Jacob Batalon was just 19 years old when he landed the life-changing role of Ned Leeds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an experience he looks back on with equal parts humor and disbelief. Reflecting on why Marvel Studios chose him despite his relative lack of experience, the actor—now starring in Spider-Man: Brand New Day—admitted that “it was really… I think they really just hired me for the vibes. I think they just really enjoyed me and Tom together.”
Although he never directly asked the executive team why he stood out from the rest, he recalled that “a lot of what my first initial feedback was that they just really enjoyed Tom… like our, just our chemistry, or and how we just kind of got along from our first screen test.” MCU producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal created a supportive environment through every step of production, though Batalon noted “I was so spoiled from that movie that I just assumed every job was like that, and it’s not,” realizing later on how much more work goes into standard film sets.
Back when his journey first began, the path to joining the blockbuster franchise started with an unforgettable trip to California. “My first… like, what I remember the… like the most is that I got flown out first class, fucking crazy!” Batalon remembered, humorously adding, “I’m not gonna say the airline so we don’t get in trouble, but I ordered like a… like a vodka soda.”
View this post on Instagram
Upon arriving in Burbank for what felt like a secret audition held in “some like really like random warehouse place,” the studio team immediately swapped his outfit with wardrobe options before pairing him with Tom Holland for what would become the iconic Lego Death Star scene. Using a water bottle as a temporary stand-in prop for the Death Star, Batalon accidentally dropped it onto the floor, prompting the crew to gently remind him that Ned had spent months assembling it.
Trying to adjust his performance on the spot, he admitted, “I remember thinking that whole thing went terribly,” though what ultimately won the room over was that “Tom and I just laughing our asses off, though… nothing was getting done, but I think they were enjoying that energy, like… they were just enjoying the fact that they were just like two kids having a great time together.”
Read more: Simu Liu Says It’s “Damn Good” to Be Back in Marvel Fold for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Sitting in a holding room after the screen test wrapped, Batalon felt sure he had blown his chance, telling himself, “Aww, wow, this is going to be like the only time I’m going to experience this ’cause I did not get this job,” deciding he “should really milk this” first-class treatment while it lasted. Later that evening in his hotel room, the young actor found a surprising moment of optimism while watching NBA basketball.
“I’m like a Laker fan, um, and I remember this was the game that was on. We hadn’t won in a lot of… in a lot of… it’s been like a couple years because Kobe had gone down with the Achilles,” he recalled. Watching rookie D’Angelo Russell lead the Lakers to a win, Batalon thought to himself, “Oh my God, this might be a… this might be a sign that I might get this job!”—an omen that turned out to be spot on, setting the stage for his beloved portrayal of Peter Parker’s best friend.
