There’s nothing more in this world that Tobey Maguire cherishes more than his privacy.
It’s no secret that the Spider-Man star is big on the concept of personal space. The man willingly ended almost a decade-long marriage with Jennifer Meyer because she couldn’t bear to conform to his excessively introverted lifestyle. So it’s not completely shocking to know that Maguire despises the commotion of paparazzi and the bustle of fans trying to disrupt his routine life.
While the Babylon actor is all up for interactions and autographs under the right circumstances, like during conventions or movie premieres, he absolutely loathes it when people attempt to intrude in his private life. Maguire for one, loves to keep his personal and professional lives separate and refuses to put up with those who fail to respect his boundaries.
Why Tobey Maguire is “The Worst Guy to Approach for An Autograph”
Tobey Maguire is renowned for his prolific career in Hollywood and earned colossal fame for playing the titular character of Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s film of the same name. But if there’s something that he’s more popular for besides his films, then it’s his stringent no-nonsense policy towards…well, everything really, and his ardent penchant for privacy.
In an old interview about his 2002 superhero film, Howard Stern asked Maguire why he hated people coming to him for autographs. In response to that, the latter revealed that it’s not so much as about him not wanting to give his autograph as much as it is about fans approaching him at the right time. If he’s in a professional environment, Maguire noted, he wouldn’t mind signing something for a genuine fan. But his niceties come to an end when people pester him for the same in his personal life.
“Well, that’s because in L.A., as I, you know, get out of my car to go eat at a restaurant, people are standing there who sell autographs or get my autograph. I’m just not interested in signing those autographs. I mean, if a little kid wants an autograph or someone who’s really a fan or if I’m working, I’m at an event, I’ll sign some autographs. But if I’m, like, living my personal life and people who want to make some money off of my signature, I’m just…I don’t really take any time for that.”
He’s not entirely wrong though, given how his new-found fame as Spider-Man back then must mean even his signature could cost a grand sum. So if someone went ahead and sold that online they’d certainly make good money off of it.
Tobey Maguire Didn’t Give His Autograph to Fans on the Set of Spider-Man
In the same interview, the host patched through to fans who had any questions they wanted to ask Maguire. Apparently, one fan, someone who’d worked on the Spider-Man film back then, claimed that the 47-year-old actor had been a grump on the set to some kids and had run away from them when they asked him for his autograph.
The children had apparently “surrounded his trailer” and had been “screaming Spider-Man” as they waited for him to sign his autograph. To this, Stern replied before Maguire could, pointing out when one is swamped with work on the set they “don’t have time for nonsense, you really do work.”
Regardless of his innocuously anti-social behavior though, Maguire has always been regarded as a real gentleman. And there’s definitely nothing wrong with enjoying one’s personal space, now is there?
Spider-Man can be streamed on Disney+.
Source: The Howard Stern Show
