Kirsten Dunst’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

Because Kirsten Dunst has been acting since she was a child, she has a much longer acting resume than other actors her age. Even as a child in the business, Dunst had a variety of projects she appeared in. In addition to family-friendly adventure tales, she also appeared in historical dramas and sci-fi/fantasy films – all before she even turned 18.

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Dunst is one of the seemingly rare actors to make a successful transition from roles as a child to roles as an adult. She spent a few years in the early 2000s playing high school roles in teen rom-coms, like cult classic Get Over It, before making the jump to more adult roles. As a result, her best movies include some from her childhood, her teen roles, and her more recent adult roles. She’s had one of the more consistent careers in Hollywood.

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10 Little Women (1994)

As Amy March

Little Women (1994) PGDramaRomance

Little Women is a 1994 film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, directed by Gillian Armstrong. The film follows the lives of the March sisters—Meg (Trini Alvarado), Jo (Winona Ryder), Beth (Claire Danes), and Amy (Kirsten Dunst and Samantha Mathis)—as they navigate the challenges and joys of growing up during the American Civil War. The film also stars Susan Sarandon as their loving mother, Marmee.

Director Gillian Armstrong Release Date December 21, 1994 Writers Robin Swicord , Louisa May Alcott Cast Winona Ryder , Gabriel Byrne , Trini Alvarado , Samantha Mathis , Kirsten Dunst , Claire Danes , Christian Bale , Eric Stoltz
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It seems that since the invention of moving pictures, every generation has its own big screen adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott novel Little Women. Most recently, Greta Gerwig adapted the story to the screen with Saoirse Ronan in the role of Jo March and Florence Pugh in the role of Amy March. Pugh and Dunst played the same role, only 25 years apart.

The 1994 version of Little Women tries to adhere as close to the novel as possible, and it’s a heartwarming story about four sisters growing up in the 19th century. Unlike Pugh, Dunst doesn’t play Amy March for the entire movie, but just the first half while Amy is a child. After that, the role is taken over by an older actress. Dunst still captures Amy’s immature nature as the youngest of the sisters very well, making Amy just charming enough for the audience to still like her when she’s arguing with her big sisters at every turn.

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Dunst won a Young Artist Award for Little Women.

9 Jumanji (1995)

As Judy Shepherd

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9.3/10 Jumanji PGActionAdventureComedy

Jumanji is an action-adventure comedy film by director Joe Johnston and starring Robin Williams. Two orphan siblings move into a home occupied by the former Parrish family, whose son disappeared years ago. When the two start playing a mysterious board game known as “Jumanji,” they unknowingly release the missing Alan Parrish later, along with various other jungle-themed dangers that can only be stopped if they finish the game.

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*Availability in US Director Joe Johnston Release Date December 15, 1995 Writers Jonathan Hensleigh , Greg Taylor , Jim Strain Cast Robin Williams , Kirsten Dunst , David Alan Grier , Bonnie Hunt , Jonathan Hyde , Bebe Neuwirth Runtime 104 Minutes

Jumanji has been introduced to a new generation of kids thanks to the continuation of the Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle movie and its sequel. Before that, however, the 1995 movie was released and was inspired by the children’s book of the same name. Kirsten Dunst played one of the children playing the game.

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Dunst played one of a pair of siblings who were grieving the loss of their parents. They stumbled upon the game, only to discover that it was much more than they bargained for when animals from the jungle came into their living room and a boy, now a grown man (Robin Williams) emerged after being trapped in the game for decades. The adventure of the movie is balanced by the pathos of the kids grieving their parents and Williams’ character grieving the loss of his childhood family connections.

Dunst won a Young Artist Award for Jumanji.

8 Bring It On (2000)

As Torrance Shipman

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Bring It On PG-13Sports

As the newly elected captain of her high school’s award-winning cheerleading squad, Torrence Shipman aims to take her team to the top of the national championships — despite the challenges of a rival squad, choreography calamities, catty fellow cheerleaders, and romantic entanglements.

