No, Spider-Man's reverse kiss scene wasn't enjoyable to shoot

Kirsten Dunst remembers a “miserable” day that looked more “like a rescue” from Tobey Maguire than a romantic sequence, because the actor couldn't breathe properly under his mask!

On Saturday March 30, Kirsten Dunst will be the guest of The Jonathan Ross Show to speak of Civil Warthe new film by Alex Garland (Ex_Machina, Devs…). The show has already been recorded and The Independent shares one of the actress' confessions. Not about this critically acclaimed drama across the Atlantic, but about one of her most popular roles: Mary-Jane Watson in the first trilogy Spiderman (2002-2007).

One of the most famous scenes of the saga is at the heart of the first part, when MJ kisses Spider-Man in the pouring rain, while he is hanging upside down in a New York alley. A sexy scene for the audience, which was nevertheless “miserable” to shoot for the duo of actors.

“I remember that Sam Raimi gave me a book full of memorable kisses from the cinema so that we could draw inspiration from them, she says, laughing. He wanted this one to be special. However, to film it, it was perfectly miserable. The rain wouldn't stop falling, we were freezing and Tobey couldn't breathe… it felt like I was resurrecting him!”

The year the blockbuster was released in theaters, Maguire had already revealed how difficult it was for him to catch his breath during this sequence, because of his very tight mask.

“I couldn't breathe,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “The rain was getting into my nose while she was kissing me. So basically, since I couldn't breathe through my mouth either, I was forced to hold my breath while we exchanged this kiss. This shoot was not as sexy, nor romantic, as what we ultimately see on screen!”

Spiderman is a fan favorite of the saga, even if many then loved its direct sequel, always directed by Sam Raimi. Tobey Maguire recently returned to the role for No Way Home (2022), surrounded by other incarnations of Peter Parker, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland. Could Kirsten Dunst in turn return as Mary-Jane? Raimi said he would love to reunite with his duo for a fourth episode of their saga Spidermanbut for the moment, Sony and Marvel have not made anything official.