Biography - Tobey Maguire

An enormously successful young actor, Tobey Maguire is famous for his unaffected and endearing screen presence. Known best for his eponymous role as the title character in the blockbuster "Spider-Man" series, Maguire has charmed audiences for nearly ten years in a diverse array of coming-of-age roles that have made him an icon for his generation.

Born on June 27, 1975 in Santa Monica, CA, Maguire’s young parents divorced two years after his birth, which led to a transient childhood for the young star. He bounced around the West Coast in his youth, living in California, Oregon, and Washington State. Maguire did bit parts in TV commercials and films before dropping out of school in the ninth grade to pursue acting full-time. His first major role was on the Fox sitcom "Great Scott!" in 1992, which had a short life on the air. Maguire then appeared in a small role with his good friend Leonardo DiCaprio in "This Boy’s Life".

Tobey continued playing small roles until 1997, when he captured considerable attention for roles in Woody Allen’s "Deconstructing Harry" and Ang Lee’s family drama "The Ice Storm". In the latter film Maguire received excellent reviews for playing a troubled teen opposite Christina Ricci, Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, and Elijah Wood. The film catapulted him to stardom, and he soon grabbed coveted lead roles in "Pleasantville", "The Cider House Rules", Ang Lee’s "Ride with the Devil", and Curtis Hanson’s superb comedy "Wonder Boys", which saw Maguire chew up scenery as a brilliant but morose college student opposite Michael Douglas.

It was 2002’s "Spider-Man", however, that put the actor on the A-list alongside some of the world’s biggest stars. The eagerly-awaited comic book adaptation grossed a jaw-dropping $800 million worldwide and shattered the domestic opening weekend record, pulling in a previously unfathomable $115 million in three days. The film’s 2004 sequel, which saw Maguire and co-star Kirsten Dunst return to their roles, did just as well at the box-office and produced a $17 million dollar paycheck for the 29-year-old actor.

Maguire is currently putting his old-school looks to good use in his first film since the Spidey sequel, Steven Soderbergh's breathtaking "The Good German". Starring alongside George Clooney and Cate Blanchett, the terrific film should tide over Maguire's fans until "Spider-Man 3" hits cinemas on May 4, 2007.