Kirsten Dunst Recalls Terrifying Experience Kissing Josh Hartnett in ‘The Virgin Suicides’
To mark the 25th anniversary of Sofia Coppola’s feature directorial debut, The Virgin Suicides, star Kirsten Dunst and Coppola herself attended a special screening at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 1. During the event, Dunst opened up about her experience playing the promiscuous character Lux Lisbon, who falls for Josh Hartnett’s Trip Fontaine.
According to an interview with People, Dunst revealed that when she first read the script of the psychological romantic drama, she was worried because it was a lot of things that she was feeling that she hadn’t expressed. "They were very private," she confessed. Dunst, who was 16 years old at the time, was particularly apprehensive about filming a kissing scene with Hartnett.
As reported by People, Dunst recalled that Coppola reassured her, saying, "Just nuzzle into their shoulder and we’ll shoot it abstractly." However, the kissing scene in question, which takes place in a car, proved to be a memorable experience for Dunst. "That was a really memorable night," she explained. "So I was waiting, [Sofia was] like, ‘Okay, you can go.’ And I had to jump on Josh in a car, which — I was a very innocent 16-year-old — was terrifying."
Dunst also shared a behind-the-scenes anecdote about the scene, revealing that Hartnett’s wig fell off during filming, leaving her embarrassed. In an interview with People, she recalled, "I remember his wig fell off one time. I was so embarrassed… He told me, ‘I think you bit me.’ I was like, ‘Oh God.’"
The film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1999 and was released in a limited number of US theaters on April 21, 2000, tells the story of the five Lisbon sisters, whose Catholic parents are relentlessly strict and overprotective. As reported by People, The Virgin Suicides is based on a book of the same name by Jeffrey Eugenides and follows the tragic events that unfold when each sister takes her own life.
In an interview with People, Dunst and Coppola also revealed that they played the song "Crazy on You" by Heart during the filming of the kissing scene, which accompanied the pivotal moment between Lux and Trip. "The song helped," Dunst said of approaching the scene. "It helped to have a soundtrack for that shot." Coppola added, "I think a lot of scenes, it helps to play the music."
The Virgin Suicides is available to rent on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and YouTube. The film marks a significant collaboration between Coppola and Dunst, who have spoken fondly of their experience working together. As Dunst noted in an interview with People, "It all was very real. The timing of it was real, which gave you that kind of anxiety watching it."
The special screening at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles was a celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary, with Dunst and Coppola in attendance. According to People, the event provided a unique opportunity for fans to revisit the film and hear from the cast and crew about their experiences working on the project.
Source: People.com
