In the early 2000s, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were a couple, My Space was all the rage, and Tobey Maguire was a major Hollywood star. Suffice it to say that a lot has changed since then.
Maguire still finds a lot of success but has disappeared from the spotlight. At one time, he was the hottest rising star in the industry. Maguire starred in blockbuster movies, hung out with the coolest celebs and had women throwing themselves at him. He started his career as a child star and grew up in front of audiences. However, Maguire’s career went in many different directions. He discovered new passions in life and focused on his family. Unfortunately, his demanding personality made it hard for him to find work.
Tobey Maguire was once in the center of the spotlight. He was on the cover of all the top magazines and appeared on all the late-night talk shows. Those days are long gone now. Maguire has stayed away from the spotlight and doesn’t attract media attention like he once did. His fans often wonder if he’ll ever make a return to the big screen. They also wonder what he’s been doing with his time.
It’s time to answer one of Hollywood’s most burning questions... Is Tobey Maguire Still Acting? Here’s What We Know.
15 Loves To Play Poker
Tobey Maguire has a lot more going on in his life than acting. Of course, he also has a lot more time because the offers stopped rolling in. Tobey Maguire took up a new hobby as his career took off. In 2004, Maguire became an avid poker player and started participating in tournament poker. He takes poker very seriously and he's a very good poker player.
Poker legend, Daniel Negreanu, mentored Maguire and poker became a massive part of Maguire’s life. Maguire often attends the World Series Of Poker Main Event Championship. Of course, his love for poker also played a role in his downfall.
14 Struggled After Spider-Man
In 2002, Tobey Maguire became a household name thanks to his portrayal of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s critically and commercially acclaimed film, Spider-Man. The film gets credit for triggering the resurgence of the superhero genre. After the movie become a monster hit, Maguire also became one of the most recognizable faces in the world.
However, Maguire struggled to maintain that level of fame. He also (allegedly) became difficult to work with. Eventually, the offers stopped rolling in, and Maguire found himself missing out of significant roles. The Spider-Man franchise has been rebooted twice since then, with Andrew Garfield and, later on, with Tom Holland.
13 Love, Marriage, And Divorce
As previously mentioned, Tobey Maguire gained worldwide fame with his role in the first Spider-Man movie. Initially, he continued to land significant roles but decided it was time to settle down. At one time, Maguire was a member of Leonardo DiCaprio’s infamous posse. They were known for being wild party animals and womanizers.
Maguire left that world behind and married jewelry designer, Jennifer Meyer. They met in 2004, while Maguire was working on the film, Seabiscuit. They married in 2007 and have two children together. Maguire focused more on family life for those years. However, in 2016, Maguire and Meyer announced their divorce.
12 Dumped His Agent
In 2004, Tobey Maguire almost lost his role in Spider-Man 2. The first film was a significant success, and work on a sequel began quickly. However, Maguire’s demands almost cost him the job. In the end, everything worked out, and Maguire remained in the role.
Of course, Maguire felt somebody had to take the blame and fired his manager of seven years, Leslie Siebert. Magure denied it was a consequence of the contract negotiations. He said, “It’s just a business decision, and she’s not a scapegoat.” Siebert felt differently and was disappointed to end the working relationship.
11 Tobey Maguire vs. James Franco
Tobey Maguire doesn’t always get along with his co-stars. Indeed, there have been reports of Maguire being somewhat rude to other stars. At one time, Maguire didn’t get along with his Spider-Man co-star, James Franco. There were some professional and personal jealousies between the two.
Franco was jealous of Maguire’s friendship with the director, Sam Raimi, and his relationship with co-star, Kristen Dunst. Franco admits he and Maguire had a complicated working relationship. Franco noted, “I had a crush on Kristen, and I think I was upset about that as well. Tobey was mad at me for a while. By the second film, we were cool.”
10 The Illegal Gambling Ring
As noted, Tobey Maguire loves to play poker, but it got him into some trouble. Maguire was a frequent player at Brad Ruderman’s illegal poker games and allegedly won $300,000. However, Ruderman was guilty of a Ponzi scheme, and Maguire had to pay some of the money back. Indeed, he ended up paying $80,000 due to his participation, but claims he didn’t know the games were illegal. Of course, this wouldn’t be the last time that his love for poker would land him in hot water.
9 He’s Picky About His Roles
Tobey Maguire climbed to the very top of Hollywood and became one of the biggest stars. However, he’s disappeared from the spotlight for various reasons. Indeed, Maguire takes on fewer roles because he’s picky about the parts he takes. Maguire doesn’t want to take on just any role. He reached a point where he could pick and choose what he wanted to do. Of course, his selectiveness meant that he was less visible to the public than he used to be. Maguire’s career slowed because he became very picky, while the offers also stopped coming in.
