Tobey Maguire sparked intense social media backlash after being photographed with 20-year-old influencer Mishka Silva at Super Bowl LX on Sunday. The 50-year-old Spider-Man actor faces criticism over the 30-year age gap—made more controversial by the fact that Silva is just one year older than Maguire’s eldest daughter, who is 19.
Why This Is Dominating Social Media
The photos from the Seattle Seahawks versus New England Patriots game have ignited heated debates about age-gap relationships, Hollywood power dynamics, and whether consenting adults deserve privacy. The controversy intensified when fans calculated that Silva wasn’t even born when Maguire’s first Spider-Man film premiered in 2002.
Within hours of Silva posting Super Bowl photos to Instagram, the story became one of the most discussed celebrity topics online.
What Happened at Super Bowl LX
Maguire and Silva were photographed engaging in conversation from a VIP suite during Sunday’s game. The pair also reportedly attended the R Cane Pre-Super Bowl LX brunch together before the match.
Silva, a social media influencer, shared multiple images from the event on her Instagram account, though she didn’t tag or mention Maguire in the posts. Media outlets quickly connected the dots when paparazzi photos surfaced showing the two sitting together.
The Backlash Explained
The criticism centers on two main points: the three-decade age difference and the uncomfortable proximity to his daughter’s age.
Social media reactions include:
- “She wasn’t even born when the original Spider-Man film premiered. I have clothes older than her”
- “It’s not just the age difference; it’s the fact that she is around the same age as his daughter that makes people uneasy”
- Multiple comparisons to Leonardo DiCaprio, Maguire’s close friend who’s also known for dating significantly younger women
The Leonardo DiCaprio comparison resonates particularly strongly since the two actors have been best friends for decades and both face similar criticism about their dating patterns.
Who Is Mishka Silva?
Silva is a 20-year-old social media influencer and model who maintains an active Instagram presence. Details about her background remain relatively private, though her Super Bowl appearance with one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors thrust her into the spotlight.
The relationship status between Maguire and Silva remains unconfirmed by either party, with reports using terms like “reportedly dating” and “allegedly in a relationship”.
Defenders Push Back
Not everyone sees the relationship as problematic. A significant portion of social media users have defended Maguire’s right to date who he chooses.
Supportive comments include:
- “Adults have the right to choose who they want to date. The internet should take a step back”
- “Why does it matter who two consenting adults choose to date?”
- “Adults can choose who they sit with or date. The internet needs to relax”
Defenders argue that Silva is legally an adult capable of making her own decisions, and that online criticism constitutes unnecessary interference in private lives.
Maguire’s Dating History and Public Image
Maguire was previously married to jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer from 2007 to 2017, with whom he shares two children. His eldest daughter Ruby is 19 years old—making the age comparison to Silva unavoidable in public discussions.
The actor has largely maintained a low profile since his Spider-Man days, making his recent public appearances more notable. He’s produced films and made selective acting appearances, including his return as Spider-Man in 2021’s No Way Home.
Maguire has also faced other controversies in recent years, including testimony in January 2026 at a tax evasion trial involving high-stakes poker games where he sought to recover $7 million in winnings.
The Hollywood Age-Gap Debate
This controversy taps into ongoing conversations about power dynamics in celebrity relationships where older, established men date much younger women. Critics argue these relationships reflect societal patterns where men leverage fame and wealth to pursue partners who lack equivalent life experience or financial independence.
The fact that Silva is the same age as Maguire’s daughter adds an additional layer that many find disturbing, even among those who might otherwise defend age-gap relationships.
What Happens Next
Neither Maguire nor Silva has publicly addressed the backlash as of Tuesday. Whether they’ll confirm the relationship, ignore the criticism, or go their separate ways remains to be seen.
The controversy highlights how even relatively private celebrities can’t escape social media scrutiny when their personal choices intersect with broader cultural debates about age, power, and appropriate relationships.
For now, the internet remains divided: Is this a problematic pattern deserving criticism, or a private matter between consenting adults that deserves no public commentary at all?