For The First Time, Spider-Noir Actor Lamorne Morris Talks About Making Marvel History [Exclusive]

Amazon Studios

This article contains spoilers for the “Spider-Noir” Season 1 finale, “The Man in the Mask.”

In comics and comic-adjacent storytelling, a superhero’s friends will often go a long way to protect the hero’s secret identity. I remember having my young mind blown by an episode of “Batman: The Animated Series” in which the villainous Hugo Strange discovers Batman’s secret identity … only for Bruce Wayne to suddenly appear standing right next to Batman. Turns out it was Dick Grayson/Robin wearing prosthetics and stilts that made him look like Bruce Wayne.

Something similar happens at the end of the new series “Spider-Noir.” The villainous Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson) has become convinced that Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) is The Spider, this show’s version of Spider-Man. During a tense showdown in a club, Silvermane is about to murder singer Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li) as a test: Reilly will have to either let her die, or save her using his spider-powers, revealing his true identity in the process. Thankfully, Reilly’s journalist buddy Robbie Robertson (Lamorne Morris) barges in at the last minute dressed as The Spider and does a pretty convincing Nic Cage impression, interrupting the would-be murder and confounding Silvermane.

Even though it’s just a ruse, Lamorne Morris still got to embody The Spider on screen — but he hasn’t been able to talk about it … until now. During a recent interview, he shared how he felt suiting up as the hero, and making Marvel history in the process.

Lamorne Morris is the first Black man to play a version of Spider-Man in live-action

Amazon Studios

Despite Donald Glover’s best efforts, a Black man has never worn a Spider-Man costume in live-action until Lamorne Morris suited up as The Spider in the Season 1 finale of “Spider-Noir.” (Of course, the Black Hispanic character Miles Morales has become a household name thanks to the animated “Spider-Verse” films.) Pedants might claim there’s a difference, but even though Ben Reilly’s The Spider is not referred to as Spider-Man, it’s effectively the same thing, just with a more period-appropriate moniker. Morris was pretty thrilled about donning the costume when I asked him about it ahead of the show’s release:

“This is the very first time that I’ve answered this question. Period. Ever. Because it’s always been such a thing that we can’t talk about. But you’ve seen it all? Oh my gosh, it was a dream come true. Beyond anything. It was one of those things where, when you read it in the script, you go, ‘You have got to be sh*tting me. There’s no way. There’s no way.’ Suiting up as The Spider is crazy. And it’s not Miles Morales. Am I the first Black dude to do that? I don’t know. That’s kind of wild, right? 

But it was fun. I remember in wardrobe, going through the process and moving around going, ‘Hmm, I could get used to this!’ So if Nic wants to not do it anymore, I mean, I’m totally down […] It was definitely a dream come true for me. You dream about being a superhero, and for a moment there, I was.”

When he’s not suiting up as The Spider, Morris has a lot to do in “Spider-Noir,” pounding the pavement and following leads as Robbie Robertson makes a name for himself as a journalist. You can watch the entire series now on Prime Video and MGM+.