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*Availability in US Director Peyton Reed Release Date August 25, 2000 Writers Jessica Bendinger Cast Kirsten Dunst , Eliza Dushku , Jesse Bradford , Gabrielle Union , Clare Kramer , Nicole Bilderback , Ian Roberts Runtime 99 minutes

All of that hard work paid off and made the movie leave a huge mark on pop culture.

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One of the most iconic movies of Kirsten Dunst’s career is Bring It On. While it might not have captured a lot of award show attention in the early 2000s, it did capture the hearts and minds of an entire generation of teenagers. The movie also spawned a huge direct-to-video franchise about competitive cheerleading.

The movie sees Dunst as the newly appointed captain of her cheerleading squad. She has big plans for the year, but, thanks to a new addition to the team (Eliza Dushku), she discovers that all of her team’s most successful cheers were stolen. The team sets out to prove that they’re worthy of their championship title with brand-new routines.

The movie is a great twist on an underdog sports movie, and it’s also filled with a lot of up-and-coming talent at the time. The cast had some grueling preparation for the movie too. They all had to attend a month-long cheerleading camp behind the scenes and be able to do their own stunts. All of that hard work paid off and made the movie leave a huge mark on pop culture.

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7 Interview With The Vampire (1994)

As Claudia

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8/10 Interview with the Vampire RDramaHorror

Based on Anne Rice’s 1976 novel, Interview with the Vampire tells the story of two vampires, Lestat and Louis, and their complicated relationship after Lestat turns Louis in 1791. Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt star as Lestat and Louis respectively, with a cast that includes Kirsten Dunst as Claudia, the two men’s young charge who Lestat also turns in an attempt to keep a disillusioned Louis from leaving. Christian Slayter rounds out the cast as Daniel Molloy, a reporter to who Louis tells his story in the mid-1990s. 

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*Availability in US Director Neil Jordan Release Date November 11, 1994 Writers Anne Rice Cast Kirsten Dunst , Brad Pitt , Christian Slater , Antonio Banderas , Tom Cruise Runtime 123 minutes

The same year that Kirsten Dunst appeared in Little Women, she also appeared in another period piece, though this one was very different. Inspired by the Anne Rice novel of the same name, Interview With The Vampire was more of a fantasy-drama with a much darker tone.

While the bulk of the story is focused on the vampires played by Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, Dunst also plays a vampire in the movie. She plays a vampire who is turned as a child and has little control over her own urges. Her selfish tendencies lead to the others deciding to let her burn in the sunlight in a particularly harrowing scene. Dunst’s part in the movie isn’t a huge one, but it is a memorable one.

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Dunst was nominated for her first Golden Globe for her work in the movie and won a Saturn Award for the role.

6 The Spider-Man Trilogy (2002-2007)

As Mary Jane Watson

Spider-Man (2002) PG-13ActionAdventureSuperhero

Spider-Man is the first film in Sam Raimi’s trilogy starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. Released in 2002, the film introduced superhero fans to a live-action Norman Osborn, played by Willem Dafoe, who is transformed into his villainous alter ego, Green Goblin, after being forced out of Oscorp Industries. At the same time, Peter Parker is grappling with his newfound abilities as the iconic wall-crawler.

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*Availability in US Director Sam Raimi Release Date May 3, 2002 Writers David Koepp Cast Tobey Maguire , Willem Dafoe , Kirsten Dunst , James Franco , Cliff Robertson , Rosemary Harris , J.K. Simmons , Joe Manganiello Runtime 121 Minutes

For fans of superhero movies, it’s likely that Dunst is always going to be remembered for this particular role. As Mary Jane Watson opposite Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker, she appeared in his entire Spider-Man trilogy.

Because Sony was able to tell a Spider-Man story across three movies (unlike when Andrew Garfield played Peter Parker and rebooted the franchise), many of the supporting characters in Spider-Man’s life were much more fleshed out. As Mary Jane, Dunst is the girl next door who doesn’t have the best home life and dreams of being an actress. She falls for both Peter and his best friend at different points in the movie, and the audience gets to really watch her grow up.

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Though superhero movies aren’t often recognized at prestigious award shows, Dunst and the Spider-Man movies still got some award show love from the Teen Choice Awards, the Kids’ Choice Awards, the People’s Choice Awards, and the MTV Movie Awards.

