It doesn’t happen that often, but every once in awhile a child actress of amazing beauty and poise actually matures to become an adult actress of amazing beauty and poise, without falling into the myriad pitfalls that accompany growing up under Tinseltown’s harsh spotlight.
Kirsten Dunst is one actress who has managed to do just that.
Kirsten’s infectious, dimply smile and sparkling blue eyes set her apart from the rest of the young actresses around her–as well as a killer instinct in choosing the right movies to be in. And even though she’s just turned 20, Dunst is already a seasoned Hollywood veteran.
Dunst started her career as a little tow-headed three-year-old model doing commercials. Her first movie, at the age of seven, was New York Stories— clearly, she hit the ground running.
Kirsten’s big break came at the tender age of 13, when she won the coveted role of child vampire Claudia in the 1994 big screen adaptation of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, earning her a Golden Globe nomination. Duirng her childhood she made a string of cute movies–from the endearing remake Little Women to the action-packed Jumanji.
Then came the teen years. Dunst was smart in her choices, picking higher-quality and just plain fun teen fare, such as Bring It On and Get Over It. Plus, she won rave reviews for her role as one of the doomed daughters in The Virgin Suicides.
Now, with more than 20 films under her belt, Dunst is poised for movie superstardom. Last month she played the famed Marion Davies, who stole the heart of William Randolph Hearst, in the independent flick The Cat’s Meow. And now comes Spider-Man, the big blockbuster based on the popular comic-book; Dunst stars as Mary Jane Watson, the object of Peter Parker’s affection.
As a young girl, just starting out on the road to stardom, she once said, “I’d like to grow up and be beautiful. I know it doesn’t matter, but it doesn’t hurt.” Little did she know it would actually come true.
Looking back at Kirsten’s repertoire, we marvel at how she’s grown.
