
Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire delivered one of the most iconic movie kisses of the 21st century in 2002’s “Spider-Man,” but it was “kind of miserable” to shoot. Dunst is the latest guest on “The Jonathan Ross Show” (via The Independent) ahead of the release of her new movie “Civil War,” and she remembered how not ideal it was to kiss Maguire in the pouring rain while he was upside down as Spider-Man.
“I remember [the film’s director] Sam Raimi giving me a book of famous kisses to be inspired but also he really wanted to make it special even though it was kind of miserable actually doing it,” Dunst recalled.
“It was pouring with rain, freezing, Tobey couldn’t breathe so it was almost like I was resuscitating him,” she added.
Popular on Variety
Related Stories

What Lionsgate’s Partnership Deal With Runway Means

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Camilla Luddington on Sticking With the Show for 13 Seasons, Jo’s Pregnancy and Alex Choosing Izzie
Dunst starred as Mary Jane Watson opposite Maguire’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Raimi’s 2002 blockbuster, which led to two more hugely-profitable sequels: 2004’s “Spider-Man 2,” often considered one of the greatest superheroes movies ever made, and 2007’s “Spider-Man 3.” During a recent interview with Marie Claire, Dunst lamented over not speaking up for herself on set when people referred to her as a “girly-girl.” Dunst said “you didn’t say anything” on sets at that time, especially before the #MeToo movement, and “you just took it.”
“It was a joke, but on ‘Spider-Man,’ they would call me ‘girly-girl’ sometimes on the walkie-talkie. ‘We need girly-girl.’ But I never said anything,” Dunst said. “Like, don’t call me that!”
Would Dunst ever go back to the comic book world? “Yes,” Dunst told the magazine, “because you get paid a lot of money, and I have two children, and I support my mother.”
Maguire reprised his Spider-Man role in the 2021 Marvel tentpole “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which united him with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Andrew Garfield’s “Spider-Man.” He’s already said he’s game for more.
“I love these films and I love all of the different series,” Maguire told Marvel. “If these guys called me and said, ‘Would you show up tonight to hang out and goof around?’ or ‘Would you show up to do this movie or read a scene or do a Spider-Man thing?’ it would be a ‘yes!’ Because why wouldn’t I want to do that?”
Dunst told Variety in 2021 that “I would do it” when asked about playing Mary Jane again. “Why not? That would be fun,” she added. “I’d be old MJ at this point with little Spidey babies.”
Read More About:
Jump to CommentsMore from Variety
Nicole Kidman Unable to Accept Venice Acting Prize in Person Due to Mother’s Death: ‘My Heart Is Broken’
‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ Success Doesn’t Downplay Risky Reboots Coming to Theaters
Generative AI & Licensing: A Special Report
Most Popular
Luke Bryan Reacts to Beyoncé’s CMA Awards Snub: ‘If You’re Gonna Make Country Albums, Come Into Our World and Be Country With…
Donald Glover Cancels 2024 Childish Gambino Tour Dates After Hospitalization: ‘I Have Surgery Scheduled and Need Time Out to Heal’
‘Joker 2’ Ending: Was That a ‘Dark Knight’ Connection? Explaining What’s Next for Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker
‘Love Is Blind' Creator Reveals Why They Didn’t Follow Leo and Brittany After Pods, if They'll Be at Reunion (EXCLUSIVE)
Rosie O'Donnell on Becoming a 'Big Sister' to the Menendez Brothers, Believes They Could Be Released From Prison in the ‘Next 30 Days’
‘That ’90s Show’ Canceled After Two Seasons on Netflix, Kurtwood Smith Says: ‘We Will Shop the Show’
Have We Reached Ryan Murphy Overload?
Dakota Fanning Got Asked ‘Super-Inappropriate Questions’ as a Child Actor Like ‘How Could You Have Any Friends?’ and Can ‘You Avoid Being a Tabloid…
Why Critically Panned ‘Joker 2’ Could Still Be in the Awards Race for Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix
Coldplay’s Chris Martin Says Playing With Michael J. Fox at Glastonbury Was ‘So Trippy’: ‘Like Being 7 and Being in Heaven…
Must Read
- Film
COVER | Sebastian Stan Tells All: Becoming Donald Trump and Starring in 2024’s Most Controversial Movie
By Andrew Wallenstein 2 weeks
- TV
Menendez Family Slams Netflix’s ‘Monsters’ as ‘Grotesque’ and ‘Riddled With Mistruths’: ‘The Character Assassination of Erik and Lyke Is Repulsive…
- TV
‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Part 2 to Air on CBS After Paramount Network Debut
- TV
50 Cent Sets Diddy Abuse Allegations Docuseries at Netflix: ‘It’s a Complex Narrative Spanning Decades’ (EXCLUSIVE)
- Shopping
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Sets Digital and Blu-ray/DVD Release Dates
Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Variety Confidential
ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXOAjp%2BgpaVfo7K4v46koKurpJq7brDUp6qtZaOltqWx0WakmqZdoLa0v4ymoKydopavrbGMamlsbWlqgnaElmg%3D