider-Man: Homecoming will swing into theaters on July 6, 2017.

Toward the end of My Cousin Vinny, Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei's Mona Lisa Vito is called up to the stand by her fiancee, in order to debunk the theory that the getaway car used in a robbery belongs to his cousin. It's a landmark scene from the film, as she rattles off all sorts of car knowledge, with the coup de grace coming from the fact there were only two other cars besides the Buick Skylark in question that could have made the tracks submitted for evidence. Well, as it turns out, there were actually three other cars... and the film's writer has known about the film flub for quite some time.

As a celebration of My Cousin Vinny's 25th anniversary, The Wrap spoke with Dale Lautner, the writer of the film, who finally spilled the beans. While he attributes the knowledge base he did have for writing Mona Lisa's expertise to his own childhood obsession with automobiles, Lautner explains that even he wasn't exempt from mistakes, and that it was a friend who eventually called him out.

While it certainly feels like one of those errors that anyone could make, there's one thing that makes My Cousin Vinny's landmark ending stick out in our minds now. While Mona Lisa Vito sounded extremely sure of herself during her testimony, there's no reason the prosecution that Vinny was working against couldn't have brought in an auto expert of his own. Instead, Jim Trotter III had his ass handed to him by a gambit that paid off, in a scene that still holds up. In fact, if you haven't seen it in awhile, you can give it a watch, below.

While this goof in My Cousin Vinny's legal challenge doesn't make us disown the film, it makes us wonder what other court films got it wrong. Did Elle Woods screw up along the way in the Legally Blonde series? Is Fletcher Reid's reasoning involving prenuptual agreements in Liar Liar really up to snuff? Honestly, if you can't trust the word of Mona Lisa Vito, who can you trust?

Listen, we’re not trying to say that fan-fiction exists so that imaginary characters from pop culture can sleep together… but that tends to happen a lot. What we don’t usually see, however, is fan-fiction created by the people playing the iconic characters. Leave it to Robert Downey Jr. to tear down that invisible wall.

Giving the marketing team behind Sony and Marvel’s upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming some ammunition, Robert Downey Jr. posted the above image to his Facebook page, with the titillating status update, "Auntie May I?" The image builds on the chemistry Downey showed with the MCU’s Aunt May, the gorgeous Marisa Tomei, when they shared a scene in Captain America: Civil War. And while I doubt this is a direction that Marvel will go, I’d have zero problems with half of Homecoming being dedicated to Tony Stark’s efforts to flirt with Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) hotter-than-expected Aunt May.

Now, let’s point out that the image – used for what looks like a cover of a Spider-Man comic book – features the much older Aunt May, and has nothing to do with the younger version Marisa Tomei plays. "We come in all shapes and sizes," May tells Tony Stark, and we happily agree. But Downey, with this playful images tease, acknowledges that his Stark and Tomei’s May are closer in age and more contemporaries than any version of May we have seen on screen before. Relationship fireworks could create all sorts of new problems for Holland’s Web-slinger.

This isn’t that out of the ordinary. Back in 1994, Robert Downey Jr. and Marisa Tomei lit up the silver screen as star-crossed lovers trying to fall in lust in the charming rom-com Only You. In fact, this Facebook post is probably a sweet, clever message sent from one former co-star to another as they prepare to film their next movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming, two decades later.

Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Homecoming will follow the further adventures of Peter Parker (Tom Holland) as he wrestles with his new powers, and his possible role in the Avengers. From what we can tell, it will be a smaller standalone film in the MCU, with Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark playing a supporting role, and Michael Keaton possibly playing the movie’s villain. Will there be love between Tony and May? Time can only tell.

Now that Tom Holland has been cast as the MCU’s Peter Parker, it was only a matter of time until Marvel and Sony turned their attention to the supporting cast for the rebooted Spider-Man series. Of course, anyone familiar with the Web-Slinger’s mythos knows that one of the most important people in Peter’s life is his aunt, May Parker, who raised the boy with her husband Ben after his parents died. That makes finding an actress to play her one of the studios’ top priorities, and now it looks like My Cousin Vinny star Marisa Tomei has been awarded that honor.

Variety reports that Tomei is the choice to play Aunt May for the new Spider-Man franchise, though Marvel and Sony did not comment on the casting. Although it’s unclear how far along the deal is, Tomei evidently received the offer last week shortly after Holland’s casting was announced. If finalized, Tomei will be the third actress to play May on the big screen, following Rosemary Harris in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films and Sally Field in the Amazing Spider-Man series. At age 50, Tomei will be the youngest actress to play Aunt May, and the casting is no doubt being inspired by the Ultimate universe incarnation of the character, who is younger than her 616 counterpart. Since the MCU is making Peter a high schooler again, we’ll undoubtedly be seeing May take care of her nephew in her Queens home while unaware of his masked heroics in and around New York City.

Tomei’s acting career spans more than three decades, and her most notable works include What Women Want, Anger Management, The Wrestler, and Love Is Strange. She can be seen next in Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck, and will appear next year alongside Brad Pitt and Christian Bale in Adam McKay’s The Big Short. The article notes that the studios are keen on hiring actors who can appear in multiple films before shooting on Spider-Man begins next year. Keeping that in mind, the next couple weeks/months may see more big casting announcements, such as Uncle Ben for flashbacks, Peter’s love interest (Gwen Stacy or Mary Jane Watson?), the lead antagonist, and similarly important roles.

We’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out what’s going on with Tomei’s Aunt May and the rest of the Spidey cast, but in the meantime, fans can expect to see her web-spinning nephew make his MCU debut next year in Captain America: Civil War, followed by his solo film on July 28, 2017.

If you’ve watched just one episode of Lee Daniels and Danny Strong’s hyper-soapy drama Empire, or if you’ve watched all of them obsessively, you know that the show is full of characters that spare no effort when it comes to wilin’ out. And if you thought things were going to get tamer in Season 2, you clearly have no idea what this show is capable of, and we can expect to find the Academy Award-winning actress Marisa Tomei sauntering into this series as a lesbian billionaire. Because of course she is.