Related Kirsten Dunst’s Mary Jane Watson Is Still Spider-Man’s Best Love Interest

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5 Marie Antoinette (2006)

As Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette (2006) PG-13DramaHistoryBiography

Directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Kirsten Dunst, Marie Antoinette is a stylized retelling of the life of France’s iconic but ill-fated queen. The film focuses on her youth, opulent lifestyle, and eventual downfall, set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. It is known for its modern soundtrack, lavish costumes, and a unique take on historical events.

Director Sofia Coppola Release Date October 20, 2006 Writers Sofia Coppola Cast Kirsten Dunst , Jason Schwartzman , Judy Davis , Rip Torn , Rose Byrne , Asia Argento , Molly Shannon , Shirley Henderson , Danny Huston , Marianne Faithfull Runtime 123 Minutes

Throughout her career, Dunst has become a frequent collaborator of Sofia Coppola. A few of her best films, including Marie Antoinette, are from her work with Coppola.

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Dunst stars as the title character, playing the ill-fated queen after she is sent to marry the French prince to secure a political alliance. When she becomes Queen Consort of France at just 18, she is still a teenage girl impressed with the trappings of royalty but already bored with the lifestyle, throwing lavish parties to occupy her time. Coppola gave modern sentiments to the movie, which included a candy-colored palette and punk-rock music on the soundtrack.

While some critics didn’t love the lack of historical accuracy, others praised Dunst’s performance and Coppola’s empathetic look at the queen’s life. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert even gave the movie four out of four, high praise, explaining:

This is Sofia Coppola’s third film centering on the loneliness of being female and surrounded by a world that knows how to use you but not how to value and understand you.

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4 Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

As Amber Atkins

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9/10 Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) PG-13Comedy

Drop Dead Gorgeous is a dark comedy mockumentary directed by Michael Patrick Jann. Set in the fictional town of Mount Rose, Minnesota, the film satirizes the fierce competition of small-town beauty pageants by following the contestants and their dysfunctional families. Kirsten Dunst stars as a hopeful contestant alongside Ellen Barkin and Denise Richards, showcasing a tale marked by underhanded tactics and unexpected hilarity.

Director Michael Patrick Jann Release Date July 23, 1999 Writers Lona Williams Cast Kirsten Dunst , Ellen Barkin , Denise Richards , Kirstie Alley , Allison Janney , Sam McMurray , Mindy Sterling , Brittany Murphy

…it gradually became a cult classic.

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Mockumentaries were being made long before The Office and Modern Family made the style popular on television. Drop Dead Gorgeous was not only filmed as though it was a documentary, but it was also a satire that took on the world of beauty pageants at a time when beauty pageants were incredibly popular.

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The movie sees a small town hosting its own local pageant that in turn allows the winners to qualify for a national pageant sponsored by a cosmetics company. Dunst stars as one of the small town inhabitants who enter the pageant, hoping to follow the path to win a scholarship to become a reporter and journalist like Diane Sawyer. Her path to winning, however, seems to be nearly impossible as “freak accidents” keep happening in town that involve the deaths of people close to her.

At the time of its release, Drop Dead Gorgeous didn’t run away with the box office or critical praise. Instead, word of how funny the movie was spread, and it gradually became a cult classic. Its dark humor has left a lasting impression on fans.

Related Where Are They Now? The Cast Of Drop Dead Gorgeous

Dark beauty pageant comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous came out over 20 years ago and had a great cast led by Kirsten Dunst. What are the actors doing now?

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3 Melancholia (2011)

As Justine

Melancholia RDramaDocumentarySci-Fi

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*Availability in US Director Lars von Trier Release Date May 26, 2011 Writers Lars von Trier Cast Kirsten Dunst , Charlotte Gainsbourg , Alexander Skarsgard , Brady Corbet , Cameron Spurr , Charlotte Rampling Runtime 130 minutes

The movie makes for an artful representation of depression taking over…

Though Lars von Trier is a controversial filmmaker, he managed to get great performances out of his cast in the science fiction movie Melancholia.The movie is the second in von Trier’s “depression trilogy,” with each of the movies providing a different exploration of mental health.

