Kirsten Dunst addressed the shifts seen in the film and television industry since the rise of the #MeToo movement during an onstage conversation at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. As one of Hollywood’s prominent actresses, Dunst shared her insights on #MeToo progress, mentioning how new standards have taken root among actors, directors, and industry professionals.
When asked by an audience member whether male colleagues had absorbed the lessons of #MeToo, Kirsten Dunst responded candidly, offering a perspective shaped by her decades in front of the camera. She said,
“I think we’ve put a lot of people away. I feel like people definitely can’t get away with what they used to. That’s for sure.”
– Kirsten Dunst, Actress
Safer Environments and Shifts in Attitudes
Dunst elaborated on changes she has noticed throughout the industry, highlighting enhanced vigilance and caution following the movement’s launch. She stated,
“Everybody has an eye out now. So I think that it’s a much safer environment for all of us.”
– Kirsten Dunst, Actress
Touching on her personal journey as a former child actress, she reflected on her own fortunate circumstances during her early years in Hollywood. Dunst shared,
“I was lucky. I had a good family, a good mother. My mother was always around. Like, I never had anything, you know, negative happen to me like that. I was very protected.”
– Kirsten Dunst, Actress
Positive Experiences on Set from an Early Age
Kirsten Dunst chose to highlight affirmative moments from her career, particularly her early experience at age 11 while filming Interview With the Vampire. She reminisced,
“I remember everyone treating me like a little princess, that’s for sure. Like I remember it was Christmas time and Tom Cruise put a gorgeous Christmas tree in my dressing room.”
– Kirsten Dunst, Actress
Safe and Nurturing Work Environments with Female-Led Teams
Discussing Lars von Trier’s 2011 film Melancholia—for which she was awarded Best Actress at Cannes—Dunst praised the collaborative atmosphere fostered by von Trier’s team. She described the production by saying,
“I felt so safe. Lars … his whole team was women, around him. It was such a calm and nurturing environment, and all the other actors were so wonderful,”
specifically mentioning Alexander Skarsgård and Charlotte Rampling as memorable collaborators. – Kirsten Dunst, Actress
Dunst further explained the personal freedom she felt while filming, remarking,
“So just to be there and feel so comfortable and not question anything that I did … it was one of the most freeing acting experiences for me that I’ve ever had.”
– Kirsten Dunst, Actress
Sofia Coppola’s Support and Impact on Dunst’s Confidence
The actress also celebrated her professional relationship with Sofia Coppola, director of the 2006 period drama Marie Antoinette. Dunst highlighted how Coppola’s validation during her teens contributed greatly to her self-assurance in a critical industry. She said,
“She thought I was beautiful, and at 16, to have someone you look up to so much think that of you really gave me, like, such a huge, huge confidence. You know, I didn’t have an older sister, so that gave me a very big confidence. It’s not like I was overly confident, but it was like a quiet knowledge that I had inside me, that sustained me while I was growing up in this industry.”
– Kirsten Dunst, Actress
Anticipation Builds for Upcoming Work
Kirsten Dunst offered a brief preview of her forthcoming movie, The Entertainment System Is Down, directed by Ruben Östlund and featuring Keanu Reeves. Comparing her approach on this project to her time on Melancholia, Dunst noted how she immersed herself in her role without worrying about audience perception, stating she
“just didn’t think about the audience,”
and adding,
“I felt like I bared a part of myself, and so it’s weird that it’s going to come out because of what I’ve shown, what I know that I’ve done. So, in the moment, you don’t think about it, but then you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, people are gonna watch me doing this. Wow, that’s crazy.’”
– Kirsten Dunst, Actress
Ongoing Industry Evolution and Forward Momentum
Through her remarks at the Red Sea Film Festival, Kirsten Dunst underscored significant changes related to the #MeToo movement, highlighting greater vigilance, accountability, and support systems, especially for women and younger performers. With the participation of global talent at the event in Saudi Arabia, her reflections offered optimism about further progress in making the entertainment industry a safer, more inclusive environment. As her career continues with diverse projects alongside notable figures like Keanu Reeves and under directors such as Ruben Östlund, Dunst’s perspective points toward a future where safety and respect remain central.