Tomei will be playing a character named Mimi Whiteman, according to Deadline, and I can already hear Taraji P. Henson’s Cookie Lyon saying something along the lines of “Whiteman? Looks like a Whitelady to me,” as she sets a picture of Lucious on fire. Mimi is a “demanding venture capitalist” whose wealth ranks high up there on the Forbes list, and her interest in making more money is presumably what gets her involved with the financial affairs of the Lyons. Lucious going to jail right when the company went public had to have created some problems, so perhaps Mimi will fix some of them. Or not.

She’s also described as being fashionable and a big hip-hop fan, as well as someone big into social trends and gorgeous women. Yes, she’s a lesbian, but I can’t help but think that she’s going to enter into some kind of a weird tryst with Hakeem, because that’s how Hakeem rolls, and it would no doubt piss Cookie off. We’re definitely hoping that Mimi and Cookie go head to head with each other in antagonizing ways, because there aren’t many people that can stand up to Cookie without flinching. Having a billion dollars in the bank might just create that kind of courage for Mimi, though.

Tomei isn’t the only big name we can expect to see entering the cast for the first time in Season 2. Chris Rock will show up as someone from Lucious’ past, and one that he runs into in prison in the early part of the season. We can also look forward to seeing Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz causing one form of havoc or another.

Marisa Tomei is not someone who appears on the small screen very often, and this will be her biggest role since showing up for a brief stint on Season 3 of Rescue Me. And it won’t be her only TV work coming, as she’s also set to play feminist and journalist Gloria Steinem for an upcoming HBO miniseries. On the big screen side of things, she’ll have a small part in Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck as well as in Jessie Nelson’s comedy Love the Coopers, and she’s currently filming Adam McKay’s Brad Pitt-led drama The Big Short.

Empire will return for presumably more raings-busting numbers when Season 2 premieres on Fox on September 23. For now, you can catch the entirety of Season 1 on Hulu.

Marisa Tomei has seemed to be exceeding our expectations of her for her entire career, or at least from the moment it really took off. When Tomei won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1993, there were rumors that Jack Palance had read out the wrong name-- even though Tomei's performance in My Cousin Vinny remains a comedic standout. And maybe because that rumor has dogged her, every time Tomei has turned in a strong performance over the years-- in the harrowing In The Bedroom, or when she earned her second Oscar nomination for The Wrestler-- people seem to have been surprised, as if she hasn't already proved well enough that she's got the goods to stick around.

But even if you know that Tomei is a gifted actress, her next role might be surprising you anyway. The Wrap reports that Tomei is in negotiations to join Hugh Grant in what's being given the ungainly name of Untitled Marc Lawrence Project. What you need to know is that it's a rom-com, from the director of Two Weeks Notice and Music & Lyrics, in which Grant plays a washed-up Hollywood screenwriter who takes a job teaching at a small college and falls for a single mom (Tomei) who is going back to school for her education. Yes, it's total rom-com boilerplate, but so were both Two Weeks Notice and Music & Lyrics, and they were very much perfectly fine examples of the genre (we'll forget about Lawrence and Grant's third collaboration, Did You Hear About The Morgans?, for their own sake).

Tomei has excelled at playing single moms in recent years, through The Wrestler and Cyrus, and also tends to have no trouble sparking up a romantic connection with any given co-star. Grant, on the other hand, has been working sparingly in the last few years, and sometimes seemed eager to get away from his rom-com reputation. But clearly he and Lawrence get along well enough, and if it gives us a chance to see Grant out of his cannibal makeup from Cloud Atlas and flirting bashfully with Tomei, well, who are we to complain?

While his latest comedy effort, Seven Psychopaths, collects plenty of praise at the Toronto International Film Festival, Sam Rockwell is gearing up for his next role, opposite Marisa Tomei in the low-budget laffer Why Now. Last summer, the Oscar-winning actress reminded audiences what a sharp sense of humor she has, deftly playing a oversexed schoolteacher in Glenn Ficarra and John Requa's wild ensemble comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love. But while she's stolen scenes in funny flicks from Slums of Beverly Hills to What Women Want and Cyrus, she hasn't fronted a comedy since Happy Accidents in 2000. But paired with the ever-incredible Rockwell, the talented actress who has proved a solid match to John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Joe Pesci seems sure to deliver a cutting and satisfyingly funny performance.

Screen Daily offers a few details on the project; sadly none of them include a plotline. We do know Why Now will be helmed by actors turned writer-directors Michael Godere and Ivan Martin, who've written roles for themselves within the feature. Brian Geraghty (The Hurt Locker) has also signed on to the indie comedy, which is slated to shoot this November in upstate New York. And when I say low-budget, no joke Why Now has a reported budget of around $500,000, suggesting Tomei and Rockwell were intrigued by the material rather than a hefty payday.

But before Why Now rolls into production, Rockwell and Tomei will being doing press rounds at TIFF to promote Seven Psychopaths and the politically charged thriller Inescapable respectively. So, now that the cat's out of the bag on this pic, hopefully they'll dish some more details.

Last summer, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade all somehow ended up on the Miami Heat, and ninety percent of the general public responded by hatefully rooting against them. I’m not sure there will ever be another time in Dirk Nowitzki’s life when as many non-Mavs fans pray for his wild, off-balance fadeaways to go in, but that’s the nature of sports. We tend to despise organizations that buy too much talent. Thankfully for Ides Of March, movies work oppositely.

What’s the first question people always ask when you tell them you saw a great movie they’ve never heard of? Who’s in it? I’m just as guilty as anyone else. Spend five minutes haranguing me about the brilliance of some new independent film, and I’ll get around to watching it eventually. Tell me a new movie starring Kevin Spacey and Daniel Day-Lewis is great, and I will always show up on opening night. I like what I like, and I like everyone starring in this week’s Ides Of March.

