Kirsten Caroline Dunst ( KEER-stən; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the anthology film New York Stories (1989) and has since starred in many film and television productions. She has received several awards including nominations for an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Golden Globe Awards.
Dunst first gained recognition for her role as child vampire Claudia in the horror film Interview with the Vampire (1994), which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also had roles in her youth in Little Women (1994) and Jumanji (1995). Dunst moved into leading roles in teen films of 1999, the satires Dick and Drop Dead Gorgeous, and the drama The Virgin Suicides, the first of her collaborations with filmmaker Sofia Coppola. After the leading role in the cheerleading film Bring It On (2000), she gained wider attention for her role as Mary Jane Watson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007).