In a recent interview with Marie Claire, Kirsten Dunst reflected on her journey in Hollywood, the gender dynamics she’s navigated, and her career choices that don’t need to seek male approval.
Dunst brought her acting talent to a global audience after starring as Mary Jane ‘MJ’ Watson in the ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy. Post-‘Spider-Man,’ she opted for projects that resonated with her on a personal level and made a conscious effort to work with female directors, such as Sofia Coppola, Leslye Headland, and Jane Campion. Explaining her motives, Dunst said:
“I saw the power in women very young. I think that’s helped with … not needing male attention in my career.”
The actress then added she had an early realization that she did not want to be viewed through a lens that prioritized her appearance over her talent. Recalling what she told her manager, Dunst continued:
“‘I feel like I get hired because I’m someone that they might want to sleep with.’ I think that’s probably why I migrated to so many female directors at a younger age because I didn’t want to feel that way.”
Dunst Had an Uncomfortable Nickname in Spider-Man Set
In the interview, Dunst also touched upon her experiences on the set of ‘Spider-Man.’ She recalled being referred to as ‘girly-girl’ over walkie-talkies — a term that, while seemingly harmless, showed the gendered way in which she was seen:
“I mean… It was a joke, but on Spider-Man, they would call me ‘girly-girl’ sometimes on the walkie-talkie. ‘We need girly-girl,’ but I never said anything. Like, don’t call me that. You didn’t say anything. You just took it.”
Despite the discomfort it caused, Dunst admitted to not confronting the issue at the time.
As Dunst enters her 40s, she said she has a new set of challenges in Hollywood, especially about the roles being offered to her. Lately, she admitted finding herself being typecast as the ‘sad mom.’ However, her latest film, ‘Civil War,‘ frees her from these constraints by offering Dunst a role that is uncharted territory.
Directed by Alex Garland, the film presents a dystopian vision of the Second Civil War. Dunst portrays a journalist determined to uncover the truth amid chaos. This project also marks the actress’ return to the screen after a brief hiatus.
‘Civil War’ will have its world premiere on March 14, 2024, and is scheduled to be released on April 12, 2024.
You can watch the trailer for the film below.