The phrase best cast of the year is thrown around very liberally, but Ides Of March has no less than five Academy Award nominees in its cast: George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Ryan Gosling. It's astounding that so many in-demand people could have coordinated schedules so efficiently. In fact, I may have thought it was some kind of record were it not for the fact that history has provided me with numerous examples to the contrary. It turns out movies with five Oscar nominees are just rare, not unheard of. So, in honor of George Clooney’s new directorial effort, here are 10 great movies that feature at least five men and women nominated by the Academy…

The Godfather

I suspect The Godfather is probably the first movie that pops into a lot of people’s heads when they think of great casts. In truth, I could have chosen the second installment as well, at least if I counted James Caan’s brief flashback, but with enough in the original, might as well not be cheap. Marlon Brando won an Oscar for his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone and Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall were also nominated for their work here. Throw in Diane Keaton as Kay Adams, who won for Annie Hall and you’ve got your five. Plus, it’s a great crime that John Cazale was never nominated for an Oscar. No other actor has ever spent a higher percentage of his career crushing in A+ movies.

Murder On The Orient Express

Sidney Lumet’s wonderful 1974 adaptation of the Agatha Christie mystery features eight Academy Award nominees (Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Perkins, Martin Balsam and John Gielgud), as well as a four time Golden Globe nominee (Jacqueline Bisset) and Basil Exposition from Austin Powers (Michael York). Ordinarily, I’d gladly use this time to talk about the hardware Finney should have gotten for his detective Hercule Poirot or Bacall’s snub for her work as Mrs. Hubbard, but no conversation about awards is complete without a shout-out to John Gielgud. He plays the hilarious and pretentious butler Beddoes here, but in real life, he’s one of the few actors who have ever EGOTed. 30 Rock’s Tracy Jordan would take that behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

The Departed

With the exception of Inception, The Dark Knight, LOTR and the Star Wars letdowns, I don’t remember any movie being as obsessed over before its release as The Departed. One of my friends even tried to explain to me why it was the greatest movie ever before he even saw it. Praising something before its release might be idiotic, but if ever a movie begged for the distinction on paper, it was this one. Damon, Dicaprio Nicholson and Baldwin had all been nominated before this film came out, and in the past few years, this cast has somehow looked even better. Wahlberg was nominated for his work here, and Vera Farmiga was recognized for Up In The Air a few years later. Too bad Martin Sheen with his ten Emmy nominations and Ray Winstone with his two BAFTA nominations are lowering the main cast’s prestige. By the way, I’m glad I disagreed with my idiot friend. The Departed only turned out to be like a ninety-seven out of one hundred. For shame.

The Sting

Whenever people tell me they don’t like old movies, I always ask them to watch The Sting and get back to me. George Roy Hill’s 1973 con story is perfect in every conceivable way; so, perfect in fact, that my parents actually let me watch it, despite its objectionable content, when I was probably too young. The accolades bestowed upon Paul Newman and Robert Redford are known to most, but The Sting also features Academy recognized actors Robert Shaw, Charles Durning and Sally Kirkland. Seriously, I can’t say this enough times. If you haven’t seen The Sting, watch it in the next twenty-four hours. If it were released this year, it would still probably win seven Oscars.

Pulp Fiction

John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Samuel L Jackson all got Academy Award nominations out of Quentin Tarantino’s strange and intriguing two and a half hour gem, but they’re far from the only ones who have gotten dressed up for an award night. Christopher Walken won an Oscar for The Deer Hunter in ’78, Harvey Keitel was nominated for the same statue for Bugsy in ’91, Eric Stoltz almost won a Golden Globe for Mask, as did Bruce Willis for In Country and Rosanna Arquette did win a BAFTA for Desperately Seeking Susan. I don’t think Ving Rhames has ever been considered for anything, but seeing as how scary and great he is in everything, that seems unreasonable and wrong. Someone should call The Wolf to fix that problem.

The Dark Knight

It is a travesty that Gary Oldman has never been nominated for an Academy Award. It’s like if Wendy’s went its whole corporate life without ever being nominated for best fast food cheeseburger. Luckily with The Dark Knight, that glaring oversight doesn’t matter. Heath Ledger won a posthumous trophy for impressing and creeping the hell out of millions of cinemagoers, but his two nominations pale in comparison to Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman who have a combined eleven. Throw in one each for Maggie Gyllenhaal and Christian Bale, and this might very well be the most acclaimed cast for a superhero movie ever. Seems fitting since it’s undoubtedly the best.

Network

Even if every single movie by every single actor involved in Network ceased to exist, this film would still qualify. How crazy is that? The greatest story about the news business of all-time received five acting nominations, and it actually won three of them. Peter Finch, Beatrice Straight and Faye Dunaway all took home hardware, while poor William Holden and Ned Beatty got shut out. Luckily for Holden, he won in 1954, and luckily for Beatty, he later went on to play Rudy’s dad. No one slow claps like Ned Beatty, and no one better gives begrudging approval.

Ocean’s Eleven

Ocean’s Eleven might seem out of place on a list populated with so many well-received dramas, but I don’t care. The film never tries to be anything more than a good time, and judging by the later go-rounds the cast members came back for, they must have found the process enjoyable. Plus, anytime you’re talking about a stacked crop of actors, you can’t possibly ignore this movie. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Casey Affleck, Elliott Gould, Andy Garcia and of course, Julia Roberts have all heard their name mentioned at that ungodly hour the Academy always announces nominations. Over/ under on a combined ten more nominations throughout the careers of the people I listed? You have to take the over, right?

