Kirsten Dunst Discusses Pay Disparity with Tobey Maguire in ‘Spider-Man’: “It Was Different. A Lot Different”
Whether you’re a fan of Mary Jane or Gwen Stacy, Kirsten Dunst’s portrayal of the former is undeniably iconic. Dunst played Mary Jane in Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy, which remains her most financially successful movie to date.
‘Spider-Man’ made history as the first film to surpass $100 million in a single weekend, setting a new opening weekend record. ‘Spider-Man 2’ grossed $373.6 million domestically and $415 million internationally, totaling $788.6 million worldwide, surpassing its $200 million production budget. Upon its release on June 30, 2004, it earned $40.4 million on its first day, setting a new record until it was surpassed by ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’ a year later.
When it comes to earnings, Tobey Maguire received substantial paychecks after each movie release, with his payment increasing for each installment. However, Kirsten Dunst recently revealed in an interview with Variety, while promoting her latest movie ‘Civil War’, that her compensation wasn’t on par with Maguire’s. Specifically, it was mentioned that Maguire received $17 million for the ‘Spider-Man’ sequel, while Dunst received significantly less.
t might have been more, actually. It was different. A lot different. And I was in ‘Bring It On’ and had a track record.
You could argue, and rightly so, that Dunst’s character isn’t as central as Tobey Maguire’s, leaving her with less leverage to negotiate for higher pay. Nevertheless, she highlighted the gender pay gap in Hollywood, which is a well-documented issue. Numerous reports show that women often earn less than men for similar roles, mainly due to unequal opportunities and negotiation power imbalances.
Fortunately, efforts are being made to narrow this gap, although it remains significant. Nowadays, it’s easier to shed light on these issues and address them with public awareness and outcry. Got something to share? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!