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Kirsten Dunst Reveals Her Favorite Music

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The star of this month’s All Good Things on the soundtrack to her life.

What was the last concert you attended?
San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. I’d been on the road with Jenny and Johnny for a couple of weeks, so I saw them, Conor Oberst with the Felice Brothers, and Gillian Welch.

Do you have a favorite music video?
“November Rain.” I was a big Guns N’ Roses fan when I was seven. My friend who lived across the street had long dark curly hair and I had long blonde hair, so I’d dress up as Axl and she’d be Slash, and we’d rock out in front of the mirror singing “Patience.”

What was the last song that made you cry?
When I’m working, I always listen to music to zone everyone else out. On the set of [the upcoming Lars von Trier thriller] Melancholia, I was using Beach House’s “10 Mile Stereo.” They’re my favorite new band.

Who’s the most controversial artist that you’ve been a fan of?
In high school I had a boyfriend who was super into rap, so I was into Too $hort and Wu-Tang for a little while. And my best friend’s older brother would sometimes drive us home in this pimped-out truck, and he’d play all his dirty rap music. We thought we were really cool.

What’s the most prized T-shirt in your collection?
My Les Misérables shirt. It was my first musical. Most people go for Éponine, but I’m on Team Fantine. I love “I Dreamed a Dream.”

Name a playlist on your iPod.
In the spirit of Elvis, it’s called Taking Care of Business, or TCB. It’s just music that I’m listening to right now: Leonard Cohen, the Zombies, and this old Nancy Wilson song called “How Glad I Am,” which is from Hard to Find 45s on CD, Volume 7.

Whose music has helped you get over a breakup?
Joni Mitchell. She has a masculinity about her, and I think she really understands men. I don’t get that from a lot of females.

Name a band that a costar has turned you on to.
The Haunted House ride in Disneyland is one of my favorites, and [All Good Things costar] Ryan Gosling had the soundtrack, The Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House. It has all the narration and screams and cats. I was excited that I could buy it on iTunes!

If you were to curate a festival, who would be the headliner?
I’ve never seen Tom Petty, so he would definitely be there.

What song do you associate with your first kiss?
The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You.” It was in junior high and I was at a party in someone’s backyard and there was a Playskool plastic playhouse. This guy was my big crush, but I guess he didn’t like me. It never happened again, but that kiss was the biggest deal to me.