The Inspiration Behind Mysterio's Spider-Man: Far From Home Speech
Contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Far From Home
If there was something oddly familiar about Mysterio's monologue in Spider-Man: Far From Home, there's a reason why.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment's Kevin Polowy, Mysterio actor Jake Gyllenhaal revealed the inspiration behind his character's spirited speech that came just after the film's big twist when — spoiler alert — it's revealed that Mysterio deceived everyone and only grew close to Peter Parker (Tom Holland) so he could obtain the late Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) E.D.I.T.H. technology to use it for nefarious purposes. After Peter hands the E.D.I.T.H. glasses to Mysterio (whose real name is Quentin Beck), fulling believing that he is the person Tony would have wanted to wield the tech, Mysterio discloses that he used to work for Tony at Stark Industries, hated being a subordinate to the billionaire, and was ultimately fired for being seen as erratic.
It was a speech filled with passion and punctuated by Gyllenhaal's wide eyes and wild gesticulations as he pointed to other disgraced Stark Industries employees who aided in Mysterio's endeavor to fool the masses and become the next Iron Man. According to Polowy, both Spider-Man: Far From Home director Jon Watts and lead actor Tom Holland previously mentioned that Gyllenhaal actually channeled Robert Downey Jr. while delivering Mysterio's big speech, and Gyllenhaal agreed when speaking in this recent interview.
Gyllenhaal stated that "there were a few moments that were conscious" references to Downey Jr., of which he has many given that the two actors worked together for David Fincher's 2007 thriller Zodiac. "I know Downey pretty well," Gyllenhaal added.
It's fitting that Gyllenhaal channeled Downey Jr. for Mysterio's speech in Spider-Man: Far From Home based on the character's complicated backstory and relationship with Tony Stark. Working beneath him at Stark Industries and constantly feeling like he was being overshadowed did a number on him, turning him from an angered employee into a real-life villain and master manipulator. But the affects of spending so much time near Tony Stark influenced Mysterio's behavior as well — in ways he probably didn't even notice. He was bound to have picked up on Tony's mannerisms, and was unable to hide his passionate way of speaking and stirring up a crowd when declaring to his team the next phase of his ultimate plan.
The chances of Gyllenhaal getting to play Mysterio again are pretty slim, as the character died at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, though his presence will certainly still be felt in a potential sequel. In the film's mid-credits scene, Mysterio crafted one final illusion to dupe the world, altering footage of himself and Peter to make it seem like Spider-Man is a crazed villain and that he was a victim. Oh yeah, and Mysterio also revealed Spider-Man's identity as Peter Parker. He may not be alive, but Mysterio will change Peter Parker's life moving forward.