A Breakdown of Every 'Spider-Man' Movie Love Interest and the Actresses Who Have Played Them

Between Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane Watson and Zendaya's MJ, Spider-Man has swung into the hearts of many through the years

By

Skyler Caruso

Published on December 12, 2021 11:30 AM

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Spider-Man Love Interests — Photo: Moviestore/Shutterstock; Everett; Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock

With great charm, comes great responsibility.

Spider-Man may be your friendly neighborhood superhero who's constantly web-slinging villains, but Peter Parker has had his fair share of lovers tangled up in his web as well.

There may be nine different Spider-Man films — including Spider-Man: No Way Home premiering Dec. 17 — but the theme of romance is one commonality that weaves its way into all of them.

Peter Parker has always been considered a nerd, an outcast, and a self-professed wallflower. Super strength, speed, and reflexes are just a few of the many enhancements he's gained as Spider-Man, but he also gained another power: confidence.

Co-creator and Marvel Chairman Emeritus Stan Lee described the character to the Chicago Tribune as someone who's "got a lot of problems, and he does things wrong." One of those things? Girl problems.

Peter's not only had his hands full fighting crime but juggling relationships in every Spider-Man movie since 2002. In fact, this is also a recurring theme in the Marvel comic books, dating back to 1962's Amazing Fantasy, No. 15.

Spider-Man's a lover, not a fighter, but will fight for what he loves. Between balancing life as a regular student and fighting crime as his alter-ego superhero, Peter's heart is pure.

Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire Spiderman 3 — Marvel/Sony Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock

From Kirsten Dunst's portrayal of Mary Jane Watson to Emma Stone's take on Gwen Stacy, here's a breakdown of every Spider-Man movie love interest and the actresses who've played them over the years.

Betty Brant played by Elizabeth Banks

Betty Brant is a supporting character in both the Spider-Man comics and on-screen adaptation and serves as J. Jonah Jameson's personal secretary at the Daily Bugle. She's played by Elizabeth Banks in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.

While Brant works as a secretary at the newspaper, Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker works as a photographer. Their relationship is fairly professional in the beginning, but the two grow closer in Spider-Man 3 (2007). However, nothing ever comes of their relationship due to Jameson's intervention.

A teenage version of Betty, played by Angourie Rice, appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogy. Aside from age, the character differs because she has a fling with Peter's best friend, Ned.

Since the complete cast for Spider-Man: No Way Home is being kept secret until its Dec. 17 premiere, fans are starting to wonder if Banks' and Rice's characters will cross paths due to the multiverse plotline.

Ursula Ditkovich played by Mageina Tovah

Unlike many of the other characters, Ursula Ditkovich was created strictly for the films and doesn't appear in any of the comics. She's the daughter of Peter Parker's neighbor, Mr. Ditkovich, in Spider-Man 2 (2004) and is played by Mageina Tovah.

It's clear Ursula has a crush on Peter, but it becomes increasingly evident in Spider-Man 3 (2007), particularly when he and Mary Jane call it quits. Her father is often strict towards Peter, but Ursula is sweet on him in more ways than one – she offers him chocolate cake and cookies!

Gwen Stacy played by Bryce Dallas Howard and Emma Stone

Gwen Stacy makes appearances in both Raimi's Spider-Man and Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man. Her character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1965 for the comics.

Bryce Dallas Howard plays Gwen in 2007's Spider-Man 3, while Emma Stone plays the character in 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man and its 2014 sequel. Gwen is the daughter of NYPD Captain George Stacy and is a classmate of Peter Parker.

In the 2007 film, Peter dates Gwen during the symbiote takeover to make Mary Jane jealous. All goes awry in a jazz club one night, the two split, and Howard's Gwen never returns.

In both The Amazing Spiderman movies in 2012 and 2014, fans fell in love with the chemistry between Stone's Gwen and Andrew Garfield's Peter. (It also helped that the two actors dated in real life!) Her character is fearless compared to Mary Jane, as she wants to help defeat the Lizard, Electro, and the Green Goblin.

Elizabeth "Liz" Toomes played by Laura Harrier

Liz Toomes, played by Laura Harrier, is a character specific to the MCU. She attends high school with Tom Holland's Peter Parker, and the two compete on the decathlon team together. Liz is Peter's first love interest in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming.

When Peter learns that Liz's father is Adrian Toomes, a villain who's been stealing alien technology to build a powerful arsenal of weapons, he's shocked. Liz and her family leave New York during her father's trial, and her character is never to be seen in the MCU again.

Mary Jane Watson played by Kirsten Dunst

Mary Jane Watson is Spider-Man's most widely known love interest and is played by Kirsten Dunst in the Sam Raimi trilogy. Mary Jane has been neighbors with Peter Parker (played by Tobey Maguire) for years, but the two rarely speak at first.

Peter never makes it easy for Mary Jane, especially after going steady. She often finds herself as the damsel in distress, falling victim to the likes of the Green Goblin in Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2, and the Sandman in Spider-Man 3. Amid the rollercoaster ride of a relationship, the two are in love.

Michelle Jones ("MJ") played by Zendaya

Zendaya plays MJ in MCU's Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Don't get the initials confused with Mary Jane though, as they stand for Michelle Jones in this case – a completely different character.

In these films, MJ and Holland's Peter Parker are socially on the same level. They share a similar sense of quirky humor, intelligence, and courageous instincts. When she figures out that Peter is Spider-Man, she helps him plot against Mysterio.

The two become an official couple in 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home, and their relationship will continue in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Zendaya and Holland are also dating in real-life!

Spider-Gwen played by Hailee Steinfeld

There have been various adaptations of this character over the years, but this Gwen Stacy is the first of her kind depicted on screen. Voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, Spider-Gwen is the love interest of Shameik Moore's web-slinger Miles Morales in Sony's 2018 Into the Spider-Verse.

The two immediately form a solid relationship, which evolves into something more throughout the film. Fans can look forward to the possibility of continued chemistry in the upcoming sequel.