Spider-Man: No Way Home featured three Peter Parkers, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, and the entire ensemble of live-action Spider-Man villains from across the years. But Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin manages to outshine them all and steal the spotlight with his seamless portrayal of Norman Osborn, not only solidifying his place as one of the MCU’s most compelling villains but also reminding everyone of why the character became iconic in the first place through Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man movie.
In the newly released featurette, the cast of No Way Home celebrates Dafoe’s exemplary performance as Osborn, with Andrew Garfield, aka Peter #3, praising his co-star’s acting chops and his skilled approach to his character.
“Willem is just fearless. And Willem doesn’t give a flying… whatever. ‘I’m doing this.’ He’s just so unselfconscious as an actor, just totally free, and that’s the dream.”
Tom Holland was also mesmerized by this latest iteration of Green Goblin, describing the collaboration as “one of the most surreal experiences” he’s had in his life.
“When he becomes the Goblin, he’s terrifying. And in the rehearsal, he starts doing the laugh and he’s saying all these different stuff about how much he hates Peter Parker and we’re doing this fight scene, and I just became a five-year-old kid again watching him in theater.”
Dafoe embodied a sense of ruthlessness and abject cruelty so authentic that may have just immortalized his Green Goblin forever. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine many folks coming back to this performance over and over again in the future, whether it be for acting inspiration or just to experience the chill-inducing horror that is wrought with his return.
