Kirsten Dunst shares the heartbreaking reason she hasn't acted in years

Kirsten Dunst is officially back in the acting game.

The 41-year-old actor stars in the highly anticipated new movie Civil War, which hits cinemas worldwide next month.

The synopsis for the A24 film reads: "A journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House."

Dunst portrays war photographer Lee in the film, which also stars Narcos favorite Wagner Moura and Parks and Recreation's Nick Offerman.

Before Civil War, the Spider-Man star hadn't acted for two years. Her last role was 2021's The Power of the Dog, which landed her with an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Dunst played Rose Gordon, a lonely and widowed single mother who falls in love with George Burbank (her real-life husband, Jesse Plemans).

Following her Oscar-nominated character portrayal in the Netflix film, Dunst found herself being offered other 'sad mom' roles - something she didn't want.

"I haven't worked in two years," she recently told Marie Claire.

Explaining why, Dunst said: "Every role I was being offered was the sad mom."

Rich Polk/ Getty Images

And taking a break from acting wasn't easy for the mom-of-two.

"To be honest, that's been hard for me because I need to feed myself," she said.

"The hardest thing is being a mom and... not feeling like, I have nothing for myself. That's every mother - not just me."

The actor, who turns 42 on April 30, went on to say that there are 'less good roles' available for women in her age bracket.

However, when the Civil War opportunity came up, Dunst jumped at it - hailing its director, Alex Garland, as 'someone who pushes boundaries'.

While she's not interested in doing 'sad mom' roles, she did express her potential interest in doing another superhero movie.

A24

Dunst candidly admitted the main reason she would it because of the money actors get paid for huge movies like her 2002 movie, Spider-Man, noting that she had two kids to take care of, as well as her mother.

People have since praised Dunst for her honesty and for 'keeping it real'.

"This is the most honest answer this question has ever gotten and I respect the hell out of it," one person penned online.

"Kirsten Dunst keeps it real about the superhero hustle," added a second.

Another wrote: "Fair enough. Keeping it real. Respect."

In the wake of Tobey Maguire recently reprising his role as Peter Parker, who knows what could be in store for MJ...

Marie Claire's Makers Issue is out now.