Key Points:
– Dunst is no longer interested in playing “depressed” roles, having felt typecast after her performance in Melancholia.
– Dunst’s decision was spurred by a lack of role diversity in Hollywood.
– The actress gained acclaim for her role in The Power of the Dog.
– Her upcoming film Civil War, where she plays a war photographer, is creating positive buzz.
A Remarkable Shift For Kirsten Dunst
Hollywood’s Kirsten Dunst swiftly turned away from typecast roles, taking control of her career’s narrative. Dunst, who sprang onto the Hollywood scene as a child actor, shattered the ongoing cycle of being offered similar roles, particularly after her celebrated performance in Melancholia.
Breaking From Typecasting
Dunst’s career took off after she brilliantly portrayed a child vampire in Interview with the Vampire (1994). The acclaim she received for her role in Lars von Trier’s Melancholia (2011) consequently channeled her into a stream of roles with melancholic characters.
The actress opened up about this phenomenon in a GQ interview. “They’re like – ‘Oh, she’s only offered these sad mom roles.’ Like, yeah, I don’t want to play depressed [moms]. After Melancholia, I was flooded with all depressed roles,” she commented.
Encouraged by these experiences, Dunst was compelled to seek out a plethora of projects, incorporating independent films and comedies into her repertoire. She expressed her willingness to venture into unexpected roles by saying, “I’m not afraid. I’d rather do something weird and off-kilter, and work with a first-time director than do something middle of the road because I would just be depressed doing that.”
The Need for Role Diversity
In Melancholia, Dunst’s character, Justine, is one of two leads who witness their world upending as a mysterious alien planet threatens humanity. Her remarkable portrayal won her the prestigious Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress.
However, after her Oscar-nominated role in The Power of the Dog (2021), Dunst confessed in a Marie Claire cover story that she took a break from acting. Considerably irritated with the recurring ‘sad mom’ roles being offered to her, the Hollywood veteran lamented her limited choices and observed a possible age bias in the industry, leading to a two-year drought of exciting projects.
A Resilient Mother and Actor
Dunst, who is also a mother, reflected that maintaining a successful career while fulfilling her responsibilities as a mom was hard. “The hardest thing is being a mom and…not feeling like, I have nothing for myself,” she stated, emphasizing the need for having personal fulfilment alongside motherhood—an issue faced not just by her but many other mothers as well.
Upcoming Projects and Positive Previews
Eschewing from the notion of playing a multitude of depressed characters, Dunst is gearing up to show off her acting chops in her forthcoming film, Civil War, where she will take on the role of a war photographer. The movie has already started receiving rave reviews from various screenings and festivals, thus putting the spotlight back on Dunst.
The highly acclaimed Melancholia and The Power of the Dog are currently available for streaming on Apple TV.
Conclusion
The transformation and repositioning of Kirsten Dunst in the film industry convey a powerful message. She demonstrates the possibilities for artists to reclaim their careers and make conscious decisions about their roles, breaking free from stereotypes and the expectations of Hollywood.
. The acclaim she received for her role in Lars von Trier’s Melancholia (2011) consequently channeled her into a stream of roles with melancholic characters.){kind=link}