From Birth To Stardom

Kirsten Caroline Dunst was born on April 30, 1982 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey to mother Inez (artist) and father Klaus (medical services executive). About four years later her brother Christian was born, completing the family.

Inez and Klaus had a prolonged seperation, and finally divorced when Kirsten was 13. Kirsten started the road to stardom by becoming an Elite model at the age of four. She then worked her way through modeling, doing commercials and small roles in feature films and television until finally her big break came.

In 1994 at only 13, she made her breakthrough performance in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) alongside such stars as Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination, the MTV Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and the Saturn award for Best Young Actress. In 1995, she was named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. Over the next few years she made a string of hit movies including Little Women (1994), Jumanji (1995) and Small Soldiers (1998).

She proved her status as a leading actress in the comedy hit Bring It On (2000), and she graduated from Notre Dame High School in Los Angeles in June of that year. In 2001 she was a depressed troublemaker in Crazy/Beautiful, a classic film actress in The Cat's Meow, and the object of affection in the teen comedy Get Over It, in which she sang,and was featured on the soundtrack to the film. This same year Kirsten also co-hosted the "MTV Movie Awards" alongside Jimmy Fallon.

In 2002, Kirsten hit the big-time as Spider-Man's leading lady, Mary Jane Watson, in the record-making blockbuster, Spider-Man. After her role in Axis, Kirsten will be seen in Levity, and as M.J. in the Spider-Man sequels.

Kirsten recently graduated high school and attended her prom with friend Andrew Ruby (even though Josh Hartnett offered to take her!) Kirsten plans on attending college to study literature after a break, but will continue acting. She lives in California with her mother and younger brother. She also started a production company with her mother, Wooden Spoon Productions. Kirsten currently resides in California with her mother, brother, 3 cats (Felix, Zorro, Cat) and Yorkshire Terrier (Beauty).

Kirsten as since done enough work for a lifetime! Although already one of the most recognizable of the young talent out there, Kirsten's performance as Mary-Jane Watson in the blockbuster Spiderman propelled her even farther into the spotlight. There's just no denying the talent in Ms. Dunst. She has managed to have a career at the age of 20 that others will never achieve in a lifetime. And she is just getting started.