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Tobey Maguire

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Tobey Maguire
Maguire, 2007
Born
Tobias Vincent Maguire
Years active1989 - Present

Tobias Vincent Maguire (born June 27, 1975) is an American actor. He began his career in the 1990s, and has since become best known for his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Spider-Man film series.

Early life

Maguire was born in Santa Monica, California. His father, Vincent Maguire, was a construction worker and a cook. His mother, Wendy Brown, is a secretary turned screenwriter and producer.[1] His parents were 18 and 20 years old, and unmarried, at the time of his birth; the two married and subsequently divorced when Maguire was two. Maguire spent much of his childhood moving from town to town, living with each parent and other family members.[2] During his childhood, Maguire entertained the idea of becoming a chef and to that end wanted to enroll in a Home Economics class as a sixth grader. His mother offered him $100 USD to take a drama class instead, and Tobey agreed.[3]

The nomadic nature of his school-age years began to take a toll on Maguire emotionally, and finally, after yet another relocation to yet another school, Maguire dropped out of his freshman year of high school and never returned, deciding to focus himself on his blossoming acting career.[4] By 2000, Maguire had taken the GED to officially graduate from high school, noting that during his high school days, he'd reached a point where "I wasn't doing school. I was showing up, but...not really giving myself."[5]

Early career

Maguire's first appearance in a feature film was in the 1989 movie The Wizard. In that movie, he played a goon of Lucas Barton, one of three competitors at a video game competition, and had no lines. Maguire initially worked as a child actor in the early 1990s, often playing roles much younger than his chronological age; as late as 2002, Maguire was still playing teenagers while in his mid-20s. He appeared in a variety of commercials and TV and movie roles, working opposite such stars as Chuck Norris (Walker, Texas Ranger), Roseanne Barr (Roseanne), and Tracey Ullman (Tracey Takes On...). Eventually, Maguire was cast as the lead in the FOX TV series Great Scott, which was cancelled 5 weeks later.

During many of his auditions, Maguire found himself competing opposite another rising child star actor, Leonardo DiCaprio. The pair struck up a fast friendship and made an informal pact for each to help get the other one a part in their movies/TV shows/other projects. For example, both auditioned for the same part in the 1990 TV series Parenthood; DiCaprio got the part, and Maguire later got a guest role at least partially due to DiCaprio's recommendation. The same scenario played itself out during casting for the 1993 Robert DeNiro movie This Boy's Life; DiCaprio got the main teen role (ironically, the character was named "Toby") and Maguire got a part as one of Toby's friends.

By the mid 1990s, Maguire was steadily working but becoming caught up in the hard-partying lifestyle of some of his fellow teen actors. In 1995, Maguire requested director Allan Moyle to release him from his part in the movie Empire Records. Moyle agreed, and all of Tobey's scenes were deleted from the final film.[6] Maguire then sought help for an underaged drinking problem from Alcoholics Anonymous; he has been sober ever since.[7]

As part of his recovery from alcohol and learning to deal with his self-described "addictive and obsessive/compulsive nature"[8], Maguire changed his career path slightly in order to obtain roles where he and DiCaprio would not always be in competition for the same part, and the move paid off when he got the role of Paul Hood, a teenage boarding school student whose narration anchors the action in Ang Lee's 1997 film, The Ice Storm. This soon led to a variety of lead roles where he played a thoughtful boy coming of age, in films such as Pleasantville, The Cider House Rules, and Wonder Boys. He also played off his youthful-sounding voice in the 2001 children's movie Cats and Dogs, playing a beagle puppy named Lou.

Spider-Man

File:Normal spider-man-stills-002.jpg
Maguire as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man

In 2002, Maguire shot to superstardom in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, based on the popular Marvel comic book series. He reprised the part in Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007).

Maguire's performance as Spider-Man initially earned him some glowing reviews. For instance, Mark Caro of the Chicago Tribune felt that "with his big, round, soulful eyes, Maguire always has been able to convey a sense of wonder, and his instinct for understatement also serves him well here".[9] Towards the third part of the franchise the actor experienced some backlash in the media. "For his part Mr. Maguire needs to stop relying on those great big peepers of his: simply widening your eyes to attract attention does not cut it when you’re over 30", remarked Manohla Dargis of the New York Times in her review of Spider-Man-3.[10]

Though Maguire has not yet signed on for another sequel, the actor has denied reports that he will not return, stating, "I feel like the stories all deserve to be told, and, you know, if... the whole team wants to get back together, and we feel like we can make a good movie that's worth making, then I'm up for it."[11]

After Spider-Man

Maguire solidified his stardom in 2003 with a leading role as the jockey John M. "Red" Pollard in the acclaimed film Seabiscuit, about the famous United States' racehorse Seabiscuit. In 2006, Maguire starred in his first villainous role as Corporal Patrick Tully in Steven Soderbergh's The Good German based on the Joseph Kanon novel of the same name opposite George Clooney and Cate Blanchett.

Maguire has also moved into another realm of filmmaking, producing. Maguire's production credits include 25th Hour (2002), Whatever We Do (2003), and Seabiscuit (2003), for which he served as executive producer.

Personal life

Maguire has been engaged to jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer, daughter of Universal Studios COO Ron Meyer, since April 2006; the couple met in 2003 while Maguire was working on the movie Seabiscuit at Universal Studios, and soon began dating. They have a daughter named Ruby Sweetheart Maguire (born November 10, 2006).[12] Ruby's middle name comes from a childhood nickname of Meyer's given to her by her grandmother, who died a few months before Ruby's birth.

