Tobey Maguire:

Movin’ to the Dark Side

by Lynn B

You knew it had to happen. Just when life is going smoothly for Peter Parker and his beloved Mary Jane and wedding bells are in their future, something comic-booky and evil has to come along to muck things up. Such is the case in the new Spider-Man 3. The “muck” is some black goo from a meteorite that enhances the Spidey-powers but also makes Peter an overconfident jerk who enjoys prancing down the street like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever!

Actors are attracted to this sort of transformation like bees to honey and Tobey Maguire is no exception. In Beverly Hills recently, we got to chat with the actor whose own life has changed pretty radically since he last donned the blue and red suit. He’s become a dad! Tobey and fiancée Jennifer Meyer welcomed a baby girl late last year and he seems very happy. Tobey, dressed conservatively in dark gray suit jacket and white shirt, told us about fatherhood, loving it when kids respond to him as Spidey, creating the darker side of his comic book hero, how he would feel if there are more Spidey movies… starring another actor and how does he really feel about spiders anyway?

AGW: What was it like coming back for the third time?

Tobey: I had a good time on the movie. I love it. I love working with the cast and the crew and especially with Sam [Raimi] so, it was great coming back and I really felt like in this movie it was definitely the continuing story of Peter Parker and the other characters, but we were exploring new territory for the character, so it was exciting for me to venture into some different areas.

AGW: Is it like a whole new character since you’re playing the dark side?

Tobey: It’s not a new character. It’s a new side to Peter Parker and it’s kind of unexpected to see Peter Parker behave in some of the ways he behaves. It was a lot of fun and it was a lot of work for Sam and I to go over it and really think about and discuss the right tone for that part of the movie.

AGW: Sam said the ‘bad ‘Spidey scenes were the hardest to shoot during the movie because he didn’t like to see him do the things he does. Did you feel the same?

Tobey: Well, I probably had the most fun doing those scenes. I have heard Sam say that before. I think he’s attracted to it and repulsed by it at the same time. I think it’s hard for him to see Peter behave in those ways because it’s the treasured character of Peter like, straying off course. So, I do think he has a genuine reaction from that, but also I think we both get a little pleasure seeing Peter like that.

AGW: Have you ever had to cope with success going to your head as Peter does in this film?

Tobey: I think Peter and I react differently to that aspect of it. He’s really sort of loving it and bathing in it and getting that kind of arrogance and self importance and to me, I enjoy playing it and thought it was funny and fun to do. Personally, we just have different experiences.

AGW: You and Kirsten have a great emotional arc in this film. And as a movie couple you’ve grown a lot. Did it just flow really easily this time?

Tobey: It flowed pretty easily for me. Just the whole movie in general. I had a good time and I felt really at ease during the whole shooting process. And working with Kirsten is great. I love what she brings to the role and to the movie. So, it was a lot of fun.

AGW: Speaking of fun, you get to dance and prance in the movie. Did you watch Travolta in Saturday Night Fever for the dancing sequence?

Tobey: I saw that a long time ago, but I didn’t watch it to reference him for the movie. I mean, I recognize some of the similarities and I will say though that he was cooler. [Laughs].

AGW: Did you work with a choreographer or a dance instructor?

Tobey: Yeah, I worked with a choreographer and some other people. The inside [of the club] dance was pretty much all choreographed and then the outside, the basic idea of it was choreographed, and then we kind of riffed on it and had fun from there but that was Peter Parker dancing, not Tobey. [Laughs]. And y’know, it really is a thing where Peter thinks he’s super cool and suave, and really he’s a cornball. So, we were making fun of that and our aim was for people to be laughing, so I had that in mind while I was dancing.

AGW: The actors all signed on for three movies. Now the studio is talking about 4, 5 and 6 – would you come back? Would you want to?

Tobey: Well, if there was a great story there and there was something interesting for Peter Parker to do and Sam was involved and the right cast was in place, at that point I would consider it. I think, early on and through one and two I always imagined this as like three and out. I’m not saying I will do a fourth one at all. I’m saying I’m not committed either way and we’ll see what happens.

AGW: Any concern with being haunted by this role?

Tobey: I’m not really concerned about it. As long as I have other opportunities to make other types of movies. Certainly I’m identified with this film or with this character and I don’t think that’s going to go away anytime soon. I’m not fighting that or resisting it. As long as I get to make some other movies, I’m fine with that.

AGW: If you didn’t do this anymore would you miss the character and would it bother you to have another actor take over the role?

Tobey: I love working with all the people, like Sam, the cast and all that. So, I would hope to work with them whether it was this or not. I’m sure at some point I’ll have, reminiscent, sentimental kind of feelings about my experiences on the film. I already do. I’ve had great times. But, there is no pain involved in that. It’s just kind of like, nice. In terms of another actor playing the part, I don’t take any issue with that.

