Kirsten Dunst opened up about her experiences of being nicknamed “Girly-Girl” on the set of the “Spider-Man” films in an interview with Marie Claire published Tuesday.
The acclaimed actress, known for her role as Mary Jane Watson in the series, shared her experiences on set and her subsequent regrets over not standing up for herself in those moments.
“It was a joke, but on ‘Spider-Man,’ they would call me ‘girly-girl’ sometimes on the walkie-talkie,” she told Marie Claire while discussing her latest project, “Civil War.”
“But I never said anything… like, don’t call me that,” she added. (RELATED: ‘Spider-Man’ Actress Marisa Tomei Says She Pitched Idea Her Famed Character Should ‘Be With A Woman’)
Lights, Camera, Kirsten! 📸
Introducing Marie Claire’s Makers Issue, starring @kirstendunst. Read the full cover story here: https://t.co/dgQj38N6O1
— Marie Claire (@marieclaire) March 5, 2024
“You didn’t say anything. You just took it,” Dunst continued, describing a culture in which staying silent was expected.
Reflecting on the wave of women in her field speaking out against abusive practices, Dunst has expressed her appreciation for the women directors she’s had the opportunity to collaborate with throughout her career, starting with Gillian Armstrong, who directed 1994’s “Little Women.”
“I saw the power in women very young,” Dunst told Marie Claire. “I think that’s helped with…not needing male attention in my career.”
Dunst has repeatedly chosen to work with female directors, including Sofia Coppola on “Marie Antoinette” and “The Virgin Suicides,” Leslye Headland on “Bachelorette,” and Jane Campion on “The Power of the Dog.”
Aware of the potential biases her appearance as a conventionally attractive blonde might provoke in male directors, Dunst once confided to her manager her concerns about being cast for her looks rather than her talent, she told the outlet.
“I feel like I get hired because I’m someone that they might want to sleep with,” Dunst told Marie Claire.