Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire shared an iconic on-screen kiss in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man. However, despite how well the final product came out, it was “miserable” according to the actress.

During an appearance on the Jonathan Ross Show (via The Independent), Dunst spilled. Raimi even gave her a book to prep her for the Spider-Man kissing scene.

“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,” Dunst recalled.

The conditions of the shoot made it horrible, and it certainly wasn't smooth. “It was pouring with rain, freezing, Tobey couldn’t breathe so it was almost like I was resuscitating him,” she said.

At least it worked out in the end. The kiss is one of the most iconic parts of the 2002 Spider-Man film.

Kirsten Dunst is an Oscar-nominated actress (Power of the Dog). She first gained notoriety for appearing in New York Stories and The Bonfire of the Vanities. Her big break, though, came with Interview with the Vampire. From there, she starred in a Little Women adaptation and Jumanji.

Her collaborative relationship with Sofia Coppola began in 1999. Technically, Sofia Coppola assisted her father in writing one of the New York Stories anthology segments. But Coppola made her feature directorial debut with The Virgin Suicides in 1999. The film received critical acclaim and launched both of their careers.

In the years since, Dunst has appeared in several Coppola films. These include Marie Antoinette, The Bling Ring, and The Beguiled.

However, in recent years, Dunst has taken fewer roles. Over the past decade, she has only appeared in seven feature films. Those include Hidden Figures, The Beguiled, and The Power of the Dog, which landed Dunst her first Oscar nomination.

Her latest film is Alex Garland's Civil War. Dunst leads the ensemble as one of the main journalists in the film. Her real-life husband, Jesse Plemons, also stars in the film.

Who was Kirsten Dunst in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man? 

From 2002-07, Dunst starred in Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy as Mary Jane Watson. She was the on-screen love interest of Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man.

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films were massive hits. The inaugural film in the trilogy grossed over $820 million worldwide at the box office The following two films made $788 million and $894 million, respectively.

After the trilogy, Dunst never returned to the series. In 2022, Tobey Maguire returned in the MCU's Spider-Man: No Way Home. He teamed with Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland's Peter Parker in the multiversal adventure.

It remains to be seen if Maguire will ever return again to the franchise. After all, it didn't appear likely he would before No Way Home. Dunst was absent from the film, too, so perhaps we can see Raimi's Peter and MJ reunite someday.