Entertainment

‘Spider-Man’ actress Natalie Mendoza leaves show

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One of the lead actresses in “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” Natalie Mendoza, who is still recovering from a concussion sustained during the musical’s first preview performance, is leaving the production, according to two people who work on the show and who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ms. Mendoza’s representatives and the producers of “Spider-Man,” a $65 million musical created by Julie Taymor (“The Lion King”) and Bono and the Edge of U2, have been hammering out an exit agreement for several days, and an official statement is expected soon, the two people said. They said they were not sure why Ms. Mendoza was leaving the show, which is still in previews, but they noted that she was still recovering from a concussion and that the show was physically challenging. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because the producers have forbidden public comments, given that lawyers and others are still fine-tuning the language to explain Ms. Mendoza’s departure, an artistic loss and embarrassing blow to the production.

Ms. Mendoza’s spokesman, Shea Martin, declined to comment on Tuesday. Ms. Mendoza, a 30-year-old film and theater actress best known for playing the lead character Juno in the 2005 horror movie “The Descent,” did not reply to e-mail messages.

Full story: ‘Spider-Man’ Actress Natalie Mendoza Leaves Show – NYTimes.com