Kirsten Dunst's Heartfelt Interview: Her Son's Terrifying Health Scare
EXCLUSIVE: Kirsten Dunst Reveals Family's Heart-Stopping Health Scare Abroad
In a candid interview with Town & Country, actress Kirsten Dunst opened up about the terrifying health scare that her four-year-old son James suffered while she was filming in Budapest earlier this year. The 43-year-old mom-of-two revealed that James' frightening illness sent shockwaves through their family, leaving them reeling and desperate for answers.
Dunst, who is married to actor Jesse Plemons, explained that they had brought their entire family with them to Hungary for six months while she worked on her latest project, The Entertainment System is Down. However, things took a dramatic turn when James fell seriously ill, sending his parents into crisis mode.
"I was in the midst of filming, and suddenly my baby is sick," Dunst recalled, her voice trembling with emotion. "It's like living in your worst nightmare. You're imagining all the terrible things that could happen to your child, and it's just... Final Destination, where you're anticipating the worst-case scenario."
The actress admitted that the experience was a rude awakening, forcing her to confront the harsh realities of motherhood. "As a mom, you're always on high alert, wondering if something is going to go wrong," she confessed. "But this was different. This was like being in a war zone, where you're constantly worried about your child's safety and well-being."
Plemons, who has been open about his own struggles with anxiety, joined forces with Dunst to navigate the treacherous waters of parenthood. The couple, who share two sons, Ennis (7) and James (4), had initially planned for their entire family to stay together in Budapest throughout the filming schedule.
However, as James' condition worsened, Plemons made the difficult decision to take their sons back to Los Angeles, where they have an extended support system in place. Dunst, who remained behind to finish filming, described the experience as "heart-wrenching."
"I was left alone in a foreign country, trying to get my child better while also finishing my job," she revealed. "It was like being torn between two different worlds – one where I'm trying to be a good mother and another where I'm trying to be a professional."
In a dramatic turn of events, Plemons flew back to Budapest in April to join Dunst for a brief visit before returning to LA with the boys. The family's ordeal eventually came to an end when James' health began to stabilize.
Dunst was tight-lipped about her son's specific health condition but emphasized that he is now doing fine. "We're grateful that he's on the mend, and we're just trying to move forward," she said, beaming with relief.
The experience, however, has brought Dunst and Plemons closer together as a family. "It brought us together in a deeper way," she gushed. "We realized how precious life is, and how quickly things can change. It's taught us to cherish every moment we have with our children."
As for their future plans, the couple revealed that they are looking forward to taking James on a well-deserved family vacation – courtesy of his own wishes! "We promised him that we'd take him anywhere he wants to go," Dunst said with a smile. "And right now, that means a trip to the Bahamas."
The star's heart-to-heart interview comes just months after she opened up about James' antics on Jimmy Kimmel Live in April 2024. At the time, she described her youngest child as a "crazy little dude" who keeps them all on their toes.
When asked how they manage to balance work and family life, Dunst gushed about her partner-in-crime, Plemons. "He's like my creative soulmate," she raved. "We fell in love creatively first, and it's been a dream come true."
The couple, who got engaged in 2017 after meeting on the set of Fargo Season 2 in 2016, tied the knot in a secret ceremony in Jamaica in 2022.
As their family navigates the ups and downs of life, one thing is certain – Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons are in it for the long haul.