Hollywood star Kirsten Dunst has made her displeasure abundantly clear after her husband, acclaimed actor Jesse Plemons, was overlooked for an Oscar nomination for his performance in the sci-fi dark comedy thriller Bugonia. The 43-year-old actress, best known for roles in The Beguiled and Bring It On, took to social media to voice her support and critique the Academy's decision.
Social Media Backlash Over Oscar Omission
Dunst actively reposted an Instagram Story from comedian Stavros Halkias that directly criticised the snub. The shared image featured a co-star from Bugonia wearing an angry expression while pointing a gun at the camera, with Halkias's caption reading: 'Me to everyone who didn't nominate Jesse Plemmons [sic] for Best Actor tho.' This public display of frustration highlighted the couple's disappointment at the awards oversight.
Furthermore, Dunst recycled a clip from Ev Durán's Bluff Council Podcast, where the Emmy-winning producer lavished praise on Plemons's work. Durán described the performance as 'transcendent' and compared it to the legendary acting of Daniel Day-Lewis and Sidney Poitier. He expressed concern that Plemons's role was being completely overlooked in favour of other nominees, specifically mentioning Timothée Chalamet's performance in Marty Supreme as very good but not on the same level.
Persistent Advocacy for Plemons's Performance
In a separate Instagram post dated January 9, Dunst shared a compelling still image of Plemons in a scene from Bugonia, captioning it simply: 'Some top-level s**t.' This continued her campaign to draw attention to what she and many fans believe is an award-worthy portrayal that deserved recognition from the Academy.
In the film, Plemons plays Teddy, a troubled conspiracy theorist and beekeeper who kidnaps a pharmaceutical CEO, portrayed by Emma Stone, under the belief that she is an alien. Despite Plemons's individual snub, Bugonia did secure four other Oscar nominations:
- Best Actress for Emma Stone
- Best Picture
- Best Original Score
- Best Adapted Screenplay
The Best Actor category nominees ultimately included Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, and Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent.
Dunst on Motherhood and Fearlessness in Acting
While speaking at an In Conversation event during the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia last month, Dunst opened up about how motherhood has transformed her approach to acting. The mother of two young sons, Ennis, seven, and James, four, whom she shares with Plemons, revealed that becoming a parent has made her a more 'fearless' performer.
'I think anybody who has experienced having children, everything changes,' she asserted. 'For me, it gave me so much more fearlessness in my acting, which is such a gift that they gave me. Also, they gave me, this isn't the most important thing, but now when I do have the time to work and want to work, I can give it so much more.'
Gratitude for a Supportive Partnership
Dunst also expressed profound gratitude for her husband's support and her conscious effort to avoid the more superficial aspects of the film industry. She credited her stable personal life and strong relationships with keeping her grounded.
'I've been very lucky that I have surrounded myself with good people, and I have a wonderful husband, and people that don't get caught up in the frivolous parts of this industry. So that's helped,' Dunst explained. 'Also, I think the truer you stay to yourself and the less you worry about everybody else, then the more the opportunities come, and the right ones come to you.'
This recent advocacy for Plemons's work underscores not only her belief in his talent but also the strength of their personal and professional partnership, as they navigate the highs and lows of Hollywood's awards season together.
