Kirsten Caroline Dunst, born on April 30, 1982, in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, is an American actress who also holds German citizenship. She began her career at a very young age, starting with modeling and appearing in commercials. Her feature film debut came with an uncredited role in the 1989 film New York Stories.

Her breakthrough role was as Claudia in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles in 1994, where she starred alongside Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. This role earned her a Golden Globe nomination and several other accolades. She continued to gain recognition with roles in Little Women and Jumanji in the mid-1990s.

She transitioned to leading roles in teen films such as Dick and Drop Dead Gorgeous in 1999. She gained wider attention for her role as Mary Jane Watson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy from 2002 to 2007. Her career progressed with notable roles in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Elizabethtown, and Marie Antoinette.

In 2011, she starred in Lars von Trier's Melancholia, earning the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. Her television work includes her role as Peggy Blumquist in the second season of Fargo, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. She also starred in the dark comedy series On Becoming a God in Central Florida, receiving a Golden Globe nomination. Her performance in The Power of the Dog in 2021 earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Her lifestyle reflects her down-to-earth personality and her desire to maintain authenticity in Hollywood. She has spoken openly about the pressures to conform to beauty standards in the industry but has chosen to embrace her natural appearance.

She has been married to fellow actor Jesse Plemons since 2022, and the couple has two sons. They met on the set of Fargo in 2015 and have since collaborated on several projects.

Her career spans over three decades, with a diverse range of roles in film and television. She has demonstrated her versatility as an actress, taking on roles in various genres, from horror and drama to comedy and romance.

Some of her best movies include Interview with the Vampire, The Virgin Suicides, Bring It On, Spider-Man, Marie Antoinette, Melancholia, and The Power of the Dog. Her performances have been praised for their depth and authenticity, earning her numerous awards and nominations.

She has received a Cannes Film Festival Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award, three Satellite Awards, and two Saturn Awards, among others. She has also been nominated for an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Golden Globe Awards.