James Franco’s Crush Caused Tension On 'Spider-Man' Set

In Sam Raimi's adaptation of "Spider-Man," the characters of Peter Parker and Harry Osbourne are known for how they move from best friends to sworn enemies. The first Spider-Man was released in 2002, and Toby Maguire and James Franco played the two main leads. Maguire's love interest was Mary Jane, played by Kristen Dunst.

Most people don't know that the two love birds carried on a relationship offset. These two started dating not long after the first movie and were together till they finished filming.

Another unexpected thing was that the show's antagonist, Franco, had a crush on Dunst. Franco played Harry Osbourne, who turned to Parker's sworn enemy, the Green Goblin. Because of the crush he had onset, the tension in the movie also extended to real life. Keep reading to know everything that happened.

Along with Maguire, many young actors threw their hats in for the 2002 "Spider-Man" role. Actors like Freddie Prinze Jr., Joe Manganiello, and even Franco. The actor told The Paly Voice just how the audition went.

"Well, I first auditioned for the role of Peter Parker, which went well," the "Interview" actor said. "So they spent a lot of money on the sets and cranes, which is unusual for an audition. So I went and did that and was waiting around and biting my nail for six weeks."

Although Franco didn't get the role, Raimi found another suited for him. His role as a friend turned foe placed him by the main character's side. Franco said that he got a callback but not the one he expected. "But then Sam Raimi, the director, called me, and we got along so well, and he asked me [if I wanted] the role of Harry. No one else auditioned for the role," he said."

That was how the movie critic joined the "Spider-Man" cast. However, his introduction into the movie led to an unexpected tension and rivalry between him and Maguire.

While filming the first movie, Maguire started seeing his love interest offset. Their relationship was so quiet that not even the director knew about it at first. The couple was together until right before the second movie. People magazine reported that when Raimi found out, he was concerned that they wouldn't retain the same chemistry.

"I actually had some worries about [their breakup]. They apparently began dating with each other, I think, in the middle of the first movie…although I didn't know it at the time," Raimi said. "But definitely they eventually broke up before the second movie. I was concerned they wouldn't get the same chemistry back, but it was just me worrying."

Per Daily Star, while the two were still together, Franco started sporting a crush on Dunst. Maguire wasn't happy about this, leading to tension between the two stars. "Tobey and Kristen became a couple around that time," Franco told Raimi on Playboy, "I had a crush on Kirsten, 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."

Raimi then compared the situation with what was happening on screen. "I didn't know that," he said. "Gee, that's just like the movie…and he (Maguire) was getting Kirsten like the script said he should."

"The Amazing Spider-Man," which starred Andrew Garfield, was released in 2012. The Wrap reported that Franco wrote a critique about it when it was released. The piece spoke about Franco's relationship with the show's cast and how the relationship led to his interest in the reboot.

The movie critic said he had a huge interest in the franchise mainly because of his relationship with Maguire and Dunst, the show's other leads, and Raimi. About the remake, Franco said, "I don't really feel much distress over its being remade, for many reasons, but what is interesting to me is that it has been remade so quickly – and the reasons why."

The piece pointed out that the remake didn't separate itself from Raimi's original series. "I mean, they could have strayed a little bit more from the original," the actor said. "It's like, 'Why?' Well, I guess they made a lot of money. Congrats. Good for them. Sam and I moved on; we made Oz."

Besides Maguire and Dunst, romance has bloomed between other Spider-Man actors and their on-screen love interests. "The Amazing Spider-Man" was acted by Garfield, with Emma Stone as Mary Jane. The two started dating while filming in 2011. Unlike the original cast, this couple lasted till after the franchise. They dated for four years and quietly broke up in 2015.

In the most recent remake "Spider-Man: Homecoming," the friendly neighborhood hero was played by Tom Holland. While filming the movie, Holland started dating his co-star, Zendaya, and the duo kept everything very private. A source told People, "They started seeing each other while they were filming Spider-Man. They've been super careful to keep it private and out of the public eye, but they've gone on vacations with each other and try and spend as much time as possible with one another."

On the July 7 premiere of their movie, the 21-year-old told People about how Zendaya used her experience to help him navigate the spotlight. "We are like the best of friends. She's so great and amazing," Holland said. "I'm a little worried [about dealing with fame … but] Zendaya is super famous, and she's been through this, and I just call her up and say, 'How do I manage being famous?' I'm very glad I have a friend like her."