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Background:
“I think fame is a really complicated thing. It can be a great challenge to
handle the difficult parts of it and strengthen your character so you don't get
affected in a negative way by it. And I'm scared and excited and hesitant and
anxious. I'm conflicted about it, truly.” Tobey Maguire
American actor Tobey Maguire received worldwide recognition for portraying nerdy
Peter Parker and his angst-ridden alter ego Spider-Man, in the mega-blockbuster
hits Spider-Man (2002), and its continuation in 2004. His striking performance
handed the actor a Teen Choice Award, two MTV Movie Awards, as well as star
status. Initially gaining attention in the sleeper hit The Ice Storm (1997),
Maguire went on to draw the public’s attention with his portrayal of thoughtful,
modern-day youngster David in Gary Ross’ Pleasantville (1998), where he took
home a Saturn Award in 1999. Maguire gathered even more praise when he won a
Screen Actors Guild Award for his dazzling portrayal of orphan Homer Wells in
The Cider House Rules (1999). In 2000, he nabbed a Toronto Film Critics
Association Award after playing enterprising college student James Leer in
Wonder Boys (2000, opposite Michael Douglas). In a more recent film, Maguire
received wide appreciation when he played half-blind jockey Red Pollard in
director Gary Ross’ big screen version Seabiscuit (2003), in which he netted a
Screen Actors Guild Award.
Maguire’s fans should not miss his performances in the upcoming The Good German
(2006), Tokyo Suckerpunch (2006), Spider-Man 3 (2007) and Quiet Type (2007).
Off screen, Spider-Man star Maguire, who was paid $4,000,000 for Spider-Man
(2002), $12,500,000 for Seabiscuit (2003) and $17,000,000 for Spider-Man 2
(2004), reportedly bought a $3.5 million dollar Beverly Hills mansion in 2002
with his Spider-Man earnings. As for his romantic life, Maguire once was
involved with actress Rashida Jones, but the couple later split up. He is
currently dating girlfriend Jennifer Meyer, who is a publicist at Ralph Lauren
and the daughter of Universal Studios head Ron Meyer.
Expert Poker Player
Childhood and Family:
In Santa Monica, California, Tobias Vincent Maguire was born on June 27, 1975,
two years before his parents got married. His father is Vincent Maguire, a
constructing worker and chef, and his mother is Wendy Maguire, a part-time
secretary. His parents’ marriage only lasted a short time and little Tobey had
to move quite often while growing up. He lived with his parents, aunts and
grandparents in such places as Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and
throughout Southern California.
While in his high school years, quiet and thoughtful Tobey dreamed of becoming a
cook, following in his father’s footsteps. However, he soon turned his attention
to acting after his mom offered him an amount of money to choose drama lessons,
instead of home economics, as a school elective. In the 9th grade, Tobey left
school to begin an acting career.
Off screen, Tobey Maguire is a vegan. During his off time, he likes cooking,
playing chess and practices yoga. He is also an accomplished poker player. In
2004, Tobey entered the World Series of Poker and won the Phil Hellmuth Poker
Invitational at the Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles. He works on his skills
under the guidance of poker pro Daniel Negreanu.
Pleasantville
Career:
Tobey Maguire took drama classes after his mother gave him $100. Encouraged by
his neighbor, who is an entertainment manager, 12-year-old Maguire began
studying acting and soon received offers to do commercial gigs on TV, including
his debut for a Doritos ads. Hoping to find more roles in Hollywood, Maguire
quit school before he entered the 10th grade.
Maguire’s first chance to break into Hollywood arrived in 1989 when the young
boy landed a bit part in the made-for-TV movie Rodney Dangerfield: Opening Night
at Rodney's Place. A year later, he was a little star of the Nickelodeon special
Tales from the Whoop: Hot Rod Brown, Class Clown (1990) and made a guest
appearance in the NBC series “Parenthood.” More guest starring roles followed,
including performances in “Blossom” (1991), “Roseanne” (1991), “Eerie, Indiana”
(1991) and “Wild & Crazy Kids” (1992). In 1992, Maguire landed the starring role
of Scott Melrod, a teen with a vigorous fantasy life, in the Fox sitcom “Great
Scott.” Unfortunately, the show was canceled after six episodes.