L.A. Confidential

It’s a mystery to me why L.A. Confidential often gets overlooked in best movies of the ‘90s conversations. Everyone seems to agree it’s great, but I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone who puts it among his or her handful of favorite movies. Regardless, it hits its quota of five actors and definitely surpasses a few other entries on this list in terms of repeat watchability. The film represents a high point for Kim Basinger who grabbed L.A. Confidential’s only acting nomination (she won), but pretty much all of her co-stars have been better and more lauded in other places. Russell Crowe had a sweet run of three consecutive nominations in the early 2000s. He won for Gladiator, just as Kevin Spacey did for both The Usual Suspects and American Beauty. David Strathairn probably should have won for his brilliant work in Good Night And Good Luck as Edward R Murrow, but he had to settle for the nomination, as did James Cromwell for his turn in Babe.

Apocalypse Now

Had I been inclined to, I could have filled this list with war movies. Most great actors play a soldier at some point in their careers, and since there’s not a ton of war movies made every year, that prowess tends to get bunched together like men in foxholes. Apocalypse Now is all kinds of gruesome and majestic; so, we’ll go ahead and use it as the official representative. Just like with The Departed, Martin Sheen is once again of no help, but Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, Dennis Hopper and Harrison Ford more than do the trick. Fun fact: combined, Brando and Duvall have been nominated eleven more times than the other three put together, but if you let Hopper count his script nomination, then it’s only ten.

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Part Saved, part Get Shorty, part out of control game of hot potato, the first trailer for George Ratliff’s Salvation Boulevard just dropped, and it is a frantic back-and-forth between Christians, atheists and a reformed hippy. The Christians are led by Pastor Dan Day (Pierce Brosnan), a charismatic preacher who turned his church into a thriving business. The atheists are led by Dr. Paul Blaylock, a liberal professor who openly opposes the teachings of the Church. And the lonely hippy is Carl Vanderveer (Greg Kinnear), an idiot who doubles as the perfect patsy.

The thing I love about this trailer is how quickly it establishes its characters’ personalities. Within thirty seconds, we have a very good sense of the three men at the center of the controversy and how each relates to each other. A naysayer may argue that’s easy to do with a triumvirate of such divergent personalities, but it seems clear from the limited clip that Salvation Boulevard is eager to meddle with those clichés. Take a look at the teaser below…

Distributed by IFC Films, it’s unclear how wide of a release Salvation Boulevard might get, especially considering it didn’t make too much noise at Sundance, but regardless of its ultimate theater count, the film should appear on OnDemand after its official July 15th release date. As you can see from the above clip, it also stars Marisa Tomei, who makes a habit of popping up in great indies, and Jennifer Connelly who’s made her fair share of wonderful films. Add those ladies to a byline that already includes Brosnan, Harris and Kinnear, and the cast is arguably as good as we’ll see all year.

You can head on over to Apple to see the high resolution version.

Marisa Tomei’s career has undergone a renaissance in recent years, mostly because she seems willing to show up in just about any movie to play “that girl who gets naked and sleeps with the protagonist”. It works for her. Made her more respectable than ever. Those jokes about her My Cousin Vinnie Oscar have even sort of stopped. Hollywood starlets take note: Getting naked on screen may be the best thing you’ll ever do.

Amongst these new clips from The Lincoln Lawyer you’ll see Tomei doing her girl who strips for the hero thing again, along with scenes involving Ryan Phillipe being a total creep, and clip in which a long-haired William H. Macy pretty much spoils the plot of the entire film. Maybe the marketing minds behind the film figure that since the movie’s based on the book, spoilers don’t matter, but if you haven’t read the book yet and don’t want to be spoiled, you might want to skip the third of the three clips below. If you watch, I’ll see you afterward for a quick breakdown of what we just saw.

While all of the Lincoln Lawyer’s trailers have been pretty wishy-washy on the subject of what’s really going on here, is Ryan Phillipe guilty or isn’t he, these clips make the whole thing pretty clear. “You’ve got one client in jail, for what your other client did,” explains William H. Macy’s character. There’s your conflict. How will Matthew McConaughey handle it? Normally he’d take care of business by ripping his shirt off, but this seems like a better, more focused Matt McC. He’s intense, kind of like back in the days when everyone still thought he could act.

The Lincoln Lawyer looks good and, if you’re looking to bone up on the film, check out our dedicated Lincoln Lawyer page in the BFD.

Cyrus is one of those great little indie gems that's been slowly gathering buzz over the past year or so. This site has reviewed it no less than three times so far -- Katey at Sundance, me at South by Southwest, and Eric this past summer -- and it's telling that all three of those reviews were positive. On the surface, the story by indie darlings the Duplass Bros. looks like something we've all seen a dozen times: Recently divorced John (John C. Reilly) meets and falls for single mom Molly (Marisa Tomei), and things have all the makings of a happily-ever-after. Then John meets Molly's twenty-something, live-at-home son, Cyrus (Jonah Hill), whose initial politeness is soon shoved aside to make room for threats and pathological behavior. But while the set-up is old hat, the strength of the performances makes everything feel fresh. The whispered confrontation between Reilly and Hill about halfway through still stands as one of my favorite scenes of the year.

For the vast majority of you who don't frequent film festivals, you'll get your chance to see what I'm talking about when Cyrus hits Blu-ray ($39.99) and DVD ($29.98) December 14th. This isn't a movie that cries out for high-definition, so you'll be just fine opting for the DVD is money is tight. Nor will the bonus features be a deciding factor, because both versions include the same miniscule selection of two alternate scenes: "Cyrus at Party" and "Puppet Movie." Not exactly bursting at the seams, but trust me -- the movie's definitely worth seeing.

Nearly three years ago Josh brought you the news that Leonardo DiCaprio would be starring in an adaptation of a play called Farragut North, and nerd that he is, he immediately thought of the Starship Farragut, the first ship served by one Captain James T. Kirk. Yes, really. It's too bad Josh didn't just wait three years to make his Star Trek jokes, though, because now they're actually appropriate-- Vulture is reporting that Chris Pine, the new James T. Kirk himself, may be stepping into the role once meant for DiCaprio.

