hose
who scoffed at the casting choice of Tobey
Maguire for the role of Spider-Man
may just have to eat their words come May 3rd. Early buzz on Maguire's
spin on the web-slinging superhero has been very favorable, trailers for
the upcoming movie have been met with thunderous applause and the Internet
is awash with Spider-Man devotees anxiously awaiting the film's release.
The powers that be at Columbia Pictures, along with director Sam
Raimi (A Simple
Plan, The
Gift) apparently knew what they were doing when they cast the
enigmatic, 26-year-old actor even if others questioned their decision.Known primarily for his understated roles in dramatic films including The Ice Storm and Wonder Boys, Maguire beat out numerous Hollywood
Inspired by the naysayers who doubted his ability to pull off the role,
Maguire took the casting criticism in stride, "I look forward to
constantly changing, people's opinions of me. I think that's the fun of
it" said Maguire at an L.A. press conference last January. To that
end, the diminutive star (he's 5'7") began a twice-a-day, six-day per
week regimen of intense training to prepare for the part including
countless hours of gymnastics, martial arts and weight training. A
disciplined yoga enthusiast, Maguire's lithe frame was ideal for the
graceful, ballet-like moves that the role required. Though specific story
details and state-of-the-art special effects have been kept tightly under
wraps (all crew and cast, including extras, were required to sign
confidentiality agreements), the web (pardon the pun) has been crawling
with reports that confirm the plot rings true to creator Stan Lee's
original vision.
Orphaned as a child, Peter Parker (Maguire) lives in Queens, N.Y. with his
Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) where he
attends school, works as a photographer for a newspaper, pines for
"girl next door" Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten
Dunst) and spends time with his best friend, Harry Osborn (James
Franco). While on a school field trip, Parker is bitten by a
genetically altered spider and soon discovers he's acquired super-human
strength and the wall-climbing ability of a spider, along with ESP-like
"spidey sense."At first, Peter uses his newfound abilities for personal gain by appearing in and effortlessly winning a televised wrestling match. But when his beloved Uncle Ben is killed by a burglar, Peter remembers something his uncle once told him, "With great power, comes great responsibility." His uncle's words still echoing, Peter vows to use his powers to rid the city of crime and evil. Meanwhile, Harry's father, businessman and scientist Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) is going through a transformation of his own. After an experiment goes awry and blows up in his face, Norman's intelligence and strength increase, but the chemical reaction causes him to go insane, transforming him into the Green Goblin, Spider-Man's nemesis and arch enemy. As the battle between good and evil ensues, so begins the first installment of what is expected to be a very lucrative franchise as well as a career-changing role for Maguire.
Born in Santa Monica, California on June 27th, 1975, Maguire spent his childhood moving frequently up and down the West Coast between California, Oregon and Washington, living at alternate times with his mother, father and other relatives including grandparents, aunts and uncles. Maguire began acting in his teens when his mother bribed him with $100 to take an acting class in lieu of home economics. After hitting the Hollywood audition circuit, he landed bit parts on shows like Blossom, Roseanne, Walker, Texas Ranger and even a starring role in the short-lived Fox sitcom, Great Scott. But it wasn't until 1995, with a small, Oscar nominated, independent short film called Duke of Groove, that Maguire's career began to gain momentum. As fate would have it, director Ang Lee spotted him in Duke of Groove, brought him in to audition and subsequently cast him in The Ice Storm. In turn, Lasse Hallström spotted Maguire in The Ice Storm and cast him in The Cider House Rules. Shortly thereafter Maguire played a hapless college student under the misguidance of troubled professor Michael Douglas in Curtis Hanson's critically acclaimed Wonder Boys.
A fan of Maguire's work, Sam Raimi was convinced he'd be perfect for the
role of the superhero that everyone can relate to. Maguire personally
understands Spidey's appeal, "Spider-Man for me is such a great
character because he's so relatable. I mean, he's a regular kid who gets
these super powers and he can relate to them as a human being. Then, he's
also a superhero, but even being a superhero, he's conflicted like a human
being would be. It's very interesting."Maguire also understands the importance of everyday heroes in everyday life, "I think that he's a great character and one of the main themes of the film is that with great power comes great responsibility. I think there is great power in just being alive and being a human being. Within that, there is a great responsibility. Every day that I wake up I have a responsibility to myself and to others to be an example for people around me."
With Spider-Man ready to hit theaters, Maguire credits his unconventional and transient upbringing for contributing to his ability to adapt to any situation or role. A frequent newcomer at school, Maguire learned to quietly watch and observe other people's behavior as a means to acclimating to new environments and understanding social structures. Though this was difficult to endure as a child, he admits the experience helped him learn the craft of acting. Veteran actor Michael Douglas had this to say about his soft-spoken, Wonder Boys co-star. "He has incredible simplicity, which is unusual to see in a young actor because the hardest thing to do is nothing at all. Some early advice my father gave me was "Watch the actor who's listening and not the actor who's acting."' Raimi testifies to Maguire's subtle intensity, "He's not fake, he doesn't know how to be fake. With Tobey, you've got to be careful how you use that close-up, because he's got a lot coming out. The more still he is, the more powerful he becomes."
His on screen (and rumored off screen) love interest Kirsten Dunst agrees, saying Maguire is "probably the best young actor, period." The rumor mill had the two up-and-coming actors dating for the better part of a year but recent