Biography
Date of Birth
30 December 1982, Point Pleasant, New Jersey, USA
Birth Name
Kirsten Caroline Dunst
Nickname
Kiki
Height
5' 5½" (1.66 m)
Mini Biography
Kirsten Caroline Dunst is an American actress, who also holds German citizenship. She was born on April 30, 1982 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, to parents Inez (née Rupprecht), who owned an art gallery, and Klaus Dunst, a medical services executive. She has a younger brother named Christian Dunst, born in 1987. Her father is German, from Hamburg, and her mother, who is American, is of German and Swedish descent.
Her career began at the age of 3 when she started modeling and appearing in commercials. She made her feature film debut with an uncredited role at age 6 in the 'Oedipus Wrecks' segment of Woody Allen's 1989 film New York Stories (1989). She received her first film credit in The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990). Her family moved to Los Angeles in 1993, where her film career took off.
In 1994, she made her breakthrough performance in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), alongside such stars as Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination, the MTV Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and the Saturn Award for Best Young Actress. In 1995, she was named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. Over the next few years, she made a string of hit movies including Little Women (1994), Jumanji (1995) and Small Soldiers (1998).
In 2000, she received rave reviews for her role as "Lux Lisbon" in Sofia Coppola's independent film, The Virgin Suicides (1999) and proved her status as a leading actress in the comedy hit, Bring It On (2000). She also graduated from Notre Dame High School in Los Angeles in June of that year.
In 2002, she landed one of her best known roles as Peter Parker's love interest, Mary Jane Watson, in Spider-Man (2002). She continued her role in Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007).
She went on to land roles in such films as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), the romantic comedy Wimbledon (2004), and in Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown (2005). She also played the title character in Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette (2006).
Dunst won the Best Actress Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival for her performance as Justine in Lars von Trier's Melancholia (2011). In 2012, she appeared in Walter Salles' film adaptation of On the Road (2012) and the independent comedy Bachelorette (2012). She also has several films in production, including The Two Faces of January (2014).
Her charity work includes designing a necklace to raise funds for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation as well as supporting various cancer charities.
Trivia
Was a Ford model as a child.
Beat out Christina Ricci for roles in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) and Little Women (1994). She also beat out Scarlett Johansson for roles in Jumanji (1995) and Elizabethtown (2005).
Attended the Anne Rice's Memnoch Ball in New Orleans, Louisiana (1995).
Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (1995).
The only daughter of Klaus Hermann Dunst (b. West Germany), medical services executive for Siemens, and wife Inez Rupprecht, flight attendant for Lufthansa, artist and once owner of an art gallery. Her parents separated in 1993. Following this, she lived with her mother and younger brother, Christian Dunst, in Southern California.
She is working on her own production company with her mother called "Wooden Spoon Productions". The name symbolizes women and creativity. It was inspired by her grandmother, who used wooden spoons to keep her in line when she was a girl.
Attended and graduated from Notre Dame High School, a private Catholic high school in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California (June 2000). Rachel Bilson graduated a year earlier. Another former student was Katharine McPhee.
Turned down the role of Angela Hayes in American Beauty (1999), which went to Mena Suvari.
Attended the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, New Jersey up until the fifth grade, when she left after her parents separated in 1993.
Made her singing debut performing the song "Dream of Me" from Get Over It (2001).
Nabbed the lead role of Peter Parker's girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson, in Spider-Man (2002) after Kate Hudson and Alicia Witt turned down.
She performed her first screen kiss, at the tender age of 11, with Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994).
Name is pronounced "Keer-sten" (not "Kur-sten").
Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (2002).
Named one of Teen People magazine's "25 Hottest Stars Under 25" (2002).
Kirsten's father is German. Kirsten's mother, who is American-born, is of half German and half Swedish ancestry. Kirsten can speak German fluently.
Furthered her singing career with a song that appears during the ending credits to The Cat's Meow (2001).
