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. Her role as the young vampire Claudia in Interview with the Vampire earned her instant fame and credibility as an actress at the young age of 13. article continued below.....

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. Her role as the young vampire Claudia in Interview with the Vampire earned her instant fame and credibility as an actress at the young age of 13.

Kirsten as since done enough work for a lifetime, and she's only 19! 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 has also been involved with community service and charities, working with Tuesday's Child, Elizabeth's Glaser's Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and California Page Flippers, an organization to promote reading with young children.

• Was a Ford model as a child.
• Dated Jake Hoffmann (the son of Dustin Hoffman).
• Won an MTV Award in 1995 for Breakthrough Performance.
• Her favorite movie is Schindler's List (1993).
• Beat out Christina Ricci for roles in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) and Little Women (1994)
• Attended the Anne Rice's Memnoch Ball in New Orleans in 1995.
• Appears in the Savage Gardens video "I Knew I Loved You".
• One of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People of 1995
• Parents are separated. She lives with her mother Inez, and brother Christian in Southern California.
• She is working on her own production company with her mother called "Wooden Spoon Productions". The name symbolizes women and creativity, and was inspired by her grandmother.
• Graduated from Notre Dame High School, a private Catholic high school in Los Angeles, in May/June 2000
• (August 2000-March 2001) Dated actor Ben Foster.
• Loves to clean
• Turned down the role of Angela in American Beauty (1999).
• Went to the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, NJ up until the sixth grade, when she left to pursue her career in California.
• Made her singing debut performing the song "Dream Of Me" from Get Over It (2001).
• Nabbed the lead role of Peter Parker's girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man (2002) after Kate Hudson and Alicia Witt turned it down.

• Tom Cruise on working with Kirsten: "We're all in awe of her maturity as an actress. There seems to be the experience of a 35-year-old actress in the body of this little girl."
• "I'd like to grow up and be beautiful. I know it doesn't matter, but it doesn't hurt."
• Boys frustrate me. I hate all their indirect messages, I hate game playing. Do you like me or don't you? Just tell me so I can get over you.
• Why would I cry over a boy? I would never waste my tears on a boy. Why waste your tears on someone who makes you cry?
• On turning down the role of Angela in "American Beauty":
  "When I read it, I was 15 and I don't think I was mature enough to understand the script's material. I didn't want to be kissing Kevin Spacey. Come on! Lying there naked with rose petals?"