Kirsten Dunst Reveals the Toughest Part of Parenting When Jesse Plemons Is Away
Kirsten Dunst says the toughest part of raising two kids is when Jesse Plemons is away for work, opening up about their tag-team approach to parenting while promoting her new film Roofman.
Kirsten Dunst is out promoting a new movie and, in the process, gave a very honest snapshot of what it is like parenting two little boys when her husband, Jesse Plemons, is off on a job. Spoiler: it is hard, and sometimes you just need to phone a friend.
The podcast moment that turned into a parenting confession
On Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett's podcast SmartLess, Dunst was asked if she and Plemons trade off work and kid duty. She answered with a very real story from, literally, the night before: she hit a wall, grabbed the kids, and decamped to a friend's place because she could not do solo bedtime one more night.
"It is so hard. I had a real moment last night. I was like, 'I can't parent alone tonight, I just can't.' I took them with me."
She also showed the hosts a photo from home: Dunst in a room getting ready with the door shut, and on the other side, one of her sons, upset, having slipped a note under the door that read 'I need you.' Bateman described it for listeners and asked if he slid the note under; Dunst confirmed he did. Extremely relatable parent content.
How Dunst and Plemons tag-team the chaos
When Plemons is away, Dunst lets the kids sleep in her bed. When they are both around, it is a 'whoever is up next' situation. They had the summer together, but there is no master system in place yet — just two working parents doing triage with two boys, ages 4 and 7. As Dunst put it, they are still figuring it out and, yes, it is a lot.
One thing she is firm on: homeschooling is not in the plan because, as she joked, she does not want her kids to be weird.
So what is Roofman, anyway?
Dunst is starring in Derek Cianfrance's film Roofman opposite Channing Tatum. It is based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, a former Army Ranger who became infamous for breaking into McDonald's by cutting through the roof. After he escaped prison, he hid out inside a Toys 'R' Us to stay off the radar. Wild true-crime energy, very specific 2000s mall-store vibe.
- Title: Roofman
- Director: Derek Cianfrance
- Stars: Kirsten Dunst, Channing Tatum
- Premise: The Jeffrey Manchester story — roof jobs at McDonald's, a prison escape, and a stealth stay inside a Toys 'R' Us
- Release: In theaters October 10, 2025