Jacob Batalon Says Goodbye to Mary Rivera, the Beloved “Lola” Who Stole a Spider-Man Scene

Mary Rivera appeared in only a small portion of Spider-Man: No Way Home, but she needed only a few minutes to become unforgettable.

Playing the Filipino grandmother of Ned Leeds, Rivera brought warmth, authenticity and gentle humor to one of the film’s most important sequences. Surrounded by superheroes, magical portals and the chaos of a collapsing multiverse, she remained completely unimpressed by the extraordinary events unfolding inside her home.

To her, the mysterious visitors were not legendary Spider-Men from different universes.

They were simply young men making a mess in her living room.

After news emerged that Rivera had died at the age of 82, Jacob Batalon—the actor who portrayed her on-screen grandson Ned—shared a heartfelt tribute. His farewell was brief, but its simplicity gave it unusual emotional weight.

It did not feel like a polished statement written for publicity.

It felt like a grandson saying goodbye to his Lola.

Rivera died on April 15, 2026, in Honolulu after suffering a stroke. Her family later confirmed that she had been placed on life support before they made the painful decision to remove it after doctors offered little hope of recovery. She was later cremated, and a celebration of her life was held in Hawaii in June.

For millions of Marvel fans, Rivera will always be remembered as Ned’s grandmother.

Her appearance came during one of the most eagerly anticipated sections of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Ned, played by Batalon, accidentally discovers that he can use Doctor Strange’s sling ring to open magical portals.

While trying to locate his best friend Peter Parker, Ned opens a doorway and sees a figure dressed as Spider-Man standing in the distance.

At first, Ned and MJ believe they have found the Peter they know.

Instead, Andrew Garfield steps through the portal, reprising the version of Spider-Man he played in The Amazing Spider-Man films.

Moments later, another portal brings Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker into the room.

For audiences, the scene represented the collision of three generations of Spider-Man cinema. Garfield and Maguire’s returns had been the subject of rumors for months, and their appearance caused an explosion of excitement among moviegoers.

But inside Ned’s family home, Rivera’s Lola reacted very differently.

She studied the unfamiliar men with suspicion. She spoke to Ned in Tagalog, questioned whether the visitors were really Spider-Man and demanded proof before accepting their claims.

Garfield’s Peter Parker responded by crawling along the walls and ceiling.

The demonstration may have been impressive, but Lola quickly noticed something more practical: he had left a web hanging above her.

She asked Ned to tell Spider-Man to clean it up.

The exchange was simple, domestic and deeply recognizable. Even a superhero capable of traveling between universes was expected to respect a grandmother’s house.

That contrast transformed the sequence.

Rivera’s presence grounded a scene filled with enormous cinematic spectacle. Her performance reminded viewers that no matter how powerful or famous someone might be, a Filipino Lola would still make sure the home remained clean.

The humor felt natural because Rivera did not play the scene as though she were trying to create a viral moment. She behaved like a real grandmother—curious, cautious and more concerned about her household than the extraordinary identities of her visitors.

The scene also gave Filipino culture a visible place inside one of the world’s biggest movie franchises.

Rivera spoke Tagalog on screen, while Ned translated parts of the conversation for the two Spider-Men. The language was not treated as an exotic detail or explained through a long speech. It was simply part of the family’s daily life.

Rivera later said she was deeply proud of representing Filipino people in a Marvel production. Director Jon Watts reportedly encouraged the use of Tagalog, helping the scene retain the cultural authenticity that made it resonate so strongly with Filipino audiences.

Her road to the film was as unexpected as the scene itself.

Rivera was born in Iloilo in the Philippines in 1943 before eventually moving to Hawaii. Long before Hollywood discovered her, she had lived a varied and service-oriented life that included work as a teacher, radio broadcaster and church missionary.

She was already a grandmother many times over when an opportunity connected to a major film production appeared.

A casting notice was reportedly searching for a local Filipina grandmother. Rivera’s daughter, Angie Kelly, found the announcement and encouraged her mother to audition.

