controversy

Kirsten Dunst Explains Her Reaction to Lars Von Trier’s Hitler Comments

Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/2011 Getty Images
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/2011 Getty Images

Kirsten Dunst made some very memorable faces back in May, when Lars von Trier made a series of ill-advised, now very thoroughly discussed jokes about Nazis at the Cannes Film Festival. In an interview with the Guardian, the actress attempted to lend words to her physical reaction: “Well yeah, you could see my face. I was choking, because I’m watching a friend having a meltdown. And what he’s saying is horrendous in a roomful of press … But no one laughed and he just kept unravelling.” Actually, when you think about it, her actions were a little heroic. As she explained to the paper, unlike her Melancholia co-stars — most of whom were also onstage with Von Trier when he started in with Hitler — she was at least trying to do something about the situation: “No one wanted to help. I was the only one to lean in to Lars and get him to stop.” A noble effort, but everyone knows you can’t stop Lars. [Guardian UK via Movieline]

Kirsten Dunst Explains Her Reaction to Lars Von Trier’s Hitler Comments