When actors step into certain roles, they can become so inseparable from the characters that it’s hard to imagine anyone else ever playing them. But more often than you might think, those iconic parts were nearly claimed by someone else, actors who came close, or passed on the opportunity altogether. In the case of Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst proved to be a perfect pairing as Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. However, Mary Jane almost looked very different, as Kate Hudson nearly played the role.
Kate Hudson Turned Down Mary Jane Role
While speaking with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, Hudson confirmed she turned down playing Mary Jane in Spider-Man in favour of starring alongside Heath Ledger in Four Feathers.
“It’s one of those things where I look back like, ‘That would have been nice to be in a ‘Spider-Man’ movie,’” she said. “But at the same time, I did a movie called ‘Four Feathers.’ I got to meet Heath Ledger who became a very good friend and I got an experience that I would have never had.“
She continued, “A part of me is like, ‘Life happens exactly the way it’s supposed to.’ And so, I’m grateful for it. But I do look at it and I’m like, ‘Aw, it would have been fun to be [Mary Jane].’“
Spider-Man went on to become a huge hit and was followed by two sequels, but Hudson isn’t hung up on missing out. “It doesn’t feel good to talk about it ’cause the people who are in the movie are the right people and your circumstances in life happen the way they happen,” she said.
Hudson’s Next Project
Hudson will soon be seen starring alongside Hugh Jackman in Song Sung Blue. Based on a true story, the musical biopic follows two lonely, middle-aged musicians who team up to form Lightning and Thunder, a Neil Diamond tribute band. It’s set to hit theaters on December 25.
This one has kind of flown under the radar for me, but our own Chris Bumbray had a lot of fun with it. “We live in a cynical time, and this isn’t a movie for cynics,” he wrote. “While I do think [director Craig] Brewer gets carried away in the climax, where he goes for an almost operatic finish, for much of the running time Song Sung Blue is both an effective tearjerker and a toe-tapping musical. If you want to see a movie that just wants to put a smile on your face.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.
Could you see Kate Hudson as Mary Jane in Spider-Man?
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