Why Betty From Spider-Man: No Way Home Looks So Familiar
One of the most anticipated movies ever in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has landed, bringing with it some of the biggest names in show business. "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is easily the biggest movie of 2021, thanks largely in part to its groundbreaking storyline and A-list cast. Leading the team, as always, is Tom Holland, who has now portrayed Spider-Man in six MCU films. Six! Joining him for "No Way Home" are Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Electro (Jamie Foxx), and Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina).
While there are a handful of newcomers in the new Spidey flick, plenty of returnees from "Homecoming" and "Far From Home" are back to round out the trilogy. MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) have returned for the third solo film, bringing a few famous faces from the first two MCU Spidey films with them. Tony Revolori is back as Flash, while fellow high-schooler Betty is also back in the mix. You might recognize Betty from the first two "Spider-Man" films. Played by the talented Angourie Rice, Betty hosts the "Midtown News" for her school, where she reports on many things Spider-Man, and eventually becomes the love interest of Ned in "Far From Home."
If you found yourself taking a second look at Betty in "No Way Home," it's likely because the actor who plays her has starred in some major television series and movies. Here are some of Rice's biggest hits, which all deserve a watch.
Angourie Rice got her big break in The Nice Guys
In 2016, Angourice Rice nabbed the role of a lifetime in the action-comedy "The Nice Guys," starring alongside Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling. The Aussie actress was just 13-years-old at the time and played Holly March, the daughter of Gosling's Holland March, a private investigator who is investigating the suspicious death of Misty Mountains (Murielle Telio). Holland teams up with Jackson Healy (Crowe), a fellow private eye that is a little more unconventional.
Holly is integral to the dangerous investigation as she is sometimes along for the ride with her father and Jackson. She offers viewpoints they cannot see and is often the most mature out of the trio. The highly-praised film has a stellar 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, thanks to the top-notch performances from Gosling, Crowe, and Rice.
When catching up with Flavourmag, Rice dished on what it was like to work with Gosling and Crowe. "It was fantastic to get to know [Gosling]," she said. "He's such a lovely and down-to-earth guy. I was really happy that both Ryan and Russell really welcomed me on to set because it was my first big Hollywood film, and they're so experienced ... they really made an effort to make sure that I felt comfortable on set, which was fantastic."
She did a one-episode stint on Black Mirror
If you've seen the Miley Cyrus episode of "Black Mirror," you've seen the Angourie Rice episode of "Black Mirror." The heavily-discussed "Rachel, Jack, and Ashely Too" installment of the controversial series focuses on pop star Ashley O (Cyrus) and her fan Rachel (Rice). Rachel is gifted an AI doll of Ashley O, who becomes all too real as time moves on. When the real Ashley O is sent into a medically-induced coma by her controlling manager-aunt, her consciousness becomes alive in Rachel's doll. From here, Rachel and her sister Jack (Madison Davenport) are sent on a quest by the AI robot to look into her suspicious Aunt Catherine (Susan Pourfar). Rachel and Jack are integral in saving the real-life Ashely O, who returns to her musician life, leaving the pop world behind for rock'n'roll.
By the time Rice nabbed her role in "Black Mirror," the series was already a Netflix phenomenon. "Rachel, Jack, and Ashely Too" is also one of the last "Black Mirror" episodes, the first out of three in Season 5. Rice was happy to grab a role in the series and admitted it was a very sudden casting. "I came in very late in the process," Rice admitted to Vulture. "So, I auditioned knowing it was Black Mirror. I was booked that same week. I was very last-minute for me, like super quick."
Angourie Rice was a major player in Mare of Easttown
One of the most popular mini-series of 2021 was undoubtedly HBO's "Mare of Easttown." Angourie Rice captured the role of a lifetime, playing the daughter of Kate Winslet and granddaughter of Jean Smart. The series follows Detective Mare Sheehan (Winslet) as she uncovers the murder mystery of a local girl. Rice plays Siobhan Sheehan, a talented high-schooler working on a documentary of her recently deceased brother.
The clever writing of "Mare of Easttown" makes viewers suspicious of almost every cast member, including Siobahn. One of the last people to see the murdered girl alive, Siobahn becomes a suspect of her mother's for a brief time, but all is revealed in the shocking season finale.
Rice dished on what it was like to star alongside an award-winning cast and how she was surprised she was given the role. "I was so nervous coming into the project. I didn't expect to be cast, first of all," she told Collider. "I just thought it was gone. I didn't think they'd cast me. I was so surprised and overjoyed. I was so interested in the project because I knew Kate was attached. It's funny, we did a roundtable with all of the actors, and everyone was like, 'Oh, yeah, I signed on because of Kate.'"