Shailene Woodley says she was cut from Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man sequel

Actress Shailene Woodley told attendees at a SAG-AFTRA gathering that she learned a year after filming that her role as Mary Jane Watson had been eliminated from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Woodley, who was cast in 2013 and shot scenes alongside Andrew Garfield, said the news arrived in a phone call and that she had been especially excited because Spider-Man was her favorite superhero and Mary Jane her favorite character growing up.

According to Variety, the character was cut to keep the focus on the relationship between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone. Woodley noted that producers had indicated her debut might be saved for a planned third film, which was later abandoned after Sony and Marvel restructured the franchise in 2015. She added that she could not be certain of the exact reasons for the removal, acknowledging both the producers' public statements and the possibility that her performance may not have met expectations.

Woodley's comments highlight the uncertainty actors can face when projects undergo significant editorial changes during production.