What is the name of the character played by Zendaya in the MCU Spider-Man films?

The character played by Zendaya in the MCU Spider-Man films is Michelle Jones. She is usually known by the nickname “MJ.”

Michelle is an original MCU character rather than a direct adaptation of the comics’ Mary Jane Watson. In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), she is introduced as an intelligent, observant classmate of Peter Parker at Midtown School of Science and Technology. Her dry humor and interest in social issues make her distinct from the more traditionally outgoing love interests in earlier Spider-Man films.

In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Michelle and Peter become romantically involved. She correctly deduces that Peter is Spider-Man after noticing clues about his secret identity. The films later identify her full name as Michelle Jones-Watson, while “MJ” connects her thematically to Mary Jane Watson without making her the same character.

A common mix-up is answering “Mary Jane Watson.” That is the name of Spider-Man’s classic comic-book love interest, whereas Zendaya’s MCU character is Michelle Jones, later given the surname Jones-Watson.