Netizens react to Careless exec’s claim that Liza Soberano was offered to audition for Zendaya’s role in ‘Spider-Man’
Careless Music chief executive Jeffrey Oh claims that Liza Soberano was offered to audition for the role of Michelle-Jones “MJ” Watson in “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” but many netizens are saying it’s hogwash. The role of the love interest of Peter Parker is played by Zendaya.
Oh talked about the audition offer at the Second Philippine Creative Industries Summit on March 7. The Korean-American business partner of actor-musician James Reid said that Liza was offered to audition for the role of MJ but couldn’t because the actress was tied down by a 10-year contract.
“They reached out for her to audition to be Mary Jane, one of the most iconic characters. And she was not allowed because she had to do the same thing she was always doing,” he said.
Oh lamented that a lot of stars and creatives from the Philippines are not able to make it internationally not because they’re not talented enough or because people aren’t looking for them but because they “legally can’t most of the time.”
“Imagine, a Filipina actress was a star of one of the biggest Marvel movies in history. Imagine she was Mary Jane, what that would do for Philippine entertainment. But then she was in a 10-year contract, which is also unheard of anywhere else in the world,” he explained.
Netizens, however, are not buying the audition story. On Twitter, a few shared a TV Patrol news clip of Liza herself denying the rumor that she was offered to audition for “Spider-Man.” Others posted a clip from an interview in which Zendaya, the actress who has played MJ in three “Spider-Man” films so far, discloses that the whole audition process was so shrouded in secrecy that she didn’t even know she was auditioning for “Spider-Man.”
Liza’s former manager, Ogie Diaz, also spoke up to clarify that there was no invitation for the actress to audition for the role of MJ. He also addressed the Careless exec over the latter’s questioning of Ogie, ABS-CBN, and Star Magic’s management of Liza’s career. “You cannot erase the fact that ABS-CBN, Star Magic and Ogie Diaz were part of Liza Soberano’s success, popularity you are enjoying,” Ogie said.