Voted the second Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire magazine. [September 2002]
Auditioned along with Kate Hudson to replace Sarah Polley for the role of Penny Lane in Almost Famous (2000), she did not get the role but Cameron Crowe later said this was "very, very close".
She was offered the role of Chrissy DeWitt in Now and Then (1995), which she turned down as the role required her to gain weight.
Her favorite movies are Annie Hall (1977) and Edward Scissorhands (1990), whilst her favorite television series are Friends (1994), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) and Da Ali G Show (2000).
According to producer Mark Gordon, she visited her then boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal at the set of The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and that visit gained her an uncredited cameo appearance.
Ranked #25 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).
Is a huge fan of the television series The Office (2001) and admits she is a huge fan of Ricky Gervais.
Like her Bring It On (2000) character Torrance Shipman, Kirsten was also a cheerleader in high school.
She wore a red wig for her role as Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man (2002).
She was called back to reshoot some scenes for Get Over It (2001) while filming the first Spider-Man (2002) movie, which explains why her character suddenly goes from blond to red in a few scenes.
Hosted the MTV Movie Awards in 2001 along with Jimmy Fallon.
Jake Gyllenhaal gave Kirsten a gray and white kitten for her birthday. She named the cat Sophie.
Takes tap dancing lessons.
Was ranked #15 in E's 50 cutest child stars all grown-up (2005).
Her grandparents Hermann and Inge Dunst live in Hamburg.
Has dyed her hair several times for a movie; she dyed brown for her role in Mona Lisa Smile (2003) and then red for her role in Spider-Man 3 (2007).
Lives in New York City and Los Angeles, California (2007).
Was originally cast for the role of Clear Rivers in Final Destination (2000), which went to Ali Larter.
Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2008 Razzie Award nominating ballot. She was suggested in the Worst Actress category for her performance in Spider-Man 3 (2007). However, she failed to receive a nomination.
Was ranked #24 on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' the actress list (2008).
Her breakout role was in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), which was based on a novel by Anne Rice. She later starred in the music video "I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden, a band which got their name from the vampire novels of Anne Rice.
Stated that her personal favorite film of hers is Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994).
Is the former best friend of Maggie Gyllenhaal, having met on the set of Mona Lisa Smile (2003). Maggie introduced Kirsten to her brother Jake Gyllenhaal, resulting in their subsequent relationship.
Replaced Penélope Cruz as Justine in Melancholia (2011) after Cruz dropped out of the project in order to film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011).
Her father, Klaus Hermann Dunst, was born August 15, 1946.
[2010] Won the Spirit of Elysium Award, due to her hard work and commitment with the charity Art of Elysium.
Stated that it was an honor to work with Lars von Trier in Melancholia (2011).
Stated during Late Show with David Letterman: Episode dated 14 May 1996 (1996) that one of her main goals was to direct in the future. Kirsten was 13.
Opened up about her stint at the Cirque Lodge Treatment Center in Utah, saying that she sought help for depression, not for drug or alcohol abuse.
The new face of BulgariÂ’s Mon Jasmin Noir (2011).
Became a naturalized German citizen. [September 2011]
She filmed The Virgin Suicides (1999) in Canada and Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) in Minnesota simultaneously in summer 1998.
Lives in the Los Angeles neighborhood, Los Feliz. Giovanni Ribisi, Bo Barrett, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pine, Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Brad Pitt, Michael Cera, Hannah Telle and Robert Pattinson are among the other actors who also call Los Feliz home.
Has played twice doomed young members of royalty overthrown in violent revolutions: Anastasia and Marie Antoinette.
Susanne Bier and Paul Thomas Anderson recommended her to Lars von Trier for the role of Justine in Melancholia (2011).
Never auditioned for Melancholia (2011). Instead, she met with Lars von Trier through Skype and they had a long discussion about movies and Charlotte Rampling's performance in The Night Porter (1974). At the end of their conversation, Trier asked her if she wanted the role.
