Twenty-three years is a long time to think about a role you didn’t take. Kate Hudson is finally opening up about passing on Mary Jane Watson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, the part that eventually went to Kirsten Dunst for the 2002 film and its two sequels.
Hudson was on Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen when the question came up: did she really turn down Mary Jane, and does she regret it? Her answer was surprisingly thoughtful, the kind of response that shows she’s genuinely made peace with the choice even if there’s a tiny part of her that wonders what could have been.
“It’s so funny. When people say these things, it doesn’t feel good to talk about it because the people who are in the movie are the right people,” Hudson said. “Your circumstances in life happen the way they happen. But yes, I did, and now that I look back, it’s one of those things where I’m like, ‘That would have been nice to be in the Spider-Man movie.’ But at the same time, I did a movie called Four Feathers. I got to meet Heath Ledger, who became a very good friend and I got an experience that I would never have had, so part of me is like life happens exactly the way it’s supposed to, and I’m grateful for it. But I do look at that…it would have been fun to be her.”
Did Kate Hudson turn down *this* iconic role? #WWHL pic.twitter.com/DBtVmGoFBn
— Watch What Happens Live! (@BravoWWHL) December 23, 2025
What She Chose Instead
Cohen didn’t let the moment pass without pointing out what Hudson missed: multiple Spider-Man movies, an iconic character, and a role that would have put her right at the forefront as superhero films were starting their massive cultural takeover, all before the Marvel Cinematic Universe even existed.
The movie Hudson picked instead, The Four Feathers, didn’t exactly light the world on fire. It pulled in $29.8 million worldwide against a reported $35 million budget and sits at a 41% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. But here’s the thing: she got to work with Heath Ledger, and that friendship clearly meant something profound to her.
Since then, though, Hudson’s career has been anything but disappointing. From How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in 2003 all the way to Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery in 2022, she’s been part of some genuinely successful projects.
Mary Jane Many Faces
After Dunst wrapped up Spider-Man 3, the character kept showing up in different forms across various Spider-Man films. Shailene Woodley was actually cast as Mary Jane in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 back in 2014, but her scenes got cut entirely. Zendaya brought her own spin to the character as Michelle “MJ” Jones in the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy. The animated universe got in on it too, with Zoë Kravitz voicing Mary Jane Parker in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Melissa Sturm taking over for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Now there’s buzz that Sadie Sink from Stranger Things might be playing the MCU’s version of Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is set for 2026. The Tom Holland-led movie has already finished shooting, but Sink’s role is being kept under wraps.
What’s Next for Hudson
Hudson’s got plenty on her plate these days. Her new film Song Sung Blue with Hugh Jackman hits theaters on December 25, and season 2 of her Netflix sports comedy Running Point should arrive sometime in 2026.
Back in 2022, Hudson mentioned she’d be open to joining the MCU if they asked, but she’s not currently attached to any Marvel projects. And honestly? Even without swinging through New York as Mary Jane, she’s built a career worth celebrating.
