Spider-Man’s Original Aunt May, Rosemary Harris, Celebrates Her 99th Birthday With Sweet Family Photos
Few actresses have managed to leave a mark on both the Broadway stage and the modern blockbuster in quite the way Rosemary Harris has. Long before superhero franchises dominated the box office, Harris was already a celebrated force in classical theater, building a career that began all the way back in 1948.
That decades-spanning résumé eventually led her to Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man‘ trilogy, where she brought warmth and gravity to the role of Aunt May opposite Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker between 2002 and 2007. Raimi famously cast her without even requiring a screen test, and her performance has remained the definitive take on the character for many longtime fans ever since.
Now, Harris is being celebrated for reaching an extraordinary milestone. The English actress turned 99 on September 19, and newly shared photos from her daughter, actress Jennifer Ehle, show Harris marking the occasion with a birthday breakfast, candle and all, surrounded by family.
Images released of Rosemary Harris, Aunt May in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films, celebrating her 99th birthday.
— ComicBook.com (@ComicBook) September 24, 2026
Here's to you, Rosemary!
(Source: jennifer_ehle | IG) pic.twitter.com/FzuoKmBdsk
Harris’s body of work extends far beyond her superhero legacy. Over the course of her career, she has won a Tony Award for ‘The Lion in Winter’ in 1966, an Emmy for her role in ‘Notorious Woman’ in 1976, and a Golden Globe in 1978, while also earning an Academy Award nomination for ‘Tom & Viv’ in 1995. In 2019, she was honored with a special Lifetime Achievement Tony Award, cementing her status as one of the theater world’s most respected veterans.
What made her turn as Aunt May especially memorable to fans and collaborators alike was her willingness to fully commit to the physicality of the role, even performing some of her own stunts in ‘Spider-Man 2’ at the age of 75. Reflecting on her experience working with Raimi, Harris told the BBC that unlike some directors, he never made her feel like he was “standing over you with a big stick,” instead describing him as warm, kind and extremely talented.
Harris hasn’t slowed down much despite her age. She participated in the SAG-AFTRA strike in New York City back in July 2023, and in 2025 she made a proud appearance on the red carpet for the premiere of a film starring her daughter, Jennifer Ehle. That kind of continued presence in public life has kept her connected to both her theater roots and her devoted Spider-Man fanbase.
Fans online have continued to express their appreciation for Harris’s portrayal of Aunt May, with many crediting her performance for setting a standard that later versions of the character have struggled to match. One widely shared sentiment captured the general consensus succinctly, with a fan writing that Harris simply is Aunt May, calling it pitch-perfect casting from the very start.
Harris has carried both personal and professional milestones with the same quiet grace throughout her life, including navigating the loss of her husband of 51 years, writer John Ehle, in March 2018. As she enters her 99th year surrounded by loved ones, Harris remains a rare bridge between old Hollywood craftsmanship and the modern blockbuster era.
What’s your favorite Rosemary Harris role?
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