Actress Mary Rivera, known as 'Lola' in Spider‑Man: No Way Home, dies at 82

Mary Rivera, a Filipino‑American actress born on 2 June 1943 in Iloilo, Philippines, died at age 82 on 15 April 2026 in Honolulu, Hawaii. She suffered a severe stroke, was placed in a coma and, after doctors warned that recovery was unlikely, her family withdrew life‑support and she was later cremated.

Rivera is best remembered for her sole film role as Ned Leeds’ Filipino grandmother “Lola” in the Marvel blockbuster Spider‑Man: No Way Home (2021). The brief but memorable scene in which she asks Andrew Garfield’s Spider‑Man to clean a cobweb while he hangs from the ceiling became a fan‑favorite moment. The role was a source of great pride for Rivera, who had spent most of her life as a missionary, radio broadcaster and teacher.

She is survived by her husband Alejandro Rivera, four children, eleven grandchildren and four great‑grandchildren. Tributes poured in from co‑star Jacob Batalon and fans worldwide after the family announced her death in August 2026, coinciding with the release of the sequel Spider‑Man: Brand New Day.