Stephanie Tyler Jones, the actress and model whose likeness has been used for Mary Jane Watson in Insomniac's Spider-Man video games, has shared a post on Instagram detailing some of the recent issues she's had with fans.
Explaining that "some followers crossed boundaries," she added that one even left her multiple voicemails "wanting to speak with me and requesting I call back" at her workplace. Understandably comparing the experience to stalking, Jones went on to request that Spider-Man fans respect her boundaries moving forward.
"I appreciate the love for my role in the Spider-Man games and the positive response to my version of MJ has gotten over the years," she wrote. "However, I am no longer an actively auditioning actor or model."
"My skincare page is not for Spider-Man or MJ fans. Bottom line is that I came into work this morning and immediately felt unsafe and uncomfortable hearing those voicemails."
"Please respect that I am a human being trying to make a living just like you, and I kindly ask for boundaries to not be crossed," Jones concluded. "Messages will not be answered, I will block you if you make me feel uncomfortable and you can unfollow me if this disappoints you."
James Stevenson, community director at Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games, also weighed in on social media, adding: "I shouldn't have to say this, but don't harass game developers, voice actors, mo-cap performers, or face models (or anyone else). Don't message them directly, and especially don't track down phone numbers or personal information in an attempt to contact them."
Over the years, we've seen Mary Jane become one of the Spider-Man franchise's biggest targets when it comes to fan frustration. Part of that is down to those divisive side missions in the first instalment, though there have inevitably - and unfortunately - been those who took issue with the character's physical appearance (and the fact she isn't a busty supermodel like the character's comic book counterpart).
You can read Jones' full statement below along with Stevenson's response:
Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise for PS5. Swing, jump and utilize the new Web Wings to travel across Marvel’s New York, quickly switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales to experience different stories and epic new powers, as the iconic villain Venom threatens to destroy their lives, their city and the ones they love.
Spider-Man 2 is now available to purchase worldwide.