A year after the cancellation, Maguire moved to the big screen with the
supporting role of school boy Chuck Bolger in the 1993 adaptation of Tobias
Wolff’s coming-of-age memoir This Boy's Life, starring young Leonardo DiCaprio
and Robert De Niro. He continued to take on roles in films like Revenge of the
Red Baron (1994, starring with Mickey Rooney), Healer (1994), Spoils of War
(1994, TV), S.F.W. (1994) and A Child's Cry for Help (1994). In 1995, Maguire
actually received a hopeful role opposite Liv Tyler in Empire Records, but his
scenes ended up on the cutting floor. Maguire stopped auditioning for a while,
but quickly returned to film with the 1996 Joyride. After the television movie
Seduced by Madness: The Diane Borchardt Story (1996), he made a strong
impression as self-conscious adolescent Rich Cooper in Griffin Dunne’s
Oscar-nominated short The Duke of Groove (1996, opposite Kate Capshaw).
Maguire’s potential caught the eye of director Ang Lee who soon cast him in the
starring role of Kevin Kline and Joan Allen’s son, Paul Hood, in Lee’s notable
adaptation of the unsettling 1970s affluent suburb-set drama The Ice Storm
(1997). The success of the film helped catapult Maguire’s name and his career
subsequently took flight.
After being seen as one of the alter egos of Woody Allen’s novelist Harry Block
in Deconstructing Harry (1997), Maguire attracted the attention of the public
when he played the lead of David, the attentive modern-day adolescent obsessed
with a 50s sitcom world who is transferred there along with his sexually
liberated sister (Reese Witherspoon), in Gary Ross’ Pleasantville (1998,
alongside veterans William H. Macy, Joan Allen and Jeff Daniels). Because of his
brilliant acting, the actor took home a 1999 Saturn for Best Performance by a
Younger Actor/Actress.
He scored another victory in 1999 with the starring role of protagonist Homer
Wells in the Oscar-winning The Cider House Rules (1999), where he netted a 2000
Screen Actors Guild for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
The Lasse Hallstrom film adaptation of John Irving’s novel also starred Michael
Caine and Charlize Theron. The same year, he teamed up with Skeet Ulrich and
Jeffrey Wright for Lee’s epic Civil War drama Ride With the Devil (1999), where
he portrayed Secessionist Jake Roedel.
Entering the new millennium, Maguire had success in his hands. His good
portrayal of James Leer, the university student to Michael Douglas’ barren
author who joins the older man on a journey of self-awareness, in director
Curtis Hanson’s critically-acclaimed drama Wonder Boys (2000), handed him a
Toronto Film Critics Association for Best Supporting Performance. This was
followed by the R.D. Robb-directed drama Don's Plum (2001) and the animated film
Cats & Dogs (2001), where he provided his voice for Lou the Beagle.
In 2002, Maguire was launched to stardom when director Sam Raimi cast him in the
starring role of Peter Parker/Spider-man in the film version of the popular
Marvel comic, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, Spider-Man
(2002). The movie received phenomenal success at the box office. As for Maguire,
he garnered even more attention. In addition to picking up such awards as a Teen
Choice (shared with costar Kirsten Dunst) and two MTV Movie awards for Best Male
Performance and for Best Kiss, Maguire became a Hollywood A-List actor.
While still enjoying the massive triumph of Spider-Man, Maguire again turned
film critics’ heads when he rejoined Pleasantville writer-director Gary Ross for
the wide screen version of Laura Hillenbrand’s bestselling nonfiction book
Seabiscuit (2003). Delivering a bravura turn as half-blind jockey Red Pollard,
Maguire nabbed a second Screen Actors Guild for Outstanding Performance by a
Cast in a Motion Picture.
Maguire reprised his coveted role of Spider-Man for the sequel Spider-Man 2 in
2004, and is scheduled to return for the third Spider-Man movie in 2007. He is
also set to play the role of Tully in Steven Soderbergh’s thriller The Good
German (2006, starring Cate Blanchett, Beau Bridges and George Clooney).
Moreover, Maguire will play the lead Billy Chaka in the newly acquired Tokyo
Suckerpunch (2006), a film based on an adaptation of Isaac Adamson’s novel of
the same name. In 2007, he will add the comedy Quiet Type (2007) to his acting
resume.
Awards:
- Screen Actors Guild: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion
Picture Seabiscuit, 2004
- MTV Movie: Best Kiss, Spider-Man, 2003
- MTV Movie: Best Male Performance, Spider-Man, 2003
- Teen Choice: Film-Choice Lip Lock, shared with Kirsten Dunst,
Spider-Man, 2002
- Toronto Film Critics Association: Best Supporting Performance, Wonder
Boys, 2000
- Screen Actors Guild: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion
Picture, Cider House Rules, 2000
- Saturn: Best Performance by a Younger Actor/Actress, Pleasantville, 1999
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