Kirsten Dunst Says She Attributes Her 30-Year Career to 2 Factors (Exclusive)

Kirsten Dunst is opening up about her decades-long career in Hollywood.

Dunst chatted with PEOPLE exclusively at the L.A. premiere of her new movie, Roofman, at the Paramount Lot on Sept. 29. During the conversation, the actress revealed that she attributes her longevity in the notoriously fickle entertainment industry to two key elements.

“Good friends and good family,”  Dunst, 43, said while speaking to PEOPLE.

The Civil War star went on to say that she feels “very proud” to still be making films and pursuing her passion after all this time.

“I think that I just feel very proud that I can keep doing films that I want to do, and that […] the industry has embraced me still and keeps doing so. I really appreciate growing up, finding my path and being part of making movies that mean a lot to me,” she said.

Dunst, an industry veteran, landed her first major role at 11 years old, starring opposite Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in 1994’s Interview with the Vampire. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the gothic thriller.

“[I was] treated like a princess,” she said in April 2024 while speaking to The Telegraph about her experience making the film.

She added, “Yes, it was a virtually all-male set, but everyone was very gentle and kind, and nothing ever felt weird.”

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“One morning, around Christmas, I remember going into my dressing room […] and [Tom Cruise had] set up a beautiful tree in there for me, covered in ornaments,” she recalled.

Dunst quickly went on to become a household name, starring in such hits as 2000’s Bring It On and 2002’s Spider-Man. However, she said that her career wasn’t without trials and tribulations. In 2024, she shared that the gender pay gap was very real when she was coming up in the industry — and it was a long time before anyone was talking about it.

“I was very young, and it just felt like at the time, what do you do?” she said in a 2024 interview with the BBC.

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“I didn’t even think to ask [about equal pay],” she added, recalling a time in which she was paid significantly less than a male costar who had fewer credits to his name.

Currently, the actress is promoting her new crime drama, Roofman, which also stars Channing Tatum, 45. The film is based on the real-life story of professional thief Jeffrey Manchester (Tatum), a man who hid in a Toys “R” Us after escaping from prison, only to fall in love with a divorced mom (Dunst), further complicating his double life.

While speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the premiere, Dunst said she chose the role largely because she wanted to work with the film’s co-writer and director, Derek Cianfrance, who is known for such evocative and critically acclaimed films as Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines.

“Working with Derek Cianfrance, that was my … I’ve always wanted to work with him,” Dunst explained. 

She added, “I love the way he loves actors, and he always wants to go for authenticity and real feelings, and I really appreciate that in him. And then, yeah, after Civil War, I was like, ‘Okay, this is a polar opposite. Let’s go down this road.’ ”

Roofman hits theaters nationwide Oct. 10.