Rivera did not approach the opportunity like a veteran performer chasing another role. Acting had not defined her life, and she was not part of Hollywood’s traditional professional system.

Instead, she presented herself as she was.

During the audition process, she reportedly spoke about immigrating to the United States, raising four children and becoming a grandmother to 11 grandchildren. Her personality and personal history helped her stand out, and she was eventually chosen for the production.

The family initially did not know exactly which project she was joining.

When they finally understood that Rivera would be appearing in a Spider-Man film, the role became a source of enormous pride.

Spider-Man: No Way Home brought together Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire in a story that became a global box-office phenomenon.

Rivera entered that massive production without a lengthy acting résumé or years of blockbuster experience.

Yet she held her own.

Her calm delivery, expressive reactions and natural chemistry with Batalon made Lola feel as though she had always been part of Ned’s world. Rather than appearing intimidated by the scale of the film, she gave the scene precisely what it needed: emotional familiarity.

Batalon’s connection to Rivera also carried cultural significance.

Like Rivera, he has Filipino roots and was raised in Hawaii. His version of Ned Leeds helped introduce a prominent Filipino-American character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Rivera’s appearance expanded the portrayal beyond a single individual.

Through Lola, audiences briefly saw Ned’s home, language and family background.

That representation mattered.

For Filipino viewers, the scene reflected familiar family dynamics rarely depicted so prominently in a Hollywood blockbuster. Lola spoke in the language she naturally used, issued practical instructions and maintained unquestioned authority over the room.

She did not need superpowers.

Everyone listened to her anyway.

Following Rivera’s death, Batalon remembered the experience of working with her and honored the woman who had played his grandmother. His message carried particular tenderness because their screen relationship had felt so convincing.

Fans had watched him respond to her questions, translate her requests and obey her instructions like an affectionate grandson accustomed to his Lola’s expectations.

When Batalon later mourned her, the line between performance and personal affection appeared to disappear.

His farewell seemed to acknowledge not only a fellow actor but a woman who had given warmth to his character’s family.

Rivera’s relatives described her Marvel appearance as one of the great achievements of her life. Despite the role’s brevity, she understood its importance and the pride it generated within the Filipino and Hiligaynon communities.

After the film’s release, she was celebrated in Hawaii and recognized for representing her culture on an international stage.

Yet her legacy extended far beyond the screen.

Rivera was a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She is survived by her husband, four children, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Those numbers reveal the larger family behind the woman audiences knew simply as Lola.

Her relatives did not remember her only for standing beside three Spider-Men. They remembered the decades she spent teaching, serving her community, practicing her faith and caring for the generations that followed her.

Hollywood arrived late in her life.

When it did, Rivera embraced the opportunity with joy.

Her story demonstrates that a defining moment does not have to arrive during youth. She was already in her late seventies when her family encouraged her to audition. A single casting call placed her inside one of the most commercially successful superhero films ever produced.

She did not need a long career to leave an impression.

She needed one scene.

The most powerful part of Rivera’s performance was that she never appeared overwhelmed by the superheroes around her.

Garfield and Maguire carried the history of the Spider-Man franchise into Ned’s living room. Fans saw legends returning after years away.

Lola saw cobwebs on her ceiling.

That was why the moment worked.

It transformed an epic multiverse reunion into something intimate, funny and human. The scene allowed audiences to breathe before the story returned to grief, danger and sacrifice.

Years from now, viewers may rewatch Spider-Man: No Way Home for its enormous battles, emotional reunions and surprise appearances.

But many will also remember the grandmother who looked at Spider-Man and asked him to tidy up after himself.

Mary Rivera’s time on screen was short.

The affection she inspired was not.

And when Jacob Batalon said goodbye, his tribute captured what countless viewers felt: Marvel had lost a memorable performer, the Filipino community had lost a proud representative, and Ned Leeds had lost his Lola.