Maguire has been a vegetarian for over 14 years and is working toward a vegan diet, though he makes vegetarian changes in his diet either gain or lose weight for movie roles, like increasing his calorie intake.[13] On the subject of vegetarianism, Maguire notes that "I’m close to being a vegan, but I’m not one, technically. I don’t eat eggs, or nearly any dairy--no cheese or milk. I do eat honey, and a piece of milk chocolate here and there[...]It’s never really been that hard for me. I’ve never had any desire to eat meat. In fact, when I was a kid I would have a really difficult time eating meat at all. It had to be the perfect bite, with no fat or gristle or bone or anything like that. I don’t judge people who eat meat--that’s not for me to say--but the whole thing just sort of bums me out.[14]

In an article for Premiere Magazine, Sam Raimi confirmed the long-standing rumor that Maguire and his Spider-Man co-star Kirsten Dunst had "a thing" going on during the 2001 shooting of the first film. As Raimi explained for the article, "I'm so dumb, because I met with them for dinner one night during the shooting to talk about the next day's scenes. And I go, 'Okay, well, that's it for the meeting.' And then I ask Kirsten, 'Can I drive you home?' And they look at each other and she goes, 'No, no, I'm going to play a game of Touch 10 with Tobey.' I don't know, it was some game. I thought, 'That's weird. She's got to work tomorrow.'"[15]

In 2004, Maguire took up tournament poker. He has finished in the money in several events and has been tutored by poker professional Daniel Negreanu. Maguire can be seen on ESPN's coverage of the 2005 and 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event Championship. Moreover, professional poker player Phil Hellmuth said during the June 28, 2007 episode of Poker After Dark that Tobey has won $10 million by playing poker in Hollywood.

Maguire loves playing basketball; he often plays pick-up games with friends (as described by author James Crotty of the alternative online travel site Monk.Com)[16] and organizes a weekly game on Saturdays when he's both in Los Angeles and not filming a movie that day.[17] He also enjoys watching basketball games, especially the Los Angeles Lakers, and can often be seen with fiancée Jennifer Meyer at courtside for Laker home games. As a baby gift, comedienne Ellen DeGeneres gave Maguire a special basketball motif stroller with Lexan dome to protect Ruby from errant basketballs so that the new family could enjoy the Lakers together.[18]

In the same interview with DeGeneres, Maguire confessed to being a big fan of American Idol and particularly expressed appreciation for the talent of contestant Blake Lewis. Two weeks before the finale, he predicted that the final two would be Blake and Jordin Sparks, who eventually went on to become the final pair.[19]

Comic book references to Maguire

In Ultimate Spider-Man #54-59 (Hollywood), an unauthorized film is in production about Spider-Man with Doctor Octopus as the main villain. The film's male lead Tobey Maguire, Bruce Campbell, director Sam Raimi and Marvel-movie head Avi Arad appear in cameo roles.

When the writers of the Spider-Girl comic book series first introduced the character of Reilly Tyne/Darkdevil, he is described by Peter Parker in the comic as looking "just like Tobey Maguire", a deliberate nod to Maguire's involvement in the Spider-Man films. Deadpool, who often breaks the fourth wall, recapped the events of the ongoing Marvel Civil War in Cable & Deadpool #31, saying, "And the Boy Scout branch made a big show of cooperating, by having Spider-Man reveal his identity on national TV... as if we hadn't seen the movies already and didn't know it was dreamy doe-eyed Tobey Maguire under the mask!"

In Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #12 Spider-Man/Peter is quoted as saying to the Principal "Well You Want Acting...Go Get Tobey Maguire", a nod to him being played by Tobey in the movies.

Filmography

References

  1. ^ "ContactMusic". MAGUIRE'S MOTHER LAUNCHES ASIAN SEX TRADE CRUSADE. Retrieved August 24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Tobey Maguire: A Tired Super-Hero, The Independent, published April 27, 2007; retrieved May 1, 2007.
  3. ^ Tobey Maguire: A Thoughtful Spider-Man], published May 2, 2002; retrieved May 1, 2007.
  4. ^ Interview: Tobey Maguire, published May 4, 2007; retrieved May 14, 2007.
  5. ^ Tobey Maguire -- bold in sticking to the subtle, low-key roles, published March 10, 2000; retrieved May 14, 2007.
  6. ^ Men of the Week in Enterainment; retrieved May 14, 2007.
  7. ^ Tobey Maguire Reveals AA Meetings, published April 12, 2007; retrieved May 14, 2007.
  8. ^ Tobey Maguire Reveals AA Meetings, published April 12, 2007; retrieved May 14, 2007.
  9. ^ Mark Caro (2002). "Movie review, 'Spider-Man'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2007-05-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Manohla Dargis (2007-05-04). "Superhero Sandbagged". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-05-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ Dennis Michael (2007-04-10). "Peter Parker Ponders Possibilities". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 2007-04-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ Tobey Maguire, Jennifer Meyer Have A Girl, People Magazine, published November 11, 2006; retrieved May 1, 2007
  13. ^ Tobey Maguire Interview, retrieved June 17, 2007.
  14. ^ "Tobey Maguire" by Robert Masello, Parade, published April 1, 2007; retrieved June 17, 2007.
  15. ^ The Secrets of Spider-Man 3, Premiere Magazine, January/February 2007 issue, retrieved May 1, 2007.
  16. ^ Monk.com, "Crotty's Farm Report: Tobey and Me", first published May 1, 2001; retrieved May 14, 2007.
  17. ^ "Tobey Maguire, a.k.a. Peter Parker/Spider-Man: The Interview, retrieved May 14, 2007.
  18. ^ YouTube.com video of Tobey Maguire's guest spot on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, broadcast May 4, 2007; retrieved May 14, 2007.
  19. ^ YouTube.com video of Tobey Maguire's guest spot on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, broadcast May 4, 2007; retrieved May 14, 2007.


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