The web-shooting crusader returns to theaters this July as Andrew Garfield takes on Peter Parker’s role as Spider-Man. Peter is the outcast teen once again fighting for good–and the girl—this time heatthrob Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone).
Now living with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Peter must unravel the mystery of his own past and win over his high school crush, Gwen. When Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase belonging to his father, he uncovers a secret that will ultimately shape his role as “Spider-Man” and bring him face to face with the alter ego of his father’s former partner–the Lizard.
New to comics and Spider-Man, Emma Stone was thrilled to land the role of Gwen. She made her feature film debut in the comedy Superbad and subsequently appeared in The House Bunny, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, the horror-comedy Zombieland and the indie comedy Paper Man. She recently starred in the high school comedy Easy A, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. She also starred in the films Crazy, Stupid, Love and the critically acclaimed The Help.
At a recent Wondercon press conference, Stone talked briefly about her hallway scene with Garfield. “That scene was one of many that drew me to the movie,” said Stone. “Most of the story takes place with Peter. He’s such an incredible actor. It’s a tragic and romantic film.”
Asked if she was an avid comic book fan, Stone sheepishly admitted, she hadn’t been until now. “I didn’t grow up reading comic books—I’m sorry—I was introduced to Spider-Man through the original film trilogy,” said Stone. “When I was assigned to the part, I researched the story. It was incredibly exciting to learn about Gwen Stacy. This experience, to be here with all these fans, is so cool. It’s so much bigger than any of us. Spider-Man has had fans for 50 years.
Stone also recounted how she got the role. “When I first met Laura Ziskin, our producer– before they had written the script–I thought I’d be auditioning for Mary Jane,” said Stone. “So when I auditioned for the role of Stacey, I thought, it would be amazing. Because when I looked at the role, Stacey was literally the opposite of Mary Jane. It gave me the opportunity to something I’d never done before.”
Asked who would be a better girlfriend for Peter Parker, Stone replied, “I’m gonna say that Mary Jane loves Peter, but Peter loves Stacey.”
How did she prepare for the role? “It’s really daunting at the beginning, especially in a movie like this,” said Stone. “You hear that you got the part and 90 seconds later, it’s all over the Internet. At first I looked through the comics and saw that there were a lot of different incarnations of Gwen. Then I went on the message boards. It was so important for me to understand the relationship between Gwen and Peter, to understand why she’s so in control and why she’s valedictorian, and the tragedy that’s looming under the surface. As an actress, you know her ending before you’ve even played her beginning.”
The Amazing Spider-Man 3D opens nationwide in theaters on July 3, 2012.
Alex A. Kecskes is a published author of "Healer a Novel" and "The Search for Dr. Noble"—both now available on Amazon. He has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
