KIRSTEN DUNST - The leading lady from Spider-Man 2 discusses being jerked around by Doc Ock, re-teaming with Sam Raimi and her on-screen romance.

(Wizard #146, December 2003) Thursday, March 4, 2004

WIZARD: Spider-Man 2 is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2004. Does it live up to what people are expecting?

DUNST: Yeah, the story is better. The first movie was just the beginning. It was really exciting and you saw [Spider-Man] get his powers and use them for the first time. But with this movie, you're heavier into the drama. Because people have seen the first film, you can ride with things you'd have to explain in the first one. It's just cool and so many things connect in it. There are so many triangles--it's just exciting. The drama continues and it goes even deeper into the entire Spider-Man story. And our special effects have gotten so much better. Everything has evolved and it'll be even better than the first. Sam is so awesome. He makes the movies for his kids, too. It's pretty basic emotions of Spider-Man but it's also complicated relationships and things that everybody can relate to. I think that's why kids and adults enjoy it. It's real even though it's in this fantastical New York setting.

What was it like to team with director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire again?

It was great. It was like coming back to a family. You know everybody and my relationships with people had grown. It's very comfortable. I trust Sam and I feel very open on set. We had a lot of fun and it was a very easy, mellow shoot. It was family.

Did you guys ever stress out about how excited people are about this film?

Honestly, I don't even think about it. All I think about is trying to make the story as best I can. I know that everyone's anticipating it, it's a big-budget movie and there's probably pressure to make as much money as the first, but none of that's my responsibility. All I can do is do my best in the film and try to make it as truthful and honest as possible. The hardest part of these movies is making everything come together. It can so easily fall apart because you get too caught up in action or you lose sight of the people. That's why the first one worked and that's why I think the second one will work--because Sam really holds that heart of the film together.

You did a lot of stunt work in the first film. Was the sequel any more grueling?

So far it's been so much easier than the first movie. Oh my God, you have no idea. I'm so happy. I've only had to do two stunts basically where I'm being lowered. They were really high up but there was no dropping at least. I'm trying to think if I screamed.

You can tell me if you screamed...

Oh yeah, I did scream. I do have this one stunt where Doc Ock wraps his tentacle around my waist and picks me up and drags me outside in the air. That was a little complicated and a little scary but it looks great. But there's been nothing compared to the first film that was just endless months of blue screen.

What's Mary Jane's life like in the sequel?

Well, Mary Jane is living in New York and she's working in a production of The Importance of Being Earnest. She's not talking to her father anymore. She's grown up a lot since the first movie. She's on her own. She's about to start this new life with John Jameson--an astronaut--who's J. Jonah Jameson's son.

What's Peter and Mary Jane's relationship like in the sequel?

Peter and her don't really talk so much anymore. They're still friendly but he's kind of absent from her life since he's busy saving people, which is something she doesn't know. She's just kind of frustrated with him because he's not really there for her. She's kind of given up hope on any romance with him. They've kind of fallen apart from each other.

John's a very serious, responsible man. I think Mary Jane picked him because she had such a lack of a father figure and she's drawn to people who are a little more authoritative and a little controlling maybe. You can tell they're not right for each other, but you can also tell why she might have gone for him. It's not out of the blue and she's not with a complete jerk. He's a really sweet guy, it's just not the charm and the love that she has between her and Peter.

-- Mike Cotton