• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Fashion

'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Actress Laura Harrier is the Next Worldwide Style Star

Spider-Man: Homecoming Actress Laura Harrier showcases designs from brands helmed by black creatives and pays homage to their heritage 
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Actress Laura Harrier is the Next Worldwide Style Star
By Joiee Thorpe · Updated October 26, 2020

Evanston, Illinois, native Laura Harrier’s journey from being a fashion darling to playing Liz Allan in the latest film in Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise began as an accident. “I moved to New York to go to New York University and modeling was this weird thing that I could do to make money,” the 27-year-old says over coffee in her current Brooklyn neighborhood. Her doe eyes, reminiscent of a Disney character, light up as she recalls her first derailed life plan.

“I deferred for one year because I was traveling and working so much and then I tried to defer again and NYU said no. Then I realized that I wanted to act and should just go to school for that.”

On a break from modeling gigs, Harrier attended The William Esper Studio in Manhattan. She began her acting career on One Life to Live and an HBO pilot for director Steve -McQueen. Although the latter project wasn’t picked up, she treasures the time spent working with the “really fun and funny” Oscar winner for
12 Years a Slave. While she kept modeling, she often felt like an object. These days brands such as Calvin Klein and Kenzo are calling but the optics have changed. “I like fashion a lot but it’s very different coming into it as an actress. I’m allowed to have an opinion now,” she says. That includes being “so stoked” to highlight several Black designers in her ESSENCE shoot because “we need more Black voices in fashion.”

Harrier’s bringing that activist vibe to Liz, Spidey’s love interest in Spider-Man: Homecoming by simply being. How? Liz wasn’t originally drawn as a Black woman. “Marvel was smart enough to cast based on the right person for the role and not just looking like the comics and keeping it the same as it has been since the 1960’s,” she says. Here’s hoping Hollywood will take note and we’ll get to see more of Harrier in the spotlight. —Hillary Crosley Coker

This feature originally appeared in the August 2017 Issue of ESSENCE Magazine.

01
Style Worldwide
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Actress Laura Harrier is the Next Worldwide Style Star
02
Style Worldwide
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Actress Laura Harrier is the Next Worldwide Style Star
03
Style Worldwide
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Actress Laura Harrier is the Next Worldwide Style Star
04
Style Worldwide
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Actress Laura Harrier is the Next Worldwide Style Star
TOPICS:  Magazine
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now