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Melancholia centers around the story of two sisters just as a rogue planet is set to collide with Earth. Dunst plays the sister who is supposed to be getting married just before the news of the potential collision is made. As she’s readying to marry, however, she realizes that everyone has decided where her life is going next for her – her boss, her boyfriend, and her sister. She quits her job, breaks off her engagement, and decides to live her life herself, but she also sinks into a deep depression.

In fact, her depression is so severe that she welcomes the impending collision of planets while others around her panic. The movie makes for an artful representation of depression taking over as the colliding planet is aptly named Melancholia, the title of the film.

Dunst was awarded Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival when the movie premiered.

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2 The Virgin Suicides (1999)

As Lux Lisbon

The Virgin Suicides RDramaRomance

The Virgin Suicides, directed by Sofia Coppola, is a drama that explores the enigmatic lives of five Lisbon sisters in a quiet suburban neighborhood. The film is set in the 1970s and chronicles the impact of the sisters’ sheltered upbringing on the community, revealing themes of love, loss, and adolescence. James Woods and Kathleen Turner star as the parents, with Kirsten Dunst featuring prominently as one of the sisters.

Director Sofia Coppola Release Date May 19, 1999 Writers Sofia Coppola Cast James Woods , Kathleen Turner , Kirsten Dunst , Josh Hartnett , Scott Glenn , Michael Paré , Danny DeVito Runtime 97 Minutes

Sofia Coppola made her feature directorial debut with The Virgin Suicides, and Dunst’s work on the movie led to the two collaborating on multiple projects in the future. The movie is based on the 1993 novel of the same name.

The story centers on the Lisbon sisters and the boys who are attracted to them. The sisters are raised in a sheltered and conservative household in the 1970s. When the youngest sister dies by suicide, the elder sisters are held on a tighter and tighter leash, leading to them to act out but to also become even more mysterious to the boys in their neighborhood. Themes of love and loss are most relevant as the movie’s narrator looks back on their adolescence.

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Dunst plays the sister the audience spends the most time with, but she anchors the ensemble rather than filling up the space in the movie alone.The Virgin Suicides was nearly universally praised by critics for the ethereal quality of its visuals and its portrayal of mental health issues in an era when they weren’t discussed.

1 The Power of the Dog (2021)

As Rose Gordon

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8/10 7.7/10 The Power of the Dog RWesternDrama

The Power of the Dog is a Western drama film adapted from the novel by Thomas Savage. When a widow and her son move into a ranch, she captures the attention of a kindly gentleman named George, much to the chagrin of his brother, Phil. After they marry, Phil’s temper begins to flare, and he begins to torment the two – but his behavior may spell disaster when his new nephew’s darker side comes to light.

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*Availability in US Director Jane Campion Release Date November 17, 2021 Writers Jane Campion Cast Frances Conroy , Jesse Plemons , Kirsten Dunst , Thomasin McKenzie , Peter Carroll , Adam Beach , Kodi Smit-McPhee , Keith Carradine , Benedict Cumberbatch Runtime 126 minutes

The Power of the Dog
is still her best film to date.

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Many of Kirsten Dunst’s most acclaimed projects have been inspired by text. The Power of the Dog is, likewise, based on a 1967 novel. It’s also one of her most critically lauded projects, often cited as one of the best movies of 2021, if not the best.

The movie follows a woman (Dunst) and her teenage son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) as they settle in Montana. As she remarries and her new brother-in-law belittles her and her son, more tension simmers below the surface of the relationships. Dunst plays a woman who is lonely, treated poorly, and someone who eventually escapes the torment of their loneliness by turning inward with alcohol. It’s a very different role for her since she’s so rarely played a mother in her career as well, allowing her to explore a very different relationship on screen while playing a very different temperament.

The Power of the Dog was nominated for 12 Oscars, winning one, and seven Golden Globes, winning three. Though Kirsten Dunst was nominated for her work at both award shows, she did not win either award. The Power of the Dog is still her best film to date.

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