This is all happening now because George Clooney is finally ready to direct the film, making it his first directorial effort since Good Night, and Good Luck. Vulture writes that Clooney plans to start shooting in February with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti definitely on board, offers out to Evan Rachel Wood and Marisa Tomei, and apparently plans to approach Chris Pine to play the lead. The movie is an adaptation of the play by Beau Willimon, about all the political dirty tricks that go into winning the Iowa state caucuses for a certain political candidate. Pine would play the campaign operative responsible for the nastiness, with Hoffman as his boss and Giamatti as the campaign manager for the competition.

Pine actually has some background with the role, having starred in an L.A. production of Farragut North last year, so he's both a logical choice as a rising star and as an actor who can handle the job. And now that Josh can make his Star Trek jokes in peace, it seems like everyone wins.

“In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” That's the Peter Principal, a brilliant theorem of morose inevitability put forth by Dr. Laurence Peter. Usually applied to the world of business and commerce, the astute commentary holds just as much water in Hollywood as it does on Wall Street. Nearly every working actor is eventually promoted to a level of fame, artistic sophistication or mass appeal big budgetary which he is either entirely incapable or in better cases, not particularly suited to handle.

It's actually not quite the insult it makes itself out to be. Imagine your dream car. For the sake of argument, let's say it's a silver 2008 Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Now imagine driving it on vacation to Mexico City. It's possible. You certainly could drive it to Mexico City; you're probably better off driving that than a 1993 purple Corey Haim, but really, on the whole, it's the better call to drive the sweet '08 Silver Hoffman to the airport and fly jumbo first class 757 Tom Hanks straight into Mexico City. Said another way, the best mashed potatoes in the world can't replace overcooked turkey on Thanksgiving. That's no shot at mashed potatoes, they're delicious, you just can't make a habit out of exclusively eating mashed potatoes, regardless of what the Irish might tell you.

Sure, this list could be looked at as a condemnation, the sixteen souls who inhabit it as mere second fiddles, but slander or not, this penned celebration is a testament to how truly wonderful these men and women are at their respective games. Some of them may be pleased with their stations, others may want for something more, but when focused, all are capable of delivering Oscar-worthy supporting turns. The Rock may have denigrated millions in the late 90s by telling them to know their roles and shut their mouths, but maybe, just maybe, that's legitimately great advice. At least for a handful of movies, these men and women knew their roles, and because of that acceptance, because of that commitment to providing world-class support, their brilliant work is what we remember. Here's a look at sixteen working actors who shine brightest with third billing. They know their roles.

William H Macy

Best Supporting Roles: Pleasantville, Magnolia, Fargo, Boogie Nights, Mystery Men

In a business typically all about stylized beauty, William H. Macy has built a career playing the opposite. The assistant principals, the car salesmen, the second directors, the wannabe superheroes, the fathers who can't change with the times and the schmucks who just don't know any better. There's a loneliness to William H. Macy's best roles, a longing, sometimes for love, sometimes for respect, sometimes merely for acceptance, but always a longing, a begrudging sadness channeled from millions of trapped, disenchanted middle class eyes. It all feels so familiar, so recognizable.

We watch the beautiful, the damned, the virtuous and the powerful to escape; we watch the isolated, the disheartened, the awkward and the melancholic to smile as they want for something more out of life. It doesn't always have to be about winning or achieving something memorable; sometimes happiness, in and of itself, is a beautiful goal. Life is never over if you still have love to give. That's the maxim of Quiz Kid Donnie Smith, and that's the overarching message in the wonderful supporting work of William H. Macy.

Alec Baldwin

Best Supporting Roles: 30 Rock, The Departed, The Aviator

In his early days, Alec Baldwin was a character actor talent trapped in a leading man body. Cursed to be continually cast as some sort of low-rent George Clooney knockoff I'm convinced that at some point he simply started eating, in the hopes that he'd get fat enough to be asked to do something interesting. Alec Baldwin was too good to be the chiseled-chin, straight man. He was never cut out for it. While most actors start out as sidekicks and eventually work their way up to leading men, Baldwin started out at the top of the marquee and then at some point decided he'd have a lot more fun with third billing.

He's a natural talent as the perfect, preening, comedic sidekick and, much as I love The Shadow, he never should have done anything else. It's more than just comedy with Baldwin though, portly old age has revitalized his career and remade him into one of the most sought after stars in Hollywood. Not as a leading man, but as the guy who works in the office upstairs, the guy who tries to ruin Howard Hughes empire, or the police captain who sends cops out into the street to do the mayor's dirty work. It's where he's always belonged.

Ed Begley Jr.

Best Supporting Roles: Best In Show, Pineapple Express, For Your Consideration, A Mighty Wind

Probably best known to most of you Johnny-Come-Lately's as the pissed off father who tried to shoot Seth Rogan in Pineapple Express, Ed Begley Jr has been hammering out solid supporting roles since President Obama was in high school. Many of them can be castigated as feed-your-family projects, he had a six episode story arc on the original Battlestar Galactica for Christ's sake, but Ed Begley Jr has really come into his own as the frequently stoic, always hilarious straight man in many of the best comedies and dramas of the last decade.

He's the condescending hotel manager in Best In Show, the hairdresser/ other man in Six Feet Under, the rival business executive in Arrested Development. Movies and television shows need great actors and actresses to support the main characters, this list has outlined many of them, but sometimes, they need reliable talent to pop in and out. Ed Begley Jr is a popper. He's the master of the several episode arc, the most capable man in three minutes of screen time or less. He's a dabbler, never wearing out his welcome or leaving on the low note. Maybe that's why he has time for environmental activism and kicking ass on Celebrity Jeopardy.

