Cast your mind back to 2006; the Indie Sleaze aesthetic was all the rage, indie darlings Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen were the soundtrack to our existence, and our favourite fashion film The Devil Wears Prada was becoming the cultural icon it is today.
However, across Hollywood a 22-year-old Kirsten Dunst was starring as the Queen du jour in Sofia Coppola’s love letter to Paris in Marie Antoinette.
The historical drama was lauded for its unique saccharine style, dreamy aesthetic, modern soundtrack and most notably, the excessive and opulent costuming for which the film won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design at the 2007 Oscars.
Now, 16 years later, the beloved actress has sat down with her Marie Antoinette co-star Jamie Dornan for Variety’s actors-on-actors series to reflect on the experience as young stars and filming intimate content.
Dunst revealed that Marie Antoinette was Dornan’s first acting gig, with the Irish heartthrob responding “I remember thinking it might be my last.”
Dunst and Dornan both turned 23 on the set of the film, with the actors actually a day apart, giving the pair an unlikely bond when working on a large Hollywood production.
Dunst then shared that she was “nervous” when filming scenes with Dornan.
“All our stuff was like making out, and I’m not comfortable with that. It’s never comfortable, ever,” the actress said.
The biggest revelation from the film came when Dunst was discussing the intimate scenes she was required to shoot for the role.
“I think my first time I even showed my breasts was with Sofia. She never used the take,” Dunst recalled, “I felt overwhelmed too.”
Dornan, Dornan, who portrayed Antoinette’s lover, the Swedish court member Count Axel, responded in kind “God, that’s crazy to know. I mean, you handled it well. I thought you were in control of everything.”
Actresses are increasingly speaking out about their experiences of shooting nude, with Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney recently talking about the “stigma against actresses who get naked on screen”.
“When a guy has a sex scene or shows his body, he still wins awards and gets praise, but the moment a girl does it, it’s completely different,” the 24-year-old shared with The Independent.
