'Don't call me that': Kirsten Dunst reveals why she hated being called 'girly-girl' on 'Spider-Man' set

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kirsten Dunst reflected on her experiences as a leading lady and the complexities of gender dynamics in Hollywood.

Highlighting the industry's polarizing nature, she recounted her time as Mary Jane in the 'Spider-Man' franchise and being uncomfortable with the frequent use of the nickname "girly-girl." 

Kirsten Dunst felt minimized after the unsolicited nickname on set

Speaking about the nickname she found unsolicited and irksome, Dunst said, "It was a joke, but on Spider-Man, they would call me 'girly-girl' sometimes on the walkie-talkie. 'We need girly-girl...' but I never said anything."

"Like, don't call me that... You didn't say anything. You just took it," she added.

Kirsten Dunst  reveals why she did not want to 'capitalize off the Spider-Man thing'

The 41-year-old actress' portrayal of Mary Jane 'MJ' Watson alongside Toby Maguire's Spider-Man catapulted her to fame.

However, she consciously steered away from the opportunity to "capitalize off the Spider-Man thing" to become a "movie-star-movie-star." 

Instead, Dunst pursued roles that resonated with her on a deeper level as she opted for films driven by artistic fulfillment rather than commercial appeal.

"That's great for some people. It's not the artist that I want to be," said the mother of two.

"It was just growing up, and migrating to things that spoke to me. I always just navigated with my heart," she added, according to ET.

Kirsten Dunst's desire to work with female directors

Dunst emphasized the importance of working with female directors as she believed they recognized her skills beyond surface-level attributes.

"I saw the power in women very young. I think that's helped with... not needing male attention in my career," shared Dunst who has worked with filmmakers like Jane Campion, Leslye Headland, and Sofia Coppola.

Recalling the time she told her manager that she felt she would get hired because "I'm someone that they might want to sleep with."

"I think that's probably why I migrated to so many female directors at a younger age because I didn't want to feel that way," she added.

Kirsten Dunst says she's offered 'sad mom' roles after she entered her 40s

Nowadays, Dunst says she deals with a different issue that comes with being a woman in Hollywood: aging.

Although she quips that "no one cares" about her looks as she enters her 40s, she also candidly admits that she's been offered more than her share of "sad mom" roles as she has gotten older.

"I've been offered a lot of roles like that. Honestly, it's slightly offensive," she said.

Dunst admitted, "I feel insecure like a normal woman, but I also have a good head on my shoulders.. I just have really good people around me."

"I have good girlfriends and my mom's fun and comes over every day. I'm very connected to my family and I have a great husband [Jesse Plemons]," Dunst added.