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Hangin' With Archives
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Kirsten Dunst:The Evolution of Mary Janeby Lynn B
So how does the actress feel about M.J. after three movies? Pretty comfortable. We talked with Kirsten recently and learned that she really has no desire to play a super hero herself and that the toughest stunt for her in the action-packed new Spider-Man 3 film was “Just walking down the stairs in high heels, trying not to fall and lip-synch [at the same time]”. In your mind’s eye, see Kirsten in sheer white blouse with ruffled collar and cuffs, short black skirt, black tights and really high black heels as she chats about her fan crushes, singing, dancing the twist, how M.J. has changed and getting a date in Hollywood…. AGW: How did you like being a redhead again? Kirsten: It was nice. I liked the color. I like the man who did my hair, Manny. He’s a real connoisseur. I like that Mary Jane doesn’t look perfect, and her hair looks a little too grown out. AGW: The storyline for M.J. and Peter is really emotional this time. Kirsten: [At the beginning of the film] They’re finally together and she is successful in what she’s doing, and he’s been embraced by the city of New York and getting all these accolades. It’s blown his head up a little bit. Slowly, we start to unravel Mary Jane. They’re already ignoring things within their relationship and it doesn’t help that he takes on this other darkness that envelopes his character, and brings out all the things he’s not dealing with in his life. All his anger really heightens that. AGW: M.J. is unraveling but she doesn’t really tell him. Kirsten: There wasn’t an opportunity. Also, there’s a responsibility in a relationship when someone’s doing something that’s really (special), you don’t want to put (your problems) on them that day. Then there was that other thing that happened at the keys to the city ceremony, so it just kind of builds and builds and builds. AGW: Her career is spiraling while Peter’s is taking off. Have you experienced that in Hollywood? Kirsten: I’ve always been supportive of whoever I’m with in their job and I’ve never felt threatened. I can understand when the other person doesn’t make you as confident in yourself. It has to do with how you feel about yourself at the end of the day. AGW: Does your celebrity make it difficult for guys to ask you out on a date? Kirsten: Oh, completely. I’d stay away from somebody (who’s a celebrity). Who wants to be part of that whole thing with pictures being taken? I live a normal life but occasionally there’s stuff that’s not so fun to deal with. Then that person’s not meant for me. I need somebody who can deal with all the aspects of who I am. Somebody who can deal with it like ‘who cares’? AGW: Have you had experiences with a big opportunity like M.J., then lose it? Kirsten: Of course. I’ve been so bummed when I haven’t gotten a role. That happened when I was younger. Now, I’ve learned it’s probably for the best. AGW: There are three villains in the film and lots of action. Can you get focused on your storyline with all this going on? Kirsten: Oh, I just focus on what I’m doing. It’s a surprise when I see the movie because I don’t know what half of it’s going to look like. I saw Thomas [Hayden Church who plays Sandman] on set and I said, ‘hey, we’re in the same movie’. We all had our separate lives and stories going on, which makes sense because that’s what it’s like in the film. AGW: Hey you get to sing in this film. Did you enjoy singing? Kirsten: I was just happy that she finally got a gig. I’ve always sang so it wasn’t a big deal to me. I could prerecord it and just lip-synch to it. AGW: Have you heard about the Spider-Man musical? Kirsten: Yeah, that’s amazing! I heard about it today. U2? That’s incredible. That’s the coolest ever—I mean, Julie Taymor directing? I was shocked, because usually when they do that kind of reinvention thing, they get a little cheesy. But that’s incredible. AGW: Would you like to do a musical on Broadway? Kirsten: I could never sing live in front of a big audience. I’m not a Broadway actress. No, no, no. AGW: You dance with James Franco. Did you know how to do the twist? It’s not exactly from your era. Kirsten: Yeah. I can do the twist. I dance. They brought me all the way down to Culver City and I was like,’ why are we here’? ‘Twist lessons’. ‘Are you kidding me? You brought me all the way down here to do the twist’? It’s not the hardest dance in the world. I did a twist lesson with James, helped him out a little bit.
