Legendary voice actress, Kari Wahlgren returns to the Spider-Man multiverse as Aunt May in ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man‘ now streaming on Disney+.
I’ve known Kari Wahlgren for over a decade, and during our first conversation, she made it clear how to pronounce her name: “Kari like Ferrari, not Carrie like Scary.” That helped us build a connection that has lasted years, filled with jokes and friendly banter over various projects and Comic-Con appearances.
Wahlgren, known for voicing many Spider-Man characters, returns to the franchise as a sassy Aunt May in ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man‘. I joke that in a few incarnations, Aunt May might actually end up younger than Peter Parker if they continue to de-age her.
During our interview, I teased Wahlgren how motherhood made her an early bird as she did not attend this year’s Metal Hall of Fame during NAMM weekend in Anaheim, CA, especially since she used to warm up her voice by singing metal sub-genres in character voices before recording sessions.
Wahlgren, who was nominated for a 2025 Emmy for Best Voiceover Performance in a preschool show for her work in Superkitties on Disney Junior, wrapped up 2024 being named one of Forbes’ 28 Legendary Voice Actors. In 2025, she’s voicing Granny Seiko in Netflix’s DanDaDan and playing Aunt May in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man on Disney+, which premiered January 29th. Known for her versatile roles in animated television, anime, and video games, Wahlgren’s career began with her iconic role as Haruko in FLCL. She has since voiced over 700 characters, including Kitana and Mileena (Mortal Kombat), Harley Quinn (Gotham Knights), Starfire (Teen Titans), Zatanna (DC Super Hero Girls), Diane Sanchez (Rick and Morty), and more. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, she now lives in Los Angeles.
Follow Kari Wahlgren on Instagram @kariwahlgren.
‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man‘ began streaming its first two episodes with weekly releases on Disney+ on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
