Madame Web is the latest Marvel film to hit the big screen from Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film surrounds Dakota Johnson’s Cassandra Webb as she identifies newfound powers, struggles with her past and tasks herself with saving three young teens from imminent danger.
CGMagazine got a chance to speak with the people playing these teens who eventually become Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl (Araña) and, yes, another Spider-Woman. These characters are brought to life in Madame Webb with Sydney Sweeney as Julia Cornwall, Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon and Celeste O’Connor as Mattie Franklin.
Madame Web gives us just a taste of these soon-to-be superheroes while really dialing in on themes like abandonment, found family, healing wounds and coming into your own. We wanted to talk to the cast about the jump into the world of Marvel superheroes, the themes explored in Madame Web and what life was like on set ahead of the movie’s release this week!
So, right now, superhero movies are essentially their own genre. What made you want to get into this side of things, and how does it vary from different projects you’ve all had in the past?
Celeste O’Connor: I always wanted to play superhero. I feel like the superhero genre, I guess, is one of the only places where I see characters—and specifically female characters—be so empowered and feel so badass and in charge of their body and their skills and their powers. That’s that’s why I wanted to do it.
Sydney Sweeney: It’s really cool playing a character that can be a role model for younger generations.
Celeste O’Connor: Totally.
Isabela Merced: I like to play pretend, and I like to dress up. My closet has so many costumes in it, and I just love the thought of becoming someone else, not only just emotionally but on the outside.
I feel like you picked a good profession for that, then!
Isabela Merced: Exactly. And I’m an adult, but I still play dress up.
Alright. So we’re talking dress up then. I have to know who has the best super suit.
Celeste O’Connor: Why pit the supersuits against each other? I feel like they’re all beautiful in their own way.
Good answer! So, Madame Web is exploring abandonment, found family, and confidence issues. How important do you think it is to explore these things in film, and do you think that Madame Web does them justice?
Celeste O’Connor: Totally. I think that this movie does a beautiful job of exploring abandonment. All three of our characters are experiencing abandonment and also exploring the mother-daughter relationship and the mother wound. Dakota’s character goes on a journey to reconnect with her mother, and that enables her to connect with us three younger girls. Yeah. So, I think that personally was really impactful for me, and I think a lot of other young women can relate to that experience.
Isabela Merced: Simultaneously, she’s healing her wound by kind of being the mother she never had. And I also think this is a really good example. This movie [Madame Web] is a really good example of chosen family and sometimes blood not being thicker than water.
Sydney Sweeney: Finding your own family.
Isabela Merced: Yeah. And how beautiful that can be and how it can be equally as fulfilling.
Did you all find a bit of a found family on the set of Madame Web as well?
Sydney Sweeney: Yes. We are…
Celeste O’Connor: We’re siblings now.
Isabela Merced: Yes! We did a ritual with the blood.
Celeste O’Connor: We did a whole ritual. [laughs]
I just have to know. What was your favourite scene to shoot in Madame Web, and why?
Sydney Sweeney: I feel like we were all very excited to put our supersuits on.
Celeste O’Connor: That’s true.
Sydney Sweeney: But also the the diner scene was really fun too.
Isabela Merced: That feels like the most genuinely fun overall. But there is one specific scene. It’s very small. It’s not really going to be that prominent. People might not remember it distinctly, but it’s when they’re checking in on us again, and the camera’s panning through the living room. And then Emma’s character gives birth and we’re just all just messing around. And I think throwing popcorn.
Sydney Sweeney: Oh yeah! That was really fun. That was super genuine because it wasn’t a scripted moment. It was just us playing.
Celeste O’Connor: That one was actually really fun.
Sydney Sweeney: That was super genuine because it wasn’t a scripted moment. It was just us playing.
Isabela Merced: And Adam Scott is just such a funny guy. Phenomenal. I love that man.
Celeste O’Connor: And you loved messing with him, too. That was so funny.
Isabela Merced: I loved messing with him.
And to wrap things up, what superhero power would you want in real life?
Sydney Sweeney: I like my power.
Celeste O’Connor: Yeah. I would I would grow some spider legs for sure.
Isabela Merced: That’s hot. So hot. I don’t know. I think maybe just the ability to, like, calm down.
Celeste O’Connor: To regulate your nervous system!
Isabela Merced: Regulate my nervous system!
Sydney Sweeney: Teleportation. I would love that. I waste so much time flying.
Isabela Merced: I would teleport out of that stressful situation.
Celeste O’Connor: That’s a good one.
Thank you very much. It was awesome chatting with you all!
Sydney Sweeney: Thank you.
For more on the film itself, check out our Madame Web review. Madame Web is in theatres on February 14, 2024.
