Another Spider-Man Setback: Banged-Up Broadway Show Star Quits!

Natalie Mendoza is the latest casualty of the ballyhooed musical, quitting one month after suffering a concussion

By Josh Grossberg Dec 28, 2010 6:06 PMTags
SpiderMan,  Natalie MendozaMarvel; Bruce Glikas/Filmmagic

And the hits keep coming for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.

On the heels of last week's accident that seriously injured stunt performer Christopher Tierney, yet another problem has hit the beleaguered Broadway mega-musical: star Natalie Mendoza, who plays the spider villainess Arachne, is leaving the $65 million (and counting) production.

Probably a wise health move, we'd say.

Per the New York Times, the 30-year-old actress's camp is negotiating an exit deal with producers. Mendoza sustained a concussion on Nov. 28 when she was struck in the head by a rope holding a piece of equipment as she stood off stage.

On the advice of her doctors, Mendoza took a two-week hiatus from Spider-Man to give her time to recover from the concussion's effects, which included blinding headaches and constant nausea.

Arachne is a key character in the show and, aside from singing the tuner's title number, figured prominently in at least five other songs and several high-flying stunt sequences, including one in which she's spun upside down. During her absence, the role was filled by understudy America Olivo.

Mendoza, who starred in the 2005 horror flick The Descent and was making her Broadway debut in Spider-Man, had just resumed playing Arachne when Tierney fell out of a harness and plummeted 30 feet, suffering several broken ribs and internal bleeding.

The Dec. 20 mishap left Mendoza feeling shaken and she has sat out all subsequent performances.

It's not known whether producers will stick with Olivo or try to bring in another actress for the role. The show's opening was just pushed back by another month, in part due to Mendoza's injury, and is now due to premiere on Feb. 7.

Neither a spokesman for Spider-Man nor Mendoza's rep is commenting on her departure.

Another delay could be disastrous for the troubled production, which launched with high hopes and a star pedigree including director Julie Taymor and U2's Bono and the Edge, who wrote the music.

The web of intrigue continues.