Djimon Honsou

Best Supporting Roles: Gladiator, Blood Diamond, Amistad, In America

Nearly every time I have watched Djimon Hounsou act, I have felt as if I was smack dab in the middle of an Aesop fable. “I am not your partner!”(Blood Diamond)- Every man for himself (the three tradesmen). See where I'm going with this? The nature of most of his films lends his characters to being men who are unfailingly moral in tough situations. And that's great, because it allows an actor to work in interesting movies, but it also only gives them a chance to play one note. Holed up in a corner, if you will, they must take paycheck roles like Joe in Beauty Shop and stay in the public limelight through dating “I am anorexic” Kimora Lee. Then I saw In America, and realized that there was more to Hounsou than being a great one-note actor. In America finds Hounsou with spark, wit… and complication. It's like flipping over (insert great song or first side of album) for the first time only to discover (insert great song from other side) was waiting on the other side all along. Sounds like a wolf in sheep's clothing to me.

Marisa Tomei

Best Supporting Roles: My Cousin Vinny, In The Bedroom, The Wrestler, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

Perhaps never has a three-time Oscar-nominee been more maligned by the critics than Marisa Tomei. All-around douche bag Rex Reed once famously quipped Jack Palance must have read the wrong name when he opened her Oscar-winning envelope for My Cousin Vinny. She had to be playing herself. It all felt so genuine, like she and Joe Pesci hired writers to contrive a screenplay out of their personalities, but then along came In The Bedroom and recently, The Wrestler, two more worthy nominations for dissenting women with little in common. Like Bill Murray, she's carved out a niche playing emotionally-closeted, misanthropic middle-aged drifters, a wonderful counterbalance to her early tour-de-force look-at-me comedies. I love Marisa Tomei, she smiles and laughs like an A-list actress but sneers and cries like a seasoned character actor. I wonder how her biological clock feels about that.

John C. Reilly

Best Supporting Roles: Chicago, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Talladega Nights, Step-Brothers

Just like his less than infamous character Dale Doback, John C. Reilly is here to fuck shit up. John C. Reilly is a monolithic man, a chameleon of acting genres, a master of his craft…. While he's played the lead in films like Cirque Du Freak and Walk Hard, he's best when he's sharing a camera and wearing Chewbacca masks. Reilly slides seamlessly between historical biopics, musicals, comedies and dramas. He's a crooked cop, a best friend, a Stepbrother, a funny hunny—a Mr. Cellophane. So, here's the question, in which genre is he most suitable? “O.K. here's the shot out of the cannon… you gotta fuck one, marry one, kill one, go!” Just be careful because so help you God, if your answer ends up costing me Boogie Nights, my boyfriend's balls are going on your drum set.

Melanie Lynskey

Best Supporting Roles: Detroit Rock City, Up In The Air, Flags of Our Fathers, Away We Go, Helena From the Wedding

You know that chick who plays the friend who gives Piper Perabo that money in Coyote Ugly that later gets stolen out of the freezer? The same woman who brings the baby into the bar in Sweet Home Alabama? Most notably for anyone who actually watched Sputnik, she's the next-door neighbor in Two and a Half Men who shamelessly stalks Charlie Sheen's character. Same page? It's a shame these reference points need to be tossed out to get to some of Lynskey's roles that actually matter, most recently Up In The Air and Away We Go. In Up in the Air, Lynskey plays a soon-to-be married young woman dealing with keeping her family together on the eve of her wedding. In Away We Go, she plays a married woman who has adopted many beautiful children, but is tinged with sadness because she cannot have children of her own. A lot of people didn't see these movies. If you have, you've been privy to the pancake house, the lonely pole dance, the fatherless walk down the aisle. To see her is to think: “wow, that girl was pretty good. I wish she had a bit bigger of a part.” She's never going to be the woman to carry a whole movie, but it would be nice to see her get the acting credit she deserves.

Seth Green

Best Supporting Roles: The Italian Job, Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, Party Monster, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Here's the thing you need to know about Seth Green: we could talk about how he invented Napster in The Italian Job, got all angsty in Austin Powers and was the same level of solid in everything he's ever decided to do, but the real prize here is how he made the movie Sex Drive passable. Not even passable. Fairly funny. Not knocking on James Marsden or Clark Duke here (well maybe James Marsden), but that movie would be terrible without Seth Green. With his prowess, that movie almost made enough money to make back the budget costs.

Seth Green's the guy we need in there for a few scenes every movie, cleaning shit up, comedically speaking. Should he deserve to be on this list, next to the likes of Joe Pesci and Paul Giamatti? Debatable. All I'm saying is, you couldn't use the likes of Joe Pesci and Paul Giamatti the way you can use Seth Green. The man always plays Seth Green, but his shtick is so affable, he becomes super useful. (Seth Green could be Damian in Mean Girls: I want my pink shirt back. He could be Stanley Tucci in Devil Wears Prada—Gird your loins. See?) He may not be the best lead, but he is the John Cusack of support acting.

Steve Buscemi

Best Supporting Roles: The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs, Con Air, The Island, Fargo, Ghost World

You know how people with soft features and bland hair are often described as mousy? Steve Buscemi doesn't look mousy, he looks almost ratty, and by this count, it could be argued he shouldn't be a movie star. He seems ill-placed in a sea of fake body parts and charming smiles. But the best thing (probably) about being a great supporting actor is that you get to be a character actor, and there is something so eerily charming, so daringly weird about Steve Buscemi, an audience is drawn to him in the same way an audience is drawn to a Tim Burton film. But that first drawing in is only part of it. Because Steve Buscemi the downtrodden, Steve Buscemi the Man, Steve Buscemi the fragile guy the loser the sardonic outcast, the guy who kind of doesn't always get it always, always has the same matter of fact smirk to let us know he's still in there somewhere, outperforming the A-list with his ratty greatness.

