SPIDER-MAN 3: An Interview with Kirsten Dunst, continued
By Chris Tongue

Are there places in the world you still want to visit?

Dunst: Yeah. Of course. Of course there are.

Like?

Dunst: Well, I want to go to India. I want to go to Africa. I want to go to, where do I want to go?

Patagonia?

Dunst: Sure, why not? Patagonia. I would love to go to like Antarctica or some place, you know, I just want to see it all. I don’t know.

You said you’re not worried about what critics think because you're at a certain place in your life. Can you explain that a little bit more?

Dunst: Well, I’m just not, I don’t let those things affect me anymore. I don’t read the crap anymore. I don’t, it’s not part of my life and so it just I’m not worried about what people say or write about me. I mean I’ll definitely read probably like a few reviews, but I’m not, just not, and I respect them and, you know I’m not saying that I don’t value what they do, I just, I’m just not going to personally invite that into my feelings about myself.

You talked about traveling. Would you think about doing possible charity work in Africa?

Dunst: Yeah. Well, I’ve talked to, I’ve been involved with Bono’s charity before. So I mean I would completely, if I was going to go to Africa, I wouldn’t just stay in some fancy hotel. Like that would feel totally awkward and weird to me, so of course I’d want to do it on a level where I can appreciate and be, you know, a celebrity face if that gets attention to certain causes, you know.

Is there a big difference between a Japanese every day fan and the American?

Dunst: Yeah, the Japanese are very excited about us. But also they’re more demure about, they either like scream, I went to Universal Studios because we had to open some attraction there and they had, this girl like scream, like we went on a Spider-Man ride after and she screamed at me like I was a rock star. And I was like calm down. It’s okay. But at the premiere, they’re very mellow. Even when you’re in big crowds, you feel like you have your own space. They’re very, like, respectful of people’s spaces.

Who brings out that kind of fan in you?

Dunst: Oh, Joni Mitchell. But I wouldn’t scream in her face. I mean. Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, who else?

Barack Obama, I have a real crush on him. Who else? Jon Stewart. I don’t know. There’s lots of people.

What do you like about Obama?

Dunst: He’s just like such a dashing, like I love that he just lays it all on the table. He already wrote the book, there you go. He’s dashing, he’s just like everything you want a president to be. I think.

You say you don’t want to be an action hero. Is there something you really want to do?

Dunst: Yes. I really want to make like a Roman Polanski-esque, like Repulsion or Rosemary’s Baby type of film. But there’s nobody making those movies. I mean The Others was the closest he got to it. And I mean my dream in my life, if I had to have one dream director, it would be Roman Polanski, so.

Was there a scene that was maybe harder to do than any of the others or more challenging?

Dunst: No. No. I guess just walking down the stairs in high heels, trying not to fall. And lip sync.

What was it like being a red head?

Dunst: It was nice. I liked the color. I loved, I liked my, the man who did my hair, Manny, he’s a real, you know, connoisseur and I liked that Mary Jane doesn’t look perfect and her hair looks a little too grown out. And you know, Manny’s very aware of character development, he’s like very specific and it’s nice to have people around you that will let you do your thing, but also very involved and very supportive.

In the last few years, have you taken any time to analyze why the Spider-Man movies are so successful?

Dunst: I didn’t need to because I lived it. You know I’m like I’m part of it and I know why because like we never rested our laurels. We are all passionate for this franchise. The producers, the heads of Sony, you know, all of us want to make a great movie. You know obviously it’s about box office for the studio at the end of the day somewhere but, you know, we don’t want to produce just to produce. We really care for, we, these characters are so, these people are so important to us. And Sam is, is not, I mean he was working up to the last second of develop, you know, giving over the film. So, we’re all very passionate. And Sam is such a hard worker and so.

Why does the public respond so much to the movie?

Dunst: Well, Spider-Man is every man. And, you know, if he can be a hero, you can be a hero. And it’s always had very, you know, relatable storylines in this kind of, fantastical world, but somehow Sam manages to ground it with the people he’s cast. And that’s always attracted really interesting actors to play our villains and so I think that it’s just a very international story. Who can’t relate to falling in love? Who can’t relate to getting in fights with your best friend or feeling like your work is killing you. Who can’t relate to all these things? So, I think that’s why.

Starting out as a child actor and continuing to do this and do it so well, was there ever a part where the acting became a different thing for you? I mean, I would think as a kid it just might seem all very easy or natural. But as you get to be older, you realize it’s a discipline or it requires other kind of skills.

Dunst: Well, when I was younger, I definitely worked with an acting coach. But, you know, how else are you going to do Interview With A Vampire? You can’t do that on instincts, you know. And so he helped me make things seem different and seem okay when they were maybe scarier to do. And I was up for it. I really wanted to do it at that age. And I enjoyed it and I had a great time on that film. But then I definitely have had transitions in my life where, you know, not every child actress goes to be an adult actor. But I continued and I enjoyed it. And, you know, Virgin Suicides was big for me because it showed me in a light that was, like, a young girl, you know, having all these other emotions. Not being just the cute little girl anymore, but you know and Sophia did that in such a poetic way that opened many doors for me. And then Bring It On was really helpful for me. And then it’s always kept changing and growing. You know, Marie Antoinette was huge for me. So and acting has changed for me, my barometer for what I want to do, what I want to be a part of has changed, who I want to work with. And, you know, you spend a lot of time very closely with these people on films and I want to work with good people who I can learn from who are nice people, you know. Because you deal with so many personalities in this business and it’s just not worth it. You can have the best time with like the nicest people.

Mary Jane’s career kind of hits a rough spot as Peter’s Spider-Man career is kind of taking off and it causes some friction. Have you seen that kind of a thing or experienced that kind of a thing in Hollywood where the dichotomy in career level has existed?

Dunst: Sorry, I lost the first, I was a little, what was the first part?

Well, if two careers are not on the same plane, have you seen that or experience that?

Dunst: Oh, right. I’ve always been supportive, like I think that it’s important to support whoever you’re with in their job. And I’ve never felt threatened, but I can understand if you’re in a position where maybe the other person doesn’t make you feel as confident or something in yourself. You know it really has to do with how you feel about yourself at the end of the day.

Do you think your celebrity makes it difficult for some guys to ask you out on a date?

Dunst: Oh, completely. I would, I would stay away from somebody who I could possibly, like who wants to be part of that whole thing, pictures being taken. Like you just have to live your life. I mean I live a really normal life, but then you know occasionally, you’ve got to have a little bit of this stuff that’s not so fun to deal with, but you know, then you know, then that person is not meant for me. I need somebody who can deal with all the aspects of who I am. Well, who can, not even heat, but just who can deal with it in a way that, that’s like who cares, which it should be.

Have you ever considered lawsuits, like especially in England?

Dunst: No.

This confidence that you’ve gained through doing these films, has that helped you in terms of asserting yourself in other films, saying, well I think we should do this, or just in terms of working with directors and producers and stuff like that.

Dunst: Well, this film didn’t give me self-confidence. I gave myself self-confidence. I mean I worked on myself as a human being. That’s, you know, films and money and all those things give you nothing. You know you have to give it to yourself, so, I worked on myself.

But generally, do you find that if you have problem with someone that you’ll speak up and let them know?

Dunst: Oh, completely. Yeah. I’m very opinionated.

SPIDER-MAN 3 opens on May 4, 2007

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