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In yet another example of art imitating life, or in this case the other way round, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst were reportedly dating halfway through the firstSpider-Manfilm. What began as a crush, almost like Peter Parker and MJ, grew into something more. But as fate would have it, the situation ended before things ever got serious between the pair. Despite the short romance, it turns out the could-be-relationship had more than one person associated with the Sam Raimi production sweating.
Also read:“We have a lot of great stuff”:Spider-ManActor Tobey Maguire Had the Fans Convinced that Cancelling Spider-Man 4 Was a Mistake
Tobey Maguire Recalls Crushing on Kirsten Dunst
Great things happened two decades ago, and the Sam RaimiSpider-Mantrilogy was among those. The Sony production not only became the marker of comic book movie adaptation but also successfully delivered a three-part story on the origin arc and complete evolution of a brave young boy transforming from a fledgling neighborhood hero into a full-blown superhero in his own right. Often dubbed the best adaptation of the wall-crawler, Tobey Maguire’s representation of his character has remained one of the best achievements to come out of CBM projects.
Also read:“My ego was rubbed a little bit”:Spider-ManStar Tobey Maguire Felt Insulted After Studio Did Not Want Him in the Movie
However, despite all the accolades and the becoming of a legacy, at the time of filming, it was simply three rising actors finding their footing in the industry, and as such, the cut-throat competition was already running high on adrenaline. During the course of filming, Maguire andKirsten Dunstbegan dating each other before eventually breaking up about a year later. Sam Raimi, the director, clearly recalls:
“They apparently began dating with each other, I think, in the middle of the first movie … although I didn’t know it at the time. But definitely they eventually broke up before the second movie. I was concerned they wouldn’t get the same chemistry back, but it was just me worrying.”
It goes without saying that the two maintained their professional lives unmarred by their personal fallout. However, a chronology of events as plain and simple as two people dating ended up causing quite a bit of grief for the supporting actor during the filming ofSpider-Man(2002).
Also read:Tobey Maguire Reveals How He Became “Muscular as Hell” ForSpider-Manin 5 Months After Struggling With Alcohol Abuse at a Young Age
James Franco Didn’t Like Tobey Maguire Dating Kirsten Dunst
As it so happens, the scripted events ofSpider-Mandid play out in real life when James Franco, who plays Harry Osborn in the film, also harbored feelings for his co-star, Kirsten Dunst. However, the fact was never made public when it became quite clear that she and Tobey Maguire had begun dating each other. Even though the pair tried keeping it under the radar, Franco grew to dislike the fact that the two were somehow romantically involved, and that further caused some ruckus between the trio:
“Tobey and Kirsten became a couple around that time. I had a crush on Kirsten, and I think I was upset about that as well […] Tobey was mad at me for a while. By the second film, we were cool.”
Also read:“He has finally made peace”:Spider-Man4Had a Dark, Grim Storyline For Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker, Explains is Sage Wisdom inNo Way Home
Two decades later, it’s all water under the bridge. James Franco is now barely visible in the public arena after being canceled by the mainstream crowd. Kirsten Dunst remains happily married to Jesse Plemons who she met on the sets ofFargoin 2016. The two tied the knot in Jamaica earlier this year after being engaged for five years. Tobey Maguire has recently made a comeback, starring in the critically laudedNo Way Homein which he reprised his role as the fan-favorite Spider-Man. He also appears in the more recent Damien Chazelle comedy-drama,Babylon, which has only currently been released in theatres.
Spider-Man(2002) is available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: Playboy interview viaDaily Star
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2407
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
