Mckenna Grace Says Playing Gwen Stacy in the MCU Would Be a Dream Job

Gwen Stacy remains one of the most talked-about open questions in Marvel’s Spider-Man corner of the MCU, and the debate over who should play her never really cools down. Few names have come up as often in that conversation as Mckenna Grace.

On screen, the character has a rich history. Bryce Dallas Howard played her in ‘Spider-Man 3’ and Emma Stone took over in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ movies, while Hailee Steinfeld voices her in Sony’s ‘Spider-Verse’ films. The MCU itself has never shown her on screen.

Gwen first appeared in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ #31 in 1965, and the Spider-Gwen version debuted in ‘Edge of Spider-Verse’ #2 in 2014. In that universe, the radioactive spider bites Gwen instead of Peter Parker, and the twist helped make her a fan favorite.

Now the actress is addressing the speculation herself. Speaking to Sami Haidary, the ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ star reacted to the fan casting chatter by saying, “Whenever I get fancast for these things, that’s when they tend to happen.”

She went on to call the role a dream job for any actor, which makes it clear the idea appeals to her. Haidary captioned the clip with a plea for Marvel to make it happen. The exchange has since spread across Marvel fan accounts on social media.

Grace already has a connection to the franchise, having played a young Carol Danvers in ‘Captain Marvel’. ComicBookMovie.com notes that she has long been a fan-favorite choice for the part, and that her name keeps surfacing for superhero roles.

The idea has been floating around for years. When The Beat ran down its picks for a live-action Spider-Gwen, it described Gwen as smart, quick-witted and earnest, and argued Grace had the personality to keep an audience interested. It also offered Chloë Grace Moretz as a backup in case Grace was considered too young.

Grace’s comments land amid a wave of unconfirmed chatter. In mid-September, a Marvel scooper claimed she was being eyed for a huge MCU role, though SuperHeroHype noted the post named no character or project. Neither Marvel Studios nor Grace had confirmed anything.

Days later, the account MCU Fanatics posted that Grace, Emma Myers, Ester Expósito and Emily Rudd were reportedly all in the running to play Gwen Stacy in the MCU. The post stressed that Marvel has not announced a casting decision. Culturageek likewise noted that there is no confirmation from Marvel or Rudd.

Fans have been quick to weigh in. Replies on X show some viewers backing Grace outright, while others say she or Myers would suit the role perfectly.

The timing makes sense, since ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ arrived in theaters on July 31 to largely positive reviews, with critics praising Tom Holland’s performance, the action sequences and a more mature, character-driven story. With that chapter out in the world, fans are naturally looking ahead to which characters Marvel might introduce next.

At 20 years old, Grace is already a seasoned veteran. She became the first child recognized with a guest acting Emmy nomination for ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, and she later played Phoebe Spengler in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ and ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’.

More recently, she starred in ‘Regretting You’, ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ and ‘Scream 7’. She is now promoting ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’, and Reality Tea reported she was in Australia for part of that press run.

For now, Grace’s comments are best read as enthusiasm rather than news. She has not announced a role, and no Gwen Stacy casting has been confirmed, but the actress clearly wouldn’t turn down the call if it came.

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