Ethan Carter
Andrew Garfield’s journey as a superhero concluded with The Amazing Spider-Man 2, a film filled to the brim with intricate plots and multiple villains. Notably, Shailene Woodley’s portrayal of Mary Jane Watson was ultimately cut from the final version, a decision that still resonates with her today.
During a recent episode of SAG-AFTRA’s Conversations, Woodley shared her experience of stepping into the role of Mary Jane. She revealed that she didn’t go through a traditional audition process; instead, it was a casual discussion with director Marc Webb. This approach was “rattling” for her, especially since she had been auditioning for various roles leading up to that moment. “When you audition and are selected, being on set leaves no doubt that you’re the right choice for the role. when you simply receive an offer or have a general meeting, it feels a lot less certain,” she explained. “I found myself wondering, ‘How can I be sure that I’m the one you truly want, rather than just the choice of the studio?’”
Despite her initial concerns, Woodley was a longtime Spider-Man enthusiast who adored Mary Jane as a child. Playing her was a “dream come true.” Upon receiving the role, she expressed her excitement, saying, “This is so thrilling!” Although she filmed only a handful of scenes alongside Garfield, there were plans for her to take on a more significant role in a potential third Amazing installment. a year later, she received a “fun phone call” from Sony informing her that the Mary Jane scenes were being removed to ensure a clean introduction for her character in the third movie. Woodley accepted this decision, though she humorously remarked that the studio might have regretted casting her in the first place.
As we all know, the anticipated Amazing Spider-Man 3 never materialized. Currently, Tom Holland has taken over the Spider-Man mantle, with Zendaya portraying his Mary Jane. Meanwhile, Sony appears reluctant to bring Garfield back into the Spider-Man universe, despite the applause he received for his appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Garfield himself remains open to the possibility, leaving fans hopeful that one day we might see how his pairing with Woodley would have unfolded in that often criticized, brief universe.
[via The Hollywood Reporter]
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