Trivia

Ever since her role in Interview with the Vampire (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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

Beat out Christina Ricci for roles in Interview with the Vampire (1994) and Little Women (1994). She also beat out Scarlett Johansson for roles in Jumanji (1995) and Elizabethtown (2005).

Stated that her personal favorite film of hers is Interview with the Vampire (1994).

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 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.

Like her Bring It On (2000) character Torrance Shipman, Kirsten was also a cheerleader in high school.

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.

Name is pronounced "Keer-sten" (not "Kur-sten").

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.

She performed her first screen kiss, at the tender age of 11, with Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire (1994).

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7076 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 29, 2019.

Turned down the role of Angela Hayes in American Beauty (1999), which went to Mena Suvari.

Has played twice doomed young members of royalty overthrown in violent revolutions: Anastasia and Marie Antoinette.

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).

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.

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.

Her breakout role was in Interview with the Vampire (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.

Was a Ford model as a child.

Returned to work five months after giving birth to her son Ennis to begin filming On Becoming a God in Central Florida (2019).

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.

Was originally cast for the role of Clear Rivers in Final Destination (2000), which went to Ali Larter.

[2010] Won the Spirit of Elysium Award, due to her hard work and commitment with the charity Art of Elysium.

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.

Stated that it was an honor to work with Lars von Trier in Melancholia (2011).

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".

Susanne Bier and Paul Thomas Anderson recommended her to Lars von Trier for the role of Justine in Melancholia (2011).

Her grandparents Hermann and Inge Dunst live in Hamburg.

Is a huge fan of the television series The Office (2001) and admits she is a huge fan of Ricky Gervais.

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.

Jake Gyllenhaal gave Kirsten a gray and white kitten for her birthday. She named the cat Sophie.

Takes tap dancing lessons.

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).

Stated during Episode dated 14 May 1996 (1996) that one of her main goals was to direct in the future. Kirsten was 13.

She wore a red wig for her role as Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man (2002).

Hosted the MTV Movie Awards in 2001 along with Jimmy Fallon.

Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (1995).

Made her singing debut performing the song "Dream of Me" from Get Over It (2001).

She was considered for Rogue in X-Men (2000).

Was in a relationship with Garrett Hedlund for four years after meeting on the set of On the Road (2012).

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.

Lives in New York City and Los Angeles, California (2007).

Furthered her singing career with a song that appears during the ending credits to The Cat's Meow (2001).

She was considered for Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries (2001).