Marisa Tomei 'really regrets' making the transition into playing mothers

The King of Staten Island star Marisa Tomei says she “regrets” making the decision to play mother roles on the big screen.

The 55-year-old Oscar-winner told Collider she wants the chance to play other types of character, including a film noir femme fatale and a screwball romcom lead.

She portrays the mother of Pete Davidson’s arrested development 20-something in The King of Staten Island, as well as portraying Aunt May in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Read more: Tomei on “intimacy” of watching King of Staten Island at home

Tomei said she was “talked into” taking on parent roles, but wishes she hadn’t taken that path.

“I really regret starting down this road and I really regret starting to do that,” she said.

Tomei added: “I think every actor and actress has a lot of dimensions to them and if the scope of what is being written and being made is narrow, and you want to keep working, you do what you can.

“I mean, I do. I tried it. It was maybe not the right road, but you know, I do try to make the most of it.”

Read more: Tomei suggested ageing up for Aunt May role

Tomei said there were plenty of roles she would love the opportunity to play, outside of being the mother of a male protagonist, including a “femme fatale” in a noir.

She added: “I still think there are other aspects of even romantic comedies. I really love them, but you know really at a screwball level.

“There’s so many, many — the breadth of as much as women are, there’s so many roles.”

The King of Staten Island focuses on the way Davidson’s character reacts to their mother dating a firefighter, seven years after their father — himself a firefighter — died on the job.

Supporting roles are filled by the likes of Bill Burr, Steve Buscemi, Bel Powley and Maude Apatow.

Read more: Judd Apatow on the “depth” of long comedy movies

Universal had the film prepared for a cinema release prior to the coronavirus pandemic, but have now decided to release it as the latest example of the premium video-on-demand model.

The King of Staten Island is available to rent at home from today.