For an entire generation, she wasn’t just Peter Parker’s aunt. She was the heart of those films.
Rosemary Harris just turned 99, and her daughter, fellow actress Jennifer Ehle, shared new photos to celebrate the occasion. The post quickly filled with messages from fans who grew up watching her as Aunt May in the Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire.
Harris played the character in Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Spider-Man 3 (2007), directed by Sam Raimi. Her version of May Parker became especially associated with that warm, strong, deeply human figure who stood by Peter even in his most difficult moments.
But her career began long before Marvel. She made her professional debut in 1948, reached Broadway a few years later, and won a Tony Award in 1966 for The Lion in Winter. She also won an Emmy and a Golden Globe, and in 1995 she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Tom & Viv.
When Sam Raimi cast her as Aunt May, Harris already had decades of experience behind her. In fact, she got the role without auditioning after previously working with the director on The Gift.
It’s been almost 20 years since she last appeared as Aunt May, but for thousands of fans, she remains that calm voice that reminded Peter that “there is a hero in all of us”.