Crew Paid Actor $100 to Punch Tobey Maguire During Spider-Man
Joe Manganiello reveals shocking behind-the-scenes story from the 2002 Spider-Man set where crew members offered him money to actually hit the lead actor during filming.
The original Spider-Man movie from 2002 might have launched Tobey Maguire to superhero stardom, but behind the cameras, things weren't exactly friendly. Joe Manganiello, who played the school bully Flash Thompson, dropped a bombshell years later about what really went down during production.
During a 2014 appearance on The Pete Holmes Show, Manganiello shared an incredible story that reveals just how unpopular Maguire was with the film crew. According to the actor, a crew member actually approached him with cold hard cash to make their fight scene a little too realistic.
The $100 Bribe That Never Happened
Manganiello explained that while filming the hallway confrontation between Flash and Peter Parker, a crew member made him an offer he ultimately refused. The crew guy told him he'd pay $100 if Manganiello would "accidentally" land a real punch on Maguire's face during the scene.
"There was a crew guy, who came up to me and said, 'Listen, um, I'll give you $100 if you hit him in the face by accident'. And he said, 'Some of the other guys are in on it.' And I looked over, and there was an electrician plugging something in, and he just looked up at me and gave me that look, like [nods head]," Manganiello recalled.
What makes this story even more wild is that it wasn't just one person. Multiple crew members were apparently in on the scheme, all hoping to see their lead actor take a real hit. But Manganiello knew better than to get involved in workplace drama that could destroy his career.
Professional Instincts Save the Day
Despite the financial incentive and peer pressure from crew members, Manganiello made the smart choice. He flat-out refused to participate in what would have been a dangerous prank.
"And I went, 'I'm not gonna f*cking punch him in the face, guys'. I probably wouldn't have worked again," he explained during the talk show appearance.
The actor understood that hurting a lead performer, even as a joke, would have been career suicide. In Hollywood, getting a reputation as someone who can't be trusted on set is the fastest way to stop getting hired. No amount of money or crew solidarity was worth risking his future in the industry.
From Leading Man Hopeful to Supporting Player
Interestingly, Manganiello had originally auditioned for the Spider-Man role itself before landing the Flash Thompson part. During a 2020 interview on Late Night With Seth Meyers, he opened up about trying out for Peter Parker and why he knew it wouldn't work.
"The trope or the archetype of Peter Parker is that he's this, like, nerd. He's very smart but not the cool guy in school, and he is in love with the cool guy's girlfriend. So, I knew that no matter how much of a nerd I am on the inside, I'm never gonna be cast as Peter Parker," Manganiello admitted.
His tall, muscular build simply didn't match the awkward, underestimated teenager that Peter Parker was supposed to be. Rather than feel bitter about the rejection, Manganiello came prepared to read for Flash Thompson instead, which ultimately worked out perfectly for the film.