THE BOLD TYPE “When I was young…”. . I just became a little timid in saying things,” Dunst says. “But yeah, it’s gone.” (Arturo Holmes/Wireimage)
Kirsten Dunst has seen just about everything Hollywood throws at someone, from perky child roles to superhero stardom to author-driven masterpieces. That makes it all the more remarkable that she can continue to surprise audiences, like her performance in this spring’s surprise hit Civil War. Playing a cynical war correspondent tasked with arriving in Washington, D.C., in the midst of modern America’s bloody wars, Dunst plays the role of a silent thousand-yard stare and an attempt to forge a real bond with a young journalist. It eloquently describes the attempt. Played by Cailee Spaeny.
Dunst credits writer/director Alex Garland with making him eager to play the lead role in Civil War. “I really admire being a director,” she said. “I really value the experience, sometimes more than the character I’m playing.” When she says she works director-driven, she takes it more seriously than most. I am. As Richard Rushfield pointed out when Civil War was released, “If actors can be judged by the directors they choose to work with, there are some that come close to the list Dunst has assembled. It’s hard to imagine.”
But for Dunst, deciding to return to the set these days isn’t an easy choice. Dunst, 42, who is raising two children with her husband and “Civil War” co-star Jesse Plemons, is in between the Oscar-nominated “Power of the Dog” and “Civil War.” I took a break for a few years. The production, which included an intense military-style invasion sequence, required a lot of emotional energy on set, but once she got home, she needed an entirely different set of tools.
“At the end of the day, I just want to watch some stupid TV, memorize my lines, and relax,” she told me. “I’m not the kind of person who takes my work home. I can’t afford to do that.[My children]want a mother, you know?
In this week’s Prestige Junkie Pod conversation, we chat with Dunst not only about her job, but also about her candid decision to be a working mom, given the challenges of bringing her kids to set. I was happy to be able to do it. she intends to do so. While filming Ruben Østlund’s next film, he finds himself surrounded by two young boys who are ruining everything. She talked not only about the looks her youngest son gets from other adults when he wears a Spider-Man costume, but also about her determination to continue making art and establishing an identity for herself outside of motherhood.
“I’m very particular about what I do,” she says frankly. “You can’t do something just for the money, and you can’t do something that your heart isn’t passionate about, because I think I’ve been doing this for a long time and it’s something I can dedicate to myself. “But I think it’s the only thing I can do.” You have to energize that part of yourself. And it’s important for (my kids) to see that I love what I do. ”
This week’s episode also includes a conversation between me and Michael Schulman, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of Oscar Wars, about the big-picture questions surrounding this year’s Oscar race. Is the conclave an advantage because it’s a metaphor for Oscar voting? Do studios want to show their strength by losing to Gladiator and Wicked?
If you ever see Neon use the campaign tagline “I’m Anora, Hear My Roar,” you need to listen to this episode to find out where it came from.