She played Bradley Pierce's sister in both Jumanji (1995) and The Siege at Ruby Ridge (1996).
Attended The 74th Annual Academy Awards (2002) with her mother, and then The 77th Annual Academy Awards (2005) and The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) with her brother, Christian Dunst.
She was the visual inspiration for the original illustrations of DC Comics' character Jillian "Cowgirl" Pearlman (created in 2005 after events of the comic "Rebirth"), for a time love interest of superhero Green Lantern/Hal Jordan. Dunst was 23 years old at the point. Therefore, Pearlman is off-panel after DC's relaunch in "The New 52" (2011). She was reintroduced by Grant Morrison in 2020 for DC Retroactive, a collection of Green Lantern independent stories set in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Ever since her role in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), leading man Tom Cruise has sent her a coconut cake every year at Christmas which has become known as "The Cruise Cake" in the Dunst household.
Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 69th Cannes International Film Festival in 2016.
Attended Notre Dame High School in Los Angeles with Rami Malek, who was a year ahead of her. They had a musical theatre class together.
Was in a relationship with Garrett Hedlund for four years after meeting on the set of On the Road (2012).
In a relationship with Jesse Plemons since 2016 and they got engaged in January 2017. They have 2 sons together: Ennis Howard Plemons (b. Thursday, May 3, 2018) & James Robert Plemons (b. May 2021).
She and Jack Black were considered for Land of the Lost (2009). Dunst was in Jumanji (1995) and Black was in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017).
Returned to work five months after giving birth to her son Ennis to begin filming On Becoming a God in Central Florida (2019).
Maternal granddaughter of Howard R. Rupprecht (b. New Jersey) (son of Edward B. Rupprecht (b. New Jersey, son of parents of German descent) and wife Susana or Susan Herold (b. New Jersey) and maternal grandson of August Herold (b. Germany) and wife Susana or Susan Kronung (b. Germany)) and wife Melba Carol Wing (b. Minnesota) (daughter of Albert Nathaniel Wing (b. Minnesota) and wife Emma Karolina Forslund (b. Minnesota), paternal granddaughter of Carl Fritz Larson (b. Sweden) and wife Karin Nelsdotter Solberg (b. Sweden) and maternal granddaughter of Olof Olsson Forslund (b. Sweden) and wife Brita Danielson (b. Sweden).
Paternal granddaughter of Hermann Gustav Dunst (b. Germany) and wife Ingeborg Alice Maahs or Maass (b. Germany) (daughter of Friedrich "Fritz" Maahs and wife Lilliane "Lilli" Wehle and maternal granddaughter of Hans Wehle (b. Germany) and wife Alice Gregor (b. Germany)).
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7076 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 29, 2019.
Born at 1:00 PM (EDT).
She was considered for Rogue in X-Men (2000).
She was considered for Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries (2001).
Quotes
I'd like to grow up and be beautiful. I know it doesn't matter, but it doesn't hurt.
Boys frustrate me. I hate all their indirect messages, I hate game playing. Do you like me or don't you? Just tell me so I can get over you.
Why would I cry over a boy? I would never waste my tears on a boy. Why waste your tears on someone who makes you cry?
[on turning down the role of Angela in American Beauty (1999)] When I read it, I was 15 and I don't think I was mature enough to understand the script's material. I didn't want to be kissing Kevin Spacey. Come on! Lying there naked with rose petals?
[on what her luxury item would be on survivor] My cat, because he's fun to play with, he'd entertain me, and I could eat him if I was really hungry.
[2002] I'm never going to say anything about who I'm dating unless I'm married or engaged.
[2002, when asked how she stays in shape] I run the treadmill whenever I can do it with weights.
So many teen films are overproduced and people are going to burnout on the subject.
I think vegetarians - for a lot of them - it's about a lack of commitment to life and relationships. There are some who just like the fact that they're controlling something in their life.
And in the next film, they've got to bring in another female character. Just give me the acting; she can do all the falling and fighting.
