Was Kirsten Dunst your first choice for the role of Lux Lisbon?
When I was writing it, I didn’t have anyone in particular in mind, but when we started casting I thought of her, and of course, she wasn’t available because of a crazy work schedule. She’s been on more film sets than me! So I met a million girls, and I couldn’t find the right one. I was looking for someone to walk in the room and just be Lux. Coincidentally, she was filming in Toronto, and I went to meet her there and it turned out that she might be available. I knew when I saw her she was the right one for the part because she’s a kid and yet so womanly at the same time. The same thing happened with Josh Hartnett. I said to myself, ‘We’ve go to find the perfect Trip Fontaine.’ What sort of approach do you take to directing both veteran and younger actors? You seem so passive and down to earth, but honestly, I was expecting someone who would take on an endeavor like The Virgin Suicides to be high strung and super intense. That was one of the first things somebody commented on. How they
