Kirsten Dunst knows what it’s like to hit bottom, said Josh Patner in Flare. “I think most human beings go through some sort of depression in their life,” says the 29-year-old actress. “And if they don’t, that’s weird.” Dunst speaks from experience: In 2008, she checked into a rehab center in Utah to be treated for crippling depression.
Things started unraveling in 2006 when critics tore apart Marie Antoinette, which starred Dunst as the French queen. “The movie was so personal to me, and it was like everyone was stomping on my heart.” More flops followed, as did a breakup with her boyfriend. But she found herself unable to talk about her pain. “And because of what I do for a living, I had to keep giving. It can dissolve you.” She also thought that suffering would make her a better actress. “I would hold on to insecurities, because I thought it would help me. You see in people’s eyes what they’ve been through.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 exclusive cartoons about Trump and Putin negotiating peaceCartoons Artists take on alternative timelines, missing participants, and more
-
The AI arms raceTalking Point The fixation on AI-powered economic growth risks drowning out concerns around the technology which have yet to be resolved
-
Why Jannik Sinner's ban has divided the tennis worldIn the Spotlight The timing of the suspension handed down to the world's best male tennis player has been met with scepticism
