Every actor sees a new role as a chance to make their mark on the material they're given. Zendaya certainly is no exception, as she has taken the role of Michelle in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and has subsequently given it two interesting characteristics. Thanks to the former Disney Channel star's acumen, Michelle is the type that walks around with a natural face and even more natural teas in her mug.
Both choices fit the mold of the fairly new character we'll be introduced to in this summer's offering from Sony and Marvel Studios. In fact, they're only a part of the "technical" process that has been described in a recent profile piece, courtesy of Vogue, that delved deeper into the actor's Spider-Man: Homecoming approach. These characteristics seem to stem from the inspiration for Zendaya's audition for her role in director Jon Watts' entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which was none other than Ally Sheedy's Allison Reynolds from The Breakfast Club.
If Allison had been born later and happened to go to school with Peter Parker, you could imagine her busting Peter's chops about his double life. The first trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming showed that off pretty handily, and you can see it for yourself in the video below.
Taking all of these details in, it goes to show just how much the actor has gotten into the spirit of the project. With the John Hughes-meets-Stan Lee vibe that Spider-Man: Homecoming is displaying, and Jon Watts' already proven approach to make younger actors look wiser beyond their years, Zendaya's Michelle fits perfectly. Even with the huge amounts of action in the Spider-Man: Homecoming trailers, you can see the sort of charming, smart-assed energy that John Hughes films are known for. But looking into the possible future of her character, there could be some interesting days ahead.
Warning: potential SPOILERS for Spider-Man: Homecoming are ahead!
If this Michelle happens to have the last name of Toomes, then there's a chance that her Vulture father's fate just might influence her relationship with Peter in the future. Much like in the original Spider-Man trilogy with Harry Osborn, there's a chance that these friends might turn out to be foes in a future, post-Spider-Man: Homecoming outing. While this does clash with some details from the comic canon for Adrian "The Vulture" Toomes, it would make for some interesting MCU drama. One thing's for sure: no matter where the character goes, Zendaya is going to be ready to tackle the tone head on.
Spider-Man: Homecoming thwips into theaters on July 7. Zendaya will also be seen in The Greatest Showman, which finds itself in a prime Christmas Day 2017 release date.
