Kirsten Dunst Opens Up About Miserable Experience With Iconic Spider-Man Upside-down Kiss
Despite becoming a beloved scene, filming the upside-down kiss in Spider-Man (2002) was challenging for Kirsten Dunst. The actress, who played Mary Jane, admitted it felt difficult while trying to create a romantic moment on screen.
Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst gave one of Hollywood's most memorable kisses in 2002's Spider-Man, but it was kind of miserable to shoot. Dunst, who played the role of Mary Jane Watson in director Sam Raimi's trilogy on the webslinger, said they wanted the moment to be special on screen even when she felt like she was "resuscitating" Maguire. Civil War Trailer: Kirsten Dunst Stars in This Dystopian Action Thriller Showcasing Worn-Torn America (Watch Video).
In the film, Mary Jane removes Spider-Man's (Maguire) mask halfway to give him a "thank you" kiss in the pouring rain as he hangs upside down. "I remember Sam Raimi giving me a book of famous kisses to be inspired, but also he really wanted to make it special, even though it was kind of miserable actually doing it. It was pouring with rain, freezing, Tobey couldn't breathe so it was almost like I was resuscitating him," Dunst said on ITV's "The Jonathan Ross Show". Kirsten Dunst Birthday: Stellar Red Carpet Outings by the 'Spider-Man' Actress.
Kirsten Dunst Recalls Challenges of Famous Spider-Man Upside-Down Kiss
Two years ago on the 20th anniversary of Spider-Man release, Maguire also recalled he was “practically suffocating” while performing the iconic scene. “It was really tough, actually. It was really challenging. They'd yell cut, and I would be (gasping for air), totally out of breath. It was torture. It makes you realise how important oxygen is,” he had said.