AGW: This is such a thrilling character for people. What is something you do in real life that is thrilling?

Tobey: I like to be very active, so I do all kinds of stuff. I can’t say there is anything that quite compares to swinging around like Spider-Man does. I like to ride bikes and run and scuba dive and do different kind of sports. I like to play basketball. Kind of normal human being stuff. I will do anything pretty much. I’ve never been like skydiving or bungee jumping. I would consider skydiving, but now my fiancé is like ‘You are not sky diving.’ And it would be a shame if something happened and I missed my daughter’s life. That would be a drag.

AGW: Speaking of your daughter, Bryce [Dallas Howard] was just here talking about how big a help you were during her pregnancy. Being three months ahead of her, what did you find out about fatherhood?

Tobey: It’s definitely amazing. I love being a dad and having a daughter. It’s amazing. It’s like everybody says. All the cliché’s are true. It’s indescribable and you just have to be there to understand it. You don’t really get it till you’re there.

AGW: You’ve talked about your own troubled childhood. Any advice to kids today in a situation like that?

Tobey: I think each individual experience is different. I was fortunate enough to find different people along the way whether it was through movies or books or people that helped buoy me when things were a little bit down. I never wanted to be a victim or kind of wallow in the harder things. I always wanted to move forward. I was pretty ambitious. I felt like I had pretty good imagination and vision for my life and I had people telling me, ‘You are driving the vehicle of your life here. You are the master of your own destiny in a sense. So, do whatever you want to do.’

AGW: Mark Wahlberg told us he wouldn’t do Boogie Nights now that he has children. Will having a daughter affect your film choices?

Tobey: It may, I really don’t know right now. I think that the greatest effect it will have is on what the locations of movies are more so than what the content is. Although it may affect my decision about the content as well.

AGW: Are there any other so-called “big” movies that you like?

Tobey: I really liked Batman Begins. I really liked The Matrix a lot. The first two original Superman movies were great. Tim Burton’s Batman was great. There are a lot of really good ones out there and we are just trying to make the best films we can and hopefully be peers to those other great ones.

AGW: Would you ever want to play another comic book hero?

Tobey: I don’t think I’ll be playing another iconic super hero from a comic book. I mean I think that would be kind of odd and I would guess that it would be kind of odd for audiences to accept me in that way.

AGW: What has been your weirdest encounter with a Spider-Man fan?

Tobey: I guess I’ve had some strange experiences. I think I just try to block them out after they happen. I don’t remember them. Well, I did have an interview the other day where a guy was wearing Spider-Man tights which I thought was a bit odd. It was part of his bit. He was proud of his Spidey pants. [Laughs]

AGW: Have you ever been to a party in your Spidey suit?

Tobey: [laughs] I actually, don’t have a suit but I have had many offers to show up for kids’ parties.

AGW: Little kids really think you are Peter Parker. How do you respond to kids when they see you and go ‘Peter!’ or ‘Spider-Man!’?

Tobey: First of all, I love kids and it’s a lot of fun interacting with kids, but it’s a little confusing sometimes because I want to take the lead from parents. Sometimes parents will want to explain that I’m an actor and sort of the reality of the situation and other parents like to keep the illusion alive. So, that’s always a tricky spot, the younger they are especially.

AGW: Was a kid ever disappointed when you explained about the acting thing?

Tobey: I did have a thing where I thought the right thing to do was to explain. A kid asked me and I was honest about it. They said, ‘Well, how do you do that?’ [climb up a building as Spidey]. ‘Well we take the building, the vertical building and we turn it on its back and I’m crawling across it and the kid just was like really bummed out [Laughs]. I was just like shattering his whole thing and then I had to work to get back in there. But we ended up hugging and he telling me he was going to miss me. It ended up being a really sweet thing but, for a while, I felt really bad about it.

AGW: Do you have a favorite of all three Spider-Man films?

Tobey: Right now, I feel like this one is my favorite. I’m excited about it. It’s fresh. It’s funnier, it explores new territory. It’s probably the most distinctly different of the three films. I thought 2 was a really good movie. The story came together very well. In the first one I loved the excitement of it and the origin story. So, right now, I would probably say this one is my favorite.

AGW: Wrapping up, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you answer this question before: how do you feel about spiders?

Tobey: Um, I’m fine with spiders. I respect their place in the world. I don’t kill spiders if there is a spider in my house. I saw a huge spider in my house last night and just left it there. But, now again Jen, my fiancé, said I needed to get it outside because of the baby. So, y’know, I’ve got to escort the spiders outside now.

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