Paul Giamatti

Best Supporting Roles: Cinderella Man, Safe Men, Shoot Em Up, Fred Claus

I have no idea what Paul Giamatti is like in real life. He might be a redneck or a biker or a desperate groupie, but let's be honest, he's not any of those things. I don't need to know him to know at least part of his overeducated curmudgeon persona has to be real. So powerful is his disapproving sneer, I preemptively pick out things for him to complain about. It doesn't matter the role, really. They're drinking merlot? Miles is not going to be pleased. Howard Stern said what yesterday? Oh Pig Vomit'll be pissed. They want James J. Braddock to fight whom? His manager will have something to say about that.

Whether it be Bob Zmuda from Man On The Moon or Veal Chop from Safe Men, Paul Giamatti's characters always look at the world through disapproving eyes; yet, we find reasons to root for many of them, or at least explain away their foibles. Harvey Pekar just wants a little respect, and John Adams just wants a little recognition for his hard work and Saint Nick, well, he just wants to keep on with his whole presents thing. Paul Giamatti would be the asshole to play Santa Clause as a tired mumbler. That has to be list worthy, right?

Morgan Freeman

Best Supporting Roles: Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, Glory, The Dark Knight

Morgan Freeman is the greatest other dude in the history of cinema. Even in the films where he's technically the main character, he's still remembered as the other bloke. He's Andy's friend in The Shawshank Redemption. He's the other cop in Se7en. I haven't seen The Bucket List, but I'd throw down a few sawbucks and bet he's more Jack Nicholson's friend than the other way around. Mind you, this whole second banana business is a compliment. You see, the main guy, the lead character, he's always up to some shit. He's fighting off the sodomites in a prison bathroom or dressing in black to save Gotham City. Morgan Freeman's definitely not that dude. He's the brains, the guy behind the guy, the epicenter of real power and influence. Blasphemic rhetoric aside, he's God, at least when playing a sketchy head assassin, Nelson Mandela, or God.

JK Simmons

Best Supporting Roles: Spider-Man, Juno, Up in the Air, Extract, Party Down

Whether he's screaming for pictures of Spider-Man or driving Juno to planned parenthood, JK Simmons has a talent for being that guy you know, only better. Give him a line of dialogue and he'll deliver it like his tongue's on fire. Give him a thankless character and he'll invariably steal every single, crappily written scene he's plopped down in. He's the dad you've always wanted, the boss you've always feared, the incompetent secret agent who screws things up for everyone else and still manages to get a laugh while he's doing it. JK Simmons takes comedy seriously and makes drama seem easy. He's effortless. The guy you want delivering your movie's most important life lesson, the dude you want screaming at the top of his lungs whenever your movie's short on tension. JK Simmons makes anything better. Give him a cigar and he'll light your scene on fire.

Jeff Daniels

Best Supporting Roles: The Squid And The Whale, Pleasantville, The Lookout, Away We Go

Jeff Daniels sells stupid, ill-advised decisions better than any other actor working today. Sure, it may not be the sexiest skill on the acting block, but to consistently, over-and-over again, make me, as a viewer say, “that fucking moron would…”, well, that has to be a skill, at least in the same way as Justin Bieber's hair flip or David Koechner's whammy noise. Actually, it's better than those one-dimensional, for-any-situation faux-talents. Jeff Daniels can sell the shit out of the high-class stupid decision, the low-class stupid decision, I'm sure if you gave him a chance, he could have sold you on BP dumping eight million gallons of black gold into the Atlantic.

Take high class. In The Squid And The Whale, he fires his literary agent for making a disparaging remark about the Knicks at a party. “Said they played like thugs.” Fucking moron, he would. Take low class. In Dumb & Dumber, he follows his idiot best friend across the country to find a woman without checking to see if they knew her name. “Maybe it's on her briefcase!” No, Jeff, it's not Samsonite. Whether the character is a high-class, arrogant buffoon or a low-class, ignorant simpleton, Jeff Daniels commits, he invests in the incompetent, foolhardy natures of those he chooses to play, and in doing so, creates real people we can't help but root for as they stumble through misadventures.

Catherine Keener

Best Supporting Roles: Capote, Being John Malkovich, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Your Friends And Neighbors

There's a fragility to Catherine Keener's best roles which often gets lost amidst her harsh exterior. She's the woman who's seen it all, done most and regretted more than a few, gradually shrouding herself in defensive, impenetrable layers. She doesn't think herself a prize to win or a treasure to cherish; she's merely a woman more focused on riding out the waves than dreaming naïve girlish fantasies. In The 40-Year Old Virgin and Capote, we see these layers slowly unravel; in Being John Malkovich and Your Friends And Neighbors, we see these layers fortify. You've got to work for the love, for the trust, for the affection of a woman like Catherine Keener because “she breaks just like a little girl…”. That's what Bob Dylan would have said, but I'm sure Max's mother in Where The Wild Things Are wouldn't have even bothered to question it.

Joe Pesci

Best Supporting Roles: Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Home Alone, Lethal Weapon 2

Arguably more than any other ethnic subgroup, the Italians, the Romans, have seen their culture's history played out, praised, maligned, castigated and worshiped, sometimes within the confines of a single decade. What does it mean to be an Italian? An Italian-American? I don't know. A thousand people would probably give a thousand different answers, but Joe Pesci, that son of a bitch, he knows. And believe it or not, that all-knowing Italianism has little to do with his mob movies. It's the swagger, the walk, the I-don't-care-who-the-fuck-you-are and who-the-fuck-are-you-exactly persona. I don't have that. I'm sitting behind a computer typing an article, meanwhile a Joe Pesci character is out trolling the streets for uncollected gambling debts and probably simmering an awesome pasta sauce. Is that racist? I don't really care; it's awesome and it's the reason I own more than ten Joe Pesci flicks.

