‘Civil Warfare’ Star Kirsten Dunst On Working With Director Alex Garland

Final spring, when Alex Garland’s Civil Warfare premiered, the evocative photographs of a rustic irreparably divided felt like a cautionary, if nonetheless considerably distant, story. When Deadline spoke to Kirsten Dunst, who performs battle photographer Lee Smith, two weeks earlier than the 2024 election, the movie appeared to have acquired an extra layer of horror. “It’s terrifying,” says Dunst. “We made this film three years in the past, when the battle in Ukraine had simply began. However to set this in America was very thought-provoking and haunting.” We spoke to Dunst about immersing herself within the nation’s worst-case situation, and why, in the end, she ran in direction of the problem. 

DEADLINE: While you had been studying the script the primary time, what had been your ideas about it?

KIRSTEN DUNST: I knew was going to do one thing upsetting, however studying it, I used to be on the sting of my seat. I didn’t even really feel like I used to be studying a script. It felt like I used to be holding my breath your entire time. After which, to truly begin filming it, the way in which Alex shoots may be very practical and virtually like a play. So, by the tip of the movie, with two weeks of simply straight gunfire, it was terrifying to be part of.  

DEADLINE: As an actor, you run in direction of a challenge like this for a purpose. What’s it about placing your self on this scenario that’s interesting?

DUNST: To be trustworthy, I all the time select based mostly on the director. I don’t care about my position. I actually don’t. I care about my expertise and who I’m working with. So, I might actually have finished any script with Alex Garland. I like once I go into one thing and really feel immersed in a novel approach and their very own approach. That’s all I actually have, on the finish of the day. You may hope that the film is nice, or individuals are involved in seeing it, however what I’ve is the method, so I search for what’s going to satisfy me as an actress.

DEADLINE: Earlier than you labored with him, what drew you to him as a creator?

DUNST: He’s very truthful. He’s such an clever, human author, and journalism was one thing he grew up with, so he’s very accustomed to this world. And I imagine his conviction in what he does. He all the time appears very passionate and pushed — and likewise at battle with himself and what he’s creating, in a approach. And I favored the truth that he’s in it with you, that he’s very clear what he desires to do. He’s a superb thoughts.

DEADLINE: While you say he’s in it, what does that imply?

DUNST: He’s simply very important in a approach that’s crucial for a filmmaker, particularly for a movie like this. He’s on each second [making sure it] feels genuine and actual. As a result of one thing like this, it has to really feel such as you’re on this journey with these individuals, and the entire surrounding stuff has to really feel very actual. I believe he did that with the way in which he shot it.

DEADLINE: I think about that that is both probably the most terrifying expertise or, like most horror motion pictures, so absurd that you simply radically distance your self from what’s onscreen.

DUNST: Truthfully, you need to know what probably the most terrifying factor was for me? Not trying like I knew what I used to be doing with the digicam, like I’ve been holding it for years and years. That was truly my biggest worry. My pals who’re photographers gave me the seal [of approval]. They had been like, “You look so good.” In order that’s all I cared about.

DEADLINE: What was your analysis course of into photojournalism and battle correspondence?

DUNST: There was nonetheless a whole lot of COVID precautions on the time, in order quickly as I knew I obtained the position, I had Alex ship me the digicam that I used to be utilizing. I labored with a photographer in Austin, Texas, as a result of my husband [Jesse Plemons] was working there. I needed to go to locations the place it was actually crowded, however I couldn’t. I principally had the digicam on me always and simply shot my youngsters, shot Christmas, shot no matter I might. After which we watched this Marie Colvin documentary known as Beneath the Wire. That was probably the most useful for me, research-wise, but additionally, what these individuals undergo and the way they danger their lives and what they see is simply so horrendous. That documentary was intense. It’s deeply disturbing.

DEADLINE: What’s probably the most unnerving factor about it?

DUNST: It simply was a really unfiltered battle documentary — the horrors of battle and the casualties of youngsters and all of it. And also you watch her die on this documentary. The entire thing is so harrowing and makes you actually take into consideration all these journalists on the market making an attempt to inform the reality. To even be there may be clearly risking your life. In order that weight of capturing issues and never interfering, despite the fact that on a human degree, you’re like, “Ought to I take this image? Ought to I not?” I’m positive it’s so sophisticated. I simply have a lot respect for battle journalists.

DEADLINE: Paradoxically, I really feel like among the most actual scenes in Civil Warfare are them taking pictures the sh*t, whereas battle rages round them. The scenes the place there’s an overlay of music they usually’re simply type of having amusing — that half is equally jarring.

DUNST: Yeah. I imply, some individuals get excessive off of it as a result of regular life doesn’t actually do something. I really feel like Lee is somebody who in all probability takes no pleasure in going out to dinner anymore. You already know what I imply? All of it feels so phony to Lee, is how I considered it. However different individuals, like Wagner [Moura]’s character, get a bizarre excessive from it. It makes him really feel extra alive.

DEADLINE: You shot the movie virtually chronologically. What does that accomplish?

DUNST: I believe it was helpful to be main as much as worse and worse issues, to then be within the battle scenes on the White Home. All of the historical past of what we went by actually amped up the sentiments, and that undoubtedly helped. However I believe we had been dreading sure scenes, just like the scene with Jessie [Cailee Spaeny] and the mass grave. That took two days and we had been all joyful when that scene was over. It was so darkish. After which the tip; I used to be interested in individuals who get premonitions of after they’re going to die, so I watched a Netflix documentary that talked about that. I type of used that for Lee on the finish as a result of that is how I noticed it. One thing was telling her to not go in as a result of she was going to die. I used that breakdown Lee has, as her physique saying, “Don’t go in there.”