Kirsten: It was so funny and I had to have a reaction of Peter, ‘what’s wrong with you’, but I couldn’t even do it, because when I’d see Tobey, I’d laugh when he was dancing. It’s so ridiculous. And I had to be in a shocked, ‘what’s-happened-to-Peter?’ mode. Meanwhile, he’s doing all these pelvic twists and thrusts. I couldn’t watch him do it anymore. AGW: Why do you think Spider-Man stays so successful? Kirsten: I know why. We never rested on our laurels. We are all passionate for this franchise. The producers, the heads of Sony, all of us want to make a great movie. Of course, it’s about box office for the studio at the end of the day, but we don’t want to produce just to produce. We really care for it. These people are so important to us. Sam was working up to the last second giving over to the film. Sam is such a hard worker. AGW: Why does the public respond to them so much? Dunst: Spiderman is every man. If he can be a hero, you can be a hero. It’s always had very relatable story lines in this fantastical world. Sam manages to ground it with the people he’s cast. That’s always attracted interesting actors to play our villains. It’s an international story. Who can’t relate to falling in love? Getting into fights with your best friend? Or feeling like your work is killing you? That’s why. AGW: Having done three of these superhero films, is it disappointing that you don’t get to do superhero stuff yourself? Kirsten: Honestly, I have absolutely no interest in being a superhero. I got to throw a cinderblock in this one, which was fine. That’s enough action for me. If I were to do any superhero-esque film, I’d do some werewolf, avant-garde in-the-streets-of Paris or something. AGW: Do you just have to pull out different acting tricks when doing diverse films like Marie Antoinette and Spider-Man? Kirsten: In Marie Antoinette, we did very little talking in that movie, it was a very sensory way of working. It’s all about the way the fabrics smelled, the food tasted, how the air felt. I never concentrated so intently like that. While I was doing it, I was aware of it, but you can’t be too aware of yourself. Then, when I started to work on Spider-Man, I realized all these tools I had that I didn’t realize I had before. I learn new things on every movie. It gets sticky when you get to the blue-screen stuff; I just forgive myself for bad acting when it comes to those things. If I’m good in that, it’s just incredible, because those things are hard to do. I had no idea what was going to be in the film. And some of those lines are hard to pull off too. AGW: M.J. has evolved over three films. How about Kirsten? Kirsten: I think on the first movie I was so much younger, impressionable and insecure so I didn’t have the confidence that I have as an actress today. I cared what people thought and I was performing more for other people instead of myself. We’ve grown up. With each film, we’ve become more and more collaborative, and this last one has been three individuals coming together as equal adults collaborating on a film. You’re not that when you’re a teenager; you’ve got to grow into that. AGW: Tobey says he’s into some extreme sports for a thrill. Is that just not you? Kirsten: What thrills me? Going to the movies, hanging out with my friends. I love to travel and going to new places. I like going to Sunday night dinner. I’m not an extreme sports person. I like going to the theater and go see bands play. My grandfather was a speed skater and bicycle racer and was going to go to the Olympics before WWII broke out. He was a famous athlete. My dad was really into sports, so I have it in my genes. I just haven’t exercised it. AGW: Do you have a chance to be friends with Sam, Tobey, James and the others when you’re not making movies? Kirsten: James is part of my life because I introduced him to a charity I’m involved with. We put on plays and visit the hospital called All-Saints and we do auctions. I got him involved with that. And Bryce [Dallas Howard] and I have become really close. Those are the two people I see the most. But when I see Tobey, it’s great. He’s just had a baby, but I love his fiancé. AGW: Do you want to do charity work in Africa?
AGW: Does what the tabloids write about you bother you anymore? Kirsten: I don’t let those things affect me. I don’t read the c**p anymore. It’s not part of my life. I’m not worried about what people say or write about me. I definitely read a few reviews, and I respect them. I’m not saying I don’t value what they do, but I’m not going to personally invite them into my feelings about myself. AGW: The premiere for this film was in Tokyo. Is there a big difference between American and Japanese fans? Kirsten: The Japanese are very excited about us. I had to go to Universal Studios there because we had to open some attraction. We went on a Spider-Man ride after. This girl screamed at me like I was a rock star. I was like ‘calm down, it’s OK’. At the premiere, they’re very mellow. Even when you’re in crowds, you feel like your in your own space. They’re respectful of people’s space. AGW: Who brings out that kind of fan in you? Kirsten: Joni Mitchell. But I wouldn’t scream in her face. Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep. Jon Stewart. There’s lots of people. Barack Obama, I have a real crush on him. AGW: What do you like about Barack? Kirsten: He’s such a dashing …and I love that he lays it on the table. He wrote a book, there you go. He’s everything you want a president to be, I think. AGW: You’ve played a real variety of characters. Is there some type of film or role you are still dying to do? Kirsten: Yes. I really want to make a Roman Polanski-esque Repulsion or Rosemary’s Baby. But there’s nobody making those movies. The Others was the closest you got to it. If I had one dream director it would be Roman Polanski. AGW: Has the self-confidence you’ve gained in making the Spider-Man films helped you assert yourself in other films? Kirsten: This film didn’t give me self-confidence. I gave myself self-confidence. I worked on myself as a human being. Films, money, all those things give you nothing, you’ve got to give it to yourself. I worked on myself. AGW: If you have a problem, do you speak up? Kirsten: Completely. I’m very opinionated. (She laughs.) AGW: Do you know what your next film is? Kirsten: Yep. It’s this movie called How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. It’s based on Toby Young’s book. Simon Pegg is the lead. I work at Vanity Fair. AGW: Do you have a romance? Kirsten: [smiling] You’ll have to wait and see. Photos copyright Columbia Pictures, 2007
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We’ve
watched this young actress for several years now and have seen her play
freaked-out teens (Crazy/Beautiful), classic movie star sirens
(The Cat’s Meow), cheerleaders (Bring It On),
vampires (Interview with the Vampire) and French Queens (Marie
Antoinette) but it’s her role as Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Man’s
red-haired love that brings her the most recognition world-wide. 
AGW:
Was it funny watching Tobey dance at the jazz club? M.J. has to be taking
it all seriously. Did you crack up? 
Kirsten:
I’ve been involved in Bono’s charity before so if I was going
to go to Africa, I wouldn’t just stay in some fancy hotel. That
would feel awkward and weird to me. I’d want to do it on a level
where I’d be a celebrity face, if that gets attention to certain
causes.