Spider-Man's Mary Jane Model Calls Out Stalkers On Social Media
Though Insomniac Games' take on "Spider-Man" and the wider Marvel Universe has largely been well-received by fans, the character of Mary Jane Watson has received a great deal of criticism since the series launched in 2017. The sequences of the first game in which Mary Jane became the playable character have caught flak for breaking up the pace of the campaign. Other gamers are more frustrated with MJ's characterization in the game having more in common with DC Comics' Lois Lane, rather than the actress and model from the comics. Some particularly vocal gamers have also taken issue with the character's redesign between the first game and "Marvel's Spider-Man 2," with some being nastier about it than others. Now, some of these gamers are taking their fandom for the game and Mary Jane to a truly toxic extreme, forcing the face model behind the character to make a statement online.
Former professional actress and model Stephanie Tyler Jones took to Instagram to halt a veritable campaign of harassment. Though her Instagram Story has since been deleted, fan accounts and news outlets have shared screenshots of Jones' message. Though she thanked the fans for their support over the years, she made it very clear that she is "no longer an actively auditioning actor or model," preferring to focus on her career in skincare. Unfortunately, some fans have not respected Jones' boundaries or personal life.
spider-man fans are the weirdest people of all time..
This is Mary Jane's face model btw... pic.twitter.com/VdO26gRX74
— Miles ⧗ (@vinewoodmiles) January 8, 2024
Fans react to MJ model's harassment story
Jones explained, "Over the weekend, some followers crossed boundaries. One even went to the extent of calling my workplace and leaving multiple voicemails wanting to speak with me and requesting I call back, which is unacceptable and considered stalking." According to Jones, the sheer number of calls and intrusions she's received will not be tolerated, and this appears to be the one and only warning these overzealous fans will receive. "Messages will not be answered," Jones wrote, "I will block you if you make me feel uncomfortable and you can unfollow me if this disappoints you."
On a positive note, it seems much of the fan community has rallied to support Jones' message and to discourage this kind of behavior. Some have attempted to respect Jones' wishes by instead tweeting at Insomniac Games to ask that the developer give the former MJ model their best wishes. Others have torn into the parties responsible for the harassment. "Some people need to have their access to the internet revoked," posted @LachesisHD. "Expressing an opinion about liking/ disliking certain characteristics of a fictional character is okay, but going after the model/actress is beyond disgusting." Another response was much more critical of the fanbase in general, writing, "Spider-Man fans are the weirdest people of all time." Hopefully this outpouring of support is a sign that Stephanie Tyler Jones' wishes will be respected.