Danell Leyva Meets 'Role Model' Spider-Man

Olympic bronze medalist in gymnastics, Danell Leyva, 20, has referred in the past to harboring a strong sense of identification with superhero Spider-Man, and on Thursday he got to meet the real thing — or, as close as one gets to meeting a fictional character — when he hung out backstage with Reeve Carney, 29, the star of Broadway's production of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark at Foxwoods Theatre.

Leyva also commented on the Spider-Man film that came out this summer, The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone (the latter of whom Leyva has a crush on). "I was super, super excited about the Spider-Man movie that came out, because they really followed the comic book, almost to the core," he said, reports Entertainment Weekly, before making a joke about his own Spider-Man-like moves.

"I say that I am Spider-Man, because, well, I mean … but whatever. A lot of people don't believe me. It's cool. It's ok. It keeps my identity secret, in a way …. I really do go around saving people in New York and stuff. Spider-Man has always been a huge role model for me, so I've always kind of kept his story."

Leyva and Carney, who is in his second year of playing the masked superhero on stage in New York, were joined by nine of the other Spider-Men from the Broadway show, all of whom struck some poses with Leyva after the performance.

For more on Danell Leyva and Reeve Carney:

'Spider-Man' Hunk Reeve Carney Takes A Bow

It's Official: Reeve Carney Will Star In Official Jeff Buckley Biopic

U BLOG: Why Carney Is The Next Big Thing

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'The Amazing Spider Man' Spoils New Supervillain

SPOILERS: Emma Stone Opens Up About 'The Amazing Spider-Man'

VIDEO: Six-Minute Preview Of 'The Amazing Spider-Man'

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