Kirsten Dunst says she ‘didn’t even think to ask’ about Hollywood’s gender pay gap

Kirsten Dunst has talked about the difference in pay between men and women in Hollywood. She has shared that she didn't consider asking about the discrepancy in her salary and that of the male lead actor in the same movie.

Dunst recently spoke to the BBC and shared that during her time acting in Spider-Man, there was a noticeable difference in pay between her and the main actor, Tobey Maguire. She was only 17 years old at the time and worked alongside Maguire under the direction of Sam Raimi.

In different words, she mentioned that despite being a part of Bring It On whereas he wasn't, she had achieved greater success at the box office than him. When she was 17, she had a lot to learn and was still figuring out her preferred types of movies. At that point in her life, she didn't consider asking about the inequality in compensation. She wasn't even aware that there was a platform to contest it. This is just the way it is when you're 17.

Dunst had talked about the matter before, and she shared her experience with the Independent in 2021. She expressed how there was a significant pay gap between her and Spider-Man, which she didn't realize initially. She just assumed that Tobey Maguire would be earning more since he was playing the lead role. However, she pointed out that both she and Spider-Man were featured together on the second Spider-Man poster.

At present, she is promoting her part in the debatable action flick called Civil War. In the movie, she depicts a war photographer in a dystopian America. She stated that she views herself as a kind of inspiration to others. Her aim is not to enjoy making movies, but to give her best performance in an authentic manner. She hopes that the way she pursued her career will set an example for other actresses.