SmartLess

Kirsten Dunst

October 6, 2025

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  • Kirsten Dunst revealed that her method for preparing for roles involves 'dream work,' where she asks her unconscious for insights to implement into her character's backstory. 
  • Kirsten Dunst experienced significant emotional distress after not winning her first Golden Globe nomination at age 12, learning early on not to rely on external validation. 
  • The hosts and Kirsten Dunst discussed the difficulty of balancing demanding film careers with parenting, with Kirsten sharing a recent anecdote about her son's drawing expressing his loneliness while she was working. 
  • Kirsten Dunst dreams of working with director Paul Thomas Anderson, who previously recommended her for *Melancholia*, and she maintains contact with him. 
  • Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons met on the set of *Fargo* season two, and while they both knew each other immediately, they waited a year after their respective relationships ended before officially getting together. 
  • The conversation highlighted the critical success and unique, warm tone of the film *Roofman*, directed by Derek Channing Tatum, and Kirsten Dunst's desire to do a big, fun studio ensemble comedy next. 

Segments

Host Name Order and Glasses
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(00:01:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Will requests that Jason always mention his name first when introducing the hosts of SmartLess.
  • Summary: The hosts briefly correct the order in which they introduced themselves, with Will insisting on being named before Jason. They also noted that only Will and Jason usually wear glasses, though Will was not wearing his reading glasses at the time.
Sean’s Weight Loss and Jet Lag
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(00:02:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Sean Hayes lost 15 pounds while performing in England, attributing the loss to jet lag and an unusual sleep schedule.
  • Summary: Sean returned from England having lost 15 pounds, weighing 165 lbs, after sleeping for 12 hours following his arrival. He celebrated by eating pasta and cake for breakfast, noting his body clock was still set to dinner time.
CPAP Machine Use Cessation
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(00:03:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Sean Hayes stopped needing his CPAP machine after losing weight and avoiding sleeping on his back.
  • Summary: Kirsten asked if Sean still needed his CPAP machine, to which he confirmed he no longer did due to weight loss. They briefly discussed old methods for preventing back sleeping, such as strapping a tennis ball to one’s back.
Hollywood Bowl Live Show Announcement
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(00:06:24)
  • Key Takeaway: SmartLess announced a live show at the Hollywood Bowl on November 15th featuring super big guests.
  • Summary: The hosts promoted their upcoming live show at the Hollywood Bowl scheduled for November 15th. They promised several super big guests and other special guests sprinkled throughout the event.
Introducing Guest Kirsten Dunst
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(00:07:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst received her first Golden Globe nomination at age 12 for Interview with the Vampire and recently starred in Civil War and The Power of the Dog.
  • Summary: The hosts introduced Kirsten Dunst, noting her early career success, including a Golden Globe nomination at 12. They mentioned her recent work in Civil War and The Power of the Dog (misidentified as Roofman initially).
Kirsten’s TIFF Encounter and Film Promotion
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(00:08:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst revealed she spoiled her appearance on SmartLess by running into one of the hosts at TIFF while promoting The Power of the Dog.
  • Summary: Kirsten mentioned that she was promoting The Power of the Dog at TIFF when she ran into a host and revealed she was coming on the podcast. She also mentioned releasing a new song the day after The Power of the Dog premiered.
Filming The Entertainment System is Down
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(00:10:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst is starring in Ruben Östlund’s film The Entertainment System is Down, which centers on human conflict when all Wi-Fi and entertainment systems fail on a plane.
  • Summary: Kirsten confirmed her role in the upcoming Ruben Östlund film, which is about the chaos that ensues when all connectivity is lost mid-flight. She auditioned for the role via a self-tape improv scene depicting discovering her on-screen husband’s infidelity.
Auditioning Experiences Comparison
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(00:11:53)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst found auditioning for the Ruben Östlund film more exciting than any role since Interview with the Vampire, contrasting sharply with her childhood audition stress.
  • Summary: As a child, Kirsten cried over not getting The Secret Garden and felt high stakes, while as an adult, she found the self-taped improv audition for the new film exhilarating. She noted that early success meant she didn’t have to audition frequently until later roles like Spider-Man.
Childhood Fame and School Life
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(00:17:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst actively tried to underplay her fame at school, feeling embarrassed by attention and preferring to maintain a normal student life.
  • Summary: Kirsten lived in the Oakwood Apartments complex while attending a regular school, which allowed her a somewhat normal social life. She felt embarrassed by the attention from her early movie roles and actively tried not to be singled out by her peers.
Favorite Junk Food for Final Meal
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(00:36:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst’s ultimate junk food final meal would be an In-N-Out cheeseburger (no onions, extra spread) with a chocolate shake.
