Set in a dark and stylized world inspired by the beloved Marvel comic series, Prime Video’s Spider-Noir offers audiences a fresh take on the iconic web-slinger while embracing the noir sensibilities that make the character so unique.
Ahead of the series premiere, Awards Buzz’s Scott Menzel sat down with stars Li Jun Li, Jack Huston, and Abraham Popoola to discuss their experience joining the Marvel universe, what makes Spider-Man one of the most enduring superheroes of all time, and how Spider-Noir carves out its own identity while honoring decades of source material.
Congratulations on the series. What a phenomenal project to be a part of. You’d expect something like this from DC, but maybe not from Marvel, and yet here we are. I hate to waste time by asking about the premiere but did you all have the time of your lives at it?
Li Jun Li: That’s not wasting time at all. It was important because it was the first time many of us had seen each other since we wrapped over a year ago. It was so exciting to reconnect and to experience the show together.
Jack Huston: And to see it on the big screen.
Li Jun Li: Seeing it with an audience and hearing their reactions was incredibly rewarding.
Jack Huston: It was epic. It really showed that this story can live on the big screen just as well as it can on television. It has the heart and scale of something much larger.
Li Jun Li: I would love for audiences to have more opportunities to experience it that way.
Jack Huston: The more people watch it, the more they’ll demand it. Hopefully they’ll get the best of both worlds.
Abraham Popoola: And having the premiere in New York made it even more special. It’s the home of Spider-Man, after all.
I’ve been asking everyone this today. There are so many superheroes that audiences connect with, but Spider-Man always seems to rank among the very best. Why do you think that is?
Abraham Popoola: I think it comes down to his moral code. The idea that with great power comes great responsibility resonates with everyone. Every Spider-Man story is about that struggle and the weight that comes with responsibility. At the same time, he’s emotional, vulnerable, funny, and willing to do whatever it takes to help people. That combination makes him incredibly relatable.
Jack Huston: I’ve always felt that Spider-Man is relatable because becoming Spider-Man wasn’t something he sought out. It happened by chance. The responsibility is often reluctant at first, but he rises to the occasion. There’s something inspiring about seeing someone stand up against evil and wrongdoing. We all wish there was a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man looking out for us. Or maybe a not-so-friendly neighborhood Spider-Man like ours.
Li Jun Li: He still feels human. Despite everything that happens to him, he remains someone we can identify with. Other superheroes can sometimes feel larger than life, but Spider-Man never loses that emotional connection.
As actors, what’s the difference between playing a character that exists primarily on the page versus one that comes from established source material that audiences already know?
Abraham Popoola: For me, it always starts with the script. Especially on a project like this, where the show is doing something very different. The scripts were everything. The showrunners were incredibly clear about what they were trying to create. Any outside influences or references became more like garnish. You can honor the source material, but the scripts gave the show its own identity.
Jack Huston: The characters were so well written that the scripts became the source material for us. We didn’t feel the need to look back at previous Spider-Man iterations. It was a blank canvas, which is exciting as an actor because it gives you more freedom to help shape the character and make it your own.
Li Jun Li: Collaboration is the best part. We were all able to bring pieces of ourselves into these characters. Oren created people with so much heart, and because we weren’t trying to imitate anyone who came before us, there was a freedom that really influenced our performances. It makes a huge difference.
Spider-Noir is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video