DEADLINE: How would you describe her frame of mind initially of the movie?

DUNST: Lee having this be on her house turf is an entire new degree of… not considering that it might occur. I’ve a line within the film that’s like, “I despatched these warnings house, on a regular basis, and no one listened.” So, I believe that there’s a drive and a mission and a despair, and while you maintain all that inside for therefore lengthy, it’s going to come back out in some methods. She’s a reasonably hardened particular person at that time.

DEADLINE: When she meets Jessie, she turns into a reluctant mentor of types. What’s her relationship to Jessie?

DUNST: At first there may be an unstated type of factor, the place it’s like, “Oh, you had been me. I used to be you.” And for the primary scene we’ve collectively within the foyer the place we truly discuss, I mentioned to Cailee, “What if beneath all this, we had been mom and daughter in a previous life?” in order that there was a deeper factor taking place, reasonably than simply saying issues about like, “OK, be sure you have this vest or this digicam or a helmet subsequent time.” No matter it’s that I used to be saying, there’s a deeper connection between them. I all the time prefer to mess around with these unconscious emotions, so issues are deeper rooted than they seem.

DEADLINE: I really feel like Lee is making an attempt to dissuade her from happening that highway.

DUNST: After all, she doesn’t need to be there when she dies. She doesn’t need that accountability on her shoulders, Lee.

DEADLINE: Or for Jessie to show into Lee.

DUNST: She’s warning her. Yeah, as a result of it’s depressing being Lee.

DEADLINE: You will have been working for 36 years. Is there a scenario at work that you simply haven’t on some degree skilled earlier than?

DUNST: I don’t know. In my older age, I don’t tolerate individuals not being good to the crew in any respect, and I haven’t skilled that in a really very long time. However that’s one thing that actually bothers me. I really feel just like the extra you distance your self from the group of this group that’s all collectively making this film, it’s so isolating and would make me really feel so bizarre. I haven’t skilled that with an actor. I did expertise that briefly with a director, however I used to be so younger. I used to be similar to, “Whoa.” He simply yelled, and it was ridiculous, and I can’t tolerate that, simply not being type to different individuals.

DEADLINE: Do you discover that you simply’re extra of a collaborator now, with administrators or whoever you’re working with?

DUNST: Yeah, I really feel like we’re on this factor collectively. We’re collaborators, and we’ve to belief one another and be there for one another and be type as a result of everybody’s being very weak. You desire a supportive group.

DEADLINE: Particularly while you’re taking pictures issues like Civil Warfare. You talked about the mass grave scene, however what had been these different scenes that you simply had been actually dreading?

DUNST: The boys hanging within the automobile wash. Truthfully, driving by the hearth. I do know it was secure, nevertheless it felt very harmful. I used to be like, “There’s sparks throughout us and we’re in a automobile.” That freaked me out and it was not presupposed to be a freakout second. Generally the way in which Wagner would drive, I used to be like, “Oh, that was an enormous bump.” Yeah, I wasn’t trying ahead to all of the gunfire. Simply listening to that a lot gunfire is unsettling. And Alex favored to make use of full rounds as an alternative of half rounds of blanks, so it was very, very loud. I’m not used to that, so it does one thing to your physique. I believe it took me two weeks to only really feel type of regular once more.

DEADLINE: What was the aftermath of this challenge like?

DUNST: I all the time like when issues really feel as actual as doable with individuals on units and in appearing. However coming house, it simply was a bit of bizarre, like, “Oh, we went to lunch with the youngsters and went to the park.” It simply didn’t really feel actual. It simply felt like my physique needed to settle down, however what do you do? You simply must get again to regular life. Yeah, it simply felt very loud. The final two weeks had been very intense, so I believe that whether or not it was gunfire or whether or not you’re doing scenes which might be very emotional, it does take a toll in your psyche, your physique and your thoughts. Sure motion pictures are tougher than others to come back down from. And this took me a sec.

DEADLINE: I assume you ended up watching the ultimate product. How did you are feeling, dwelling by it once more?

DUNST: It seems virtually such as you’re watching a house video, as a result of I’m simply fascinated with the place we had been taking pictures and what occurred that day, what we ate. I do know that sounds foolish, nevertheless it was simply laying on these cots in these tents for hours. I simply take into consideration what occurred that day.

DEADLINE: Possibly that’s the healthiest method to a movie like this, as a result of what you described earlier is how battle correspondents describe coming house, how every thing feels not actual.

DUNST: Yeah, I can’t think about it for actual, for actual. However watching the film, I used to be impressed by the way in which Alex had put it collectively and edited it. I felt like I used to be watching one thing I didn’t count on, with the music and I actually beloved the way in which that he ended the movie, with that picture creating. I believe this film’s very totally different and I can say that I’m happy with myself. And, additionally, the truth that it was profitable. You don’t know. Nobody is aware of. I really feel like that doesn’t all the time occur. So, I used to be actually excited that it did so properly within the theaters.

DEADLINE: What’s subsequent for you?

DUNST: Nicely, subsequent I’m going to do a film with Derek Cianfrance known as Roofman. After which I’m going to work with Ruben Östlund, and I’m actually enthusiastic about each.

DEADLINE: They’re very totally different as filmmakers. How is it to adapt to those auteurs?

DUNST: I don’t really feel like I’m adapting. I really feel like there’s a purpose that all of us needed to work collectively. There’s a top quality in me and there’s a top quality in them that we relate to, on some degree. I believe that that’s a fantastic factor, to create artwork with individuals that you simply admire after which they need to work with you, too. That’s the dream, as an actor. I really feel just like the older I get, the extra I’ve to present. So, in flip, it’s extra exhausting on the finish of the day, but additionally extra satisfying.