[on money] I think one of my credit cards is corporate for my company, Wooden Spoons Productions. I don't know; my financial adviser does that. I don't handle that shit.
I want to go on Crossing Over with John Edward (2001). I'd like to be regressed to find out about my past lives.
[on Spider-Man (2002)] I really wanted the role because I knew it would give my career a boost, especially in foreign markets where I don't feel I'm that well known.
The Virgin Suicides (1999) showed I could nail a very difficult character, while Bring It On (2000) brought a great deal of joy to young girls. These are the beautiful rewards of being an actress.
On every film I do, whenever there are other girls my age, I think it's definitely up to me to set the pace. That's because I've had a lot of experience and I think there's always a certain amount of professionalism that should be maintained.
[on Bring It On (2000)] We're breaking boundaries. And we're not doing the same old little cliché of, "Oh, cheerleaders are dumb, so let's make fun of them.".
What actor do you really take seriously who becomes a singer? It's kind of ridiculous. I can't think of anybody.
[July 2004] It would actually be really interesting if Spider-Man died. Why doesn't the superhero ever die? I think if Mary Jane was alone, pregnant and he died, she could give birth to a spider baby and carry on the series with another young boy or something like that.
[on kissing Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)] It was horrible, I hated it. Brad and Tom were like my big brothers on the set, so it was like kissing your big brother - totally gross.
[2006] You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning and you're excited for the day? That's one of my main goals in life.
I don't try to be sexy, but if you are sexy it comes out. If you're not, you're not.
[on Marie Antoinette (2006)] It's kind of like a history of feelings rather than a history of facts. So don't expect a masterpiece theatre, educational Marie Antoinette biopic.
I like people more undone than made up. Patricia Arquette is the ultimate. She's not anorexic or perfectly tan, she's not trying to be anything but what she is, and that's the most sexy thing.
[on Melancholia (2011)] I definitely destroyed everyone else's lives for the first half of the movie.
It's important for me that I don't get trapped in the whole teen scene because I feel that you can get lost in those kind of movies, and they aren't really about the actors; they're about selling the concept, and how much money it makes. So I just try to choose the scripts to have the best characters for myself, or would be the most challenging, or fun.
[2004] I auditioned for The Secret Garden (1993). When I didn't get that, I was sobbing on the floor. When other people want something for you so badly and you're young, you want it so badly too. I was crying because you feel like you've let your mom down. It's really messed up, when you think about it.
[2007] It's not a natural way to grow up, and acting was never a dream for me because it had always been a part of me. It was the only thing I knew. It was just my life. For a while, there was a time when I had a lot of anger towards my mother because of what she did to me. Now, I understand what kind of woman she is: she always had the best intentions.
[2007] I've finally embraced my history, which I've never done before, because it was marked by pain. I'd never put any daughter of mine through acting because, while I loved acting and was happy working as a child, looking back, my happiness always came from pleasing other people, always. It came from satisfying the director or my mom or my acting coach, not from pleasing myself. My mother told me that when I was born, she just knew that I was destined to be an actress.
[2004] I was just playing and having fun. I was making my mom happy. When a kid makes other people happy, you think it's love. Everything is so great. I liked performing for people. Probably, it's not really good that a young kid likes performing for everybody. They just want love and attention somewhere. It's kind of weird.
But the real secret to total gorgeousness is to believe in yourself, have self confidence, and try to be secure in your decisions and thoughts.
I have gotten so many tickets. I hope I don't get my license revoked.
[to David Letterman] Nice tie, do you want fries with that?
Everybody smokes! Models, actresses, everyone! Don't they realize that it's gross? I understand it's an addiction, but it still pains me to see my friends do it.
I am sure I would love to do it now, but back then, I was, like, 11 and it was 'ugh.' There's nothing sexual or sexy when you're that age. So I was kissing Brad Pitt. So what? He had chapped lips. He was lovely and kind and sweet to me, but it was just yuk.