8 He Was Mean To Charlize Theron
In 1999, Tobey Maguire starred in Cider House Rules along with Charlize Theron. At the time, Maguire and Theron were young stars on the rise. However, Maguire and Theron struggled to get along. Rumors suggest that Maguire was mean to Theron during filming. In 2016, Theron admitted that they had a tough time working together. She said, “Tobey and I had a bit of a rough time. It was a difficult movie.”
However, Maguire was so unpleasant to Theron that the studio had to step in and reprimand him. Theron added, “Does it make it enjoyable? Probably not. I mean, there were a couple of days that Tobey and I had a rough time.”
7 Difficult To Work With
Tobey Maguire isn’t always easy to work with while he's acting in films. He is difficult for studios to negotiate with and also feuds with his co-stars. Maguire is known for being nasty to his co-stars and film crews.
His behavior - and outrageous demands - resulted in dwindling offers. Maguire made roughly $17 million for his role in Spider-Man 2, but it almost didn’t happen. Maguire always complained about a back injury that kept him from shooting. The studio then threatened to re-cast the role with Jake Gyllenhaal. At this point, Maguire agreed to the studio's offer.
6 The Great Gatsby And Boss Baby
Tobey Maguire has stepped away from the spotlight, but a few films have brought him back. In 2013, Maguire starred in the highly anticipated film, The Great Gatsby, along with Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Isla Fisher. The film received mixed reviews, but Maguire got to work with his friend DiCaprio again.
In 2017, Maguire voiced the narrator/adult Tim in the animated film, Boss Baby, along with Alec Baldwin. Boss Baby 2 hits theatres in 2021, but it’s unclear if Maguire will be involved again.
5 Public Meltdown
It’s common for the paparazzi to wait for Hollywood stars for hours just to snap one picture. Indeed, being stalked by photographers is a part of being a very successful actor. Regardless, Tobey Maguire isn’t a fan of photographers. In 2008, Maguire had a public meltdown while encountering paparazzi.
Maguire was attempting to leave Madeo restaurant when photographers noticed him. Maguire lost his cool and screamed at the paparazzi to move out of the way. Of course, it’s unpleasant for actors to have to go through moments like that. At the same time, Madeo is a popular hot spot for the paparazzi.
4 Reunited With Leonardo DiCaprio’s Notorious Posse One Day After His Divorce
In 2016, Tobey Maguire and Jennifer Meyer ended their marriage after nine years. Maguire wasted no time reuniting with some old friends. As noted, Maguire had given up on hanging out with Leonardo DiCaprio’s notorious posse. However, he reunited with the old gang the day after he split up with Meyer. He started hitting the clubs that night.
Of course, he’s now 41 and has two kids, but that doesn’t mean he can’t have fun. TMZ reported that Maguire approached 18-year-old Sofia Richie at a club one night but got shot down.
3 The Rumored Return Of Tobey Maguire As Spider-Man
As noted, Tobey Maguire’s portrayal of Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy helped revitalize the superhero genre. The genre has now grown to include several different superhero universes, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Spider-Man wasn’t a part of the MCU until very recently. Of course, Tom Holland portrays Spidey in the MCU.
However, Raimi is returning to the genre by directing the upcoming film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Rumors are flying that Maguire might reprise his role for the film. Raimi returning to direct (and the plot of the film) may make it possible for Maguire’s Spider-Man to return to the big screen.
2 Bark Like A Seal
Tobey Maguire was a frequent poker player at Molly Bloom’s game at The Viper Room. The players were often some of the most famous celebs in the industry, including Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Matt Damon. Bloom published a book, Molly’s Game, that detailed her experience and painted Maguire in a bad light.
She claimed that Maguire attempted to humiliate her one night at the poker table. Maguire was having some bad luck and took it out on Bloom. He offered to pay her a $1,000 poker chip to bark like a seal for a fish. Bloom attempted to laugh it off, but Maguire wasn’t joking. He said, “I’m not kidding. What’s wrong? You’re too rich now. You won’t bark for a thousand dollars?” Bloom didn’t take him up on his offer.
1 Behind The Scenes
Tobey Maguire is still acting but stays away from the spotlight. Indeed, Maguire turned his attention to producing and working behind the scenes. Maguire has produced several films, including Rock Of Ages, Good People, and Boyz In The Wood. However, Maguire still loves to act and get in front of the camera.
In 2015, Maguire produced and starred in the biopic, Pawn Sacrifice, based on the life of the chess icon, Bobby Fischer. Maguire continues to produce new films and focus on duties behind the camera. Of course, Maguire is always ready to jump in front of the camera when the time is right.