  • Summary: When asked about a final junk food meal, Jason chose pizza with well-done fries, Will chose spaghetti (which was deemed not junk food), and Kirsten chose In-N-Out. Sean chose vanilla ice cream, leading to teasing about his simple choice.
Kirsten’s Acting Routine and Dream Work
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(00:39:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst’s consistent routine involves ‘dream work,’ where she asks her unconscious questions about her character before sleep and incorporates the resulting dreams into the character’s backstory.
  • Summary: Kirsten’s primary consistent routine is dream work, a process where she sets an intention before sleeping to gain insight into her character. She then discusses the resulting dreams with her coach to implement them into the character’s narrative, signing off from the character when filming concludes.
Filming Experiences: Melancholia vs. Budapest
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(00:31:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst cited filming Lars von Trier’s Melancholia in Sweden as a great experience due to its cozy, play-like atmosphere, contrasting sharply with a horrible experience filming in Budapest.
  • Summary: The Melancholia shoot in Sweden was comforting because the cast lived together in a small town, creating a cozy environment. Conversely, her time in Budapest was ruined when her son required emergency surgery for appendicitis and a subsequent blockage.
TV Watching Habits and Marriage Dynamics
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(00:47:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst prefers watching television on the couch, while her husband, Jesse Plemons, and co-host Sean Hayes prefer falling asleep with the TV on.
  • Summary: Kirsten avoids watching TV in bed because she associates the bed only with sleeping, whereas Scotty needs the TV on to fall asleep. Sean Hayes’s wife, Amanda, watches on her iPad with headphones while Sean watches TV on the couch, leading to humorous commentary on their differing habits.
Dream Director Collaboration
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(00:49:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst has a strong desire to work with director Paul Thomas Anderson, who previously recommended her for Melancholia.
  • Summary: Kirsten Dunst named Paul Thomas Anderson as a director she dreams of working with, noting he recommended her for Melancholia. She mentioned having his contact information and joked about sending him random headshots over the years. One past interaction involved him calling to ask about another actor’s behavior on set.
Manifestation and Universe Beliefs
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(00:50:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst advocates for manifestation, encapsulated by the phrase “Why not me?”, while Will Arnett expresses skepticism about asking the universe for outcomes.
  • Summary: The discussion touched upon manifesting career goals, with Dunst asserting that putting intentions out there works. She uses the mantra “Why not me?” to approach opportunities. Arnett challenged this belief, asking for a pitch on how asking the universe leads to results.
Meeting Jesse Plemons and Romance
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(00:51:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons met on Fargo season two, and their connection was immediate, though they remained respectful of their existing relationships for a year before dating.
  • Summary: Dunst clearly remembers meeting Plemons at LAX before filming Fargo season two, feeling an immediate desire to be near him due to their similar work styles. Both were in other relationships at the time, leading to a year of respectful contact before they officially started dating after South by Southwest.
Reviewing the Film Roofman
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(00:53:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Roofman is a true story about a man who robbed McDonald’s and hid in a Toys R Us, praised for maintaining a warm, winning spirit despite its dark premise.
  • Summary: The hosts highly recommended Roofman, directed by Derek Channing Tatum, which is based on a true story of a man robbing 45 McDonald’s and hiding in a Toys R Us for months. The film successfully balances its criminal subject matter with great spirit and warmth without becoming sappy or manipulative.
Career Planning and Genre Preferences
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(00:56:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst currently waits for the right projects but hopes her next role will be something big, fun, and comedic, noting a cultural shift away from big ensemble comedies.
  • Summary: Dunst stated she waits for projects but desires to do something fun, like a comedy or a big studio film next. The hosts noted that during dark cultural times, audiences often lack the appetite for big, goofy escapist movies, even though one might expect the opposite.
Movie Watching Habits and Kids’ Tastes
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(00:58:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Kirsten Dunst prefers watching movies in a theater, and her young children have surprisingly dark taste, enjoying films like Venom and Jaws.
  • Summary: Dunst prefers the movie theater experience, admitting she falls asleep watching movies at home. Her four-year-old son was interested in Jaws and watched the beginning, while both her young sons enjoy the first Venom movie, which she admits they probably shouldn’t have seen yet.
Wrap Up and Future Projects
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(01:00:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Roofman is scheduled for release on October 10th, and the hosts praised Kirsten Dunst’s overall career trajectory and positive demeanor.
  • Summary: The release date for Roofman was confirmed as October 10th. The hosts expressed admiration for Dunst’s ability to balance her career, family life, and maintain a delightful personality. They also mentioned another upcoming project referred to as the “airplane movie.”