Summary:
- Kirsten Dunst, known for her role as Mary Jane in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, revealed the ridiculous pay gap between her and co-star Tobey Maguire with Variety.
- She’s also open to the idea of returning to superhero movies, as she believes the pay is still good enough.
- Dunst once expressed her desire to return as Mary-Jane in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
The big pay gap between male and female performers has always been a thing in Hollywood. Well, Kirsten Dunst from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy had to learn it the hard way.
Speaking with Variety, Dunst, who famously portrayed Mary Jane Watson in the original “Spider-Man” trilogy, recently shed light on the significant pay gap between herself and co-star Tobey Maguire. Despite their shared screen time, the disparity in their earnings was notably wide.
Sam Raimi‘s “Spider-Man” trilogy not only sparked a fervor for the superhero genre but also garnered over $2.5 billion globally. The debut film alone raked in $825 million worldwide. However, this blockbuster success translated into a substantial salary increase for Maguire, who reportedly pocketed $17 million for the sequel, while Dunst saw a far less generous bump.
Despite an already impressive filmography, including hits like “Bring It On,” Dunst pointed out the stark difference in compensation when she took part in Spider-Man two years later. “It was different. A lot different,” she remarked, hinting at the financial discrepancy without disclosing exact figures. She also disclosed that Maguire’s number could have been even more.
Dunst also shared insights into her career choices with GQ Magazine, revealing that her decision to act was not always driven by financial incentives.
“When I was younger, in my 20s, I didn’t have the best guidance, I would say, and I did a couple of duds for money reasons, but nothing that I would have actually done otherwise. I get offered the most money on things I don’t want to do. As soon as I took the reins and started to develop my tastes and who I wanted to work with, everything shifted,” she explained.
Despite stepping away from the superhero scene after “Spider-Man 3” in 2007, Dunst hasn’t closed the door on returning to such roles, especially if the terms are right. “Because you get paid a lot of money, and I have two children, and I support my mother,” the actress admitted.
Interestingly, according to GQ Magazine, she expressed a willingness to appear in 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” but revealed that she was never approached by both Marvel and Sony.