Tim Curry

Best Supporting Roles: Clue, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Earth 2, Muppet Treasure Island, Legend, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, It

We're cheating a little here because Tim Curry hasn't done anything even remotely relevant since Kinsey back in 2004. So he's our wild card, the 16th man. But he's in Burke & Hare which comes out later this year and if there's a god, then that means he's poised for comeback. Curry's the kind of unbelievable talent who deserves throngs of adoring fans outside his house throwing roses and begging for an appearance. He should be treated like the pope, because nobody does it better than Curry. He's the oily salesman, the innocent but brilliant butler, the mysterious villain, the untrustworthy colleague. He's danced around wearing a teddy, he's sneered and connived with the best of them. He's a villain when it's called for and the leader of an ensemble whenever it needs one.

There's nothing Tim Curry can't do, there's nothing he hasn't made better simply by showing up on screen and staring straight into the camera. When he speaks, it's liquid gold. He doesn't need to be a leading man, he's comfortable there on the fringes; pulling the strings, foiling your plans, ten steps ahead of you and six floors above. He doesn't need top billing, he doesn't need your accolades or your attention. Like the Mounties he always gets his man and frankly Scarlett he doesn't give a damn. Communism was just a red herring, Tim Curry's a star wherever he goes.

Best Supporting Runners Up: Laura Linney, Maria Bello, Mos Def, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, Julianne Moore, Josh Brolin, Maggie Gylenhaal, Anna Paquin, Thomas Lennon, Gary Oldman, Chris Cooper, Jackie Earle Haley, Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt, Benicio Del Toro, John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Paul Dano, Ed Harris, Mary Steenburgen

Marisa Tomei knows a thing or two about courtrooms. Awhile back she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as Mona Lisa Veto: the tough-talking, ex-grease monkey, prize witness in My Cousin Vinny. Her next movie will give her the courtroom view from the other side of the witness stand. Production Weekly has it Tomei in Stone Village Production’s The Lincoln Lawyer based on the novel by Michael Connelly. Tomei will play attorney Maggie McPherson, the ex-wife of Los Angeles attorney, Mickey Haller (Matthew McConaughey).

The Lincoln Lawyer is part of a series of novels about Haller, a lawyer defending the seedier elements in the City of Angels. The movie will deal with Haller’s defense of a local realtor accused of attempted murder. Of course, as in all movies and books like this, nothing is as it seems and Haller must get to the bottom of the no-goodness.

Tomei is currently in pre-production on George Ratliff’s Salvation Boulevard and will play Jonah Hill’s mother in this summer’s Cyrus.

In the last few years a strange little genre called mumblecore has been starting up on the fringes of Hollywood, movies in which young, somewhat articulate people talk a lot (a lot) about their feelings and don't do much, but somehow manage to be both relatable and entertaining. At the same time, a strange little genre called the romantic comedy has been foundering, trapped in the same formulas and star vehicles and consistently failing to feel anything like love.

The notion of mixing mumblecore honesty with the traditional Hollywood rom-com format sounds disastrous, but indie stalwarts Mark and Jay Duplass have pulled it off beautifully in Cyrus, the most charming and hilarious and truthful romantic comedy I've seen in ages. Starring John C. Reilly as a loser improbably getting a chance at love with the likes of Marisa Tomei, Cyrus blends the verite reality of mumblecore films like Humpday with the heightened sensibilities of the rom-com, bringing a level of believability to the genre that Billy Wilder and Ernst Lubitsch-- hell, even Nora Ephron-- never could have imagined possible.

Though John (Reilly) is smitten and amazed when Molly (Tomei) comes home with him after a party, there's a catch and a good explanation as to why this beautiful woman would want him. His name is Cyrus (Jonah Hill), Molly's 21-year-old son still living at home, still needing Mom's help to get over his night terrors, and still so attached and protective of his mom that John immediately feels threatened, even if he's not quite sure why. John and Molly's connection is palpable, but she's seemingly unaware that her son is a bit of a nut with a vendetta to ruin her new relationship. It's never occurred to Molly before that loving her son this much could be counterproductive.

John and Cyrus's battle of the wills leads to some hilarious one-upmanship-- middle fingers behind their backs, glares over the breakfast table, all that-- but also some insightful reflection on how love can be suffocating, and how the best way to care for someone is often to let them go. The Duplass brothers tread very, very lightly on the emotional stuff-- Cyrus is primarily a comedy, and a tremendously funny one-- but their indie-bred gift for capturing humanity in just a few frames gives Cyrus a depth that truly sets it apart.

None of the three lead actors have exactly been known for their naturalism in the past, but all slip nicely into an acting style that straddles the line between ridiculous comedy and a story that could be happening down the street. The Duplasses play brilliantly with the sense of comfort that comes in a romantic comedy, that secret assurance that we know how things will play out. Because the movie bears that mumblecore label of realism, there's an actual suspense to this film's particular will-they-or-won't-they. By not changing the romantic comedy formula and instead bringing their own style to it, they create something wholly original, a skewed mirror on Hollywood that lovingly turns the old tropes around.

Cyrus is stellar and hilarious and by far one of the best things to come out of the festival so far-- and lucky for you, Fox Searchlight made it, so it'll be arriving in theaters Little Miss Sunshine-style before you know it. I'm just bummed that I have to wait until then to see it again.

For more of our Sundance 2010 coverage, click here.

It made Katey’s list of the movies she’s most looking forward to at Sundance and now Fox Searchlight has released the first trailer for the John C. Reilly comedy Cyrus. Coincidence? Yep.

In it, Reilly stars as a lumpy guy who meets the perfect girl, played by Marissa Tomei, only to discover she has a fully grown son, played by Jonah Hill. Jonah isn’t particularly happy to have Reilly in his life, and the trailer makes it seem like a more realistic take on Step-Brothers. Though it lacks that wacky, big-budget Step-Brothers polish, it’s full of great one-liners and brilliantly perfect dialogue as in a scene where Jonah describes Reilly’s hair as a crippled tree reaching for heaven. Check out the first Cyrus trailer below: