Kirsten Dunst really seems to have matured in the past few years. She’s looking well put together and sober lately, where she’s had some serious fashion missteps in the past. In an appearance on Ellen yesterday, Kirsten was funny, self-deprecating and open. She told some funny stories and even got serious for a moment and spoke in general terms about battling depression. Kirsten went to rehab for “depression” in 2008, and insisted that it was not for “drug or alcohol abuse.” The way she explained it in 2008, she “was struggling,” and “had the opportunity to go somewhere and take care of myself.” On Ellen, Kirsten said something similar about how fame kind of drained her, but that she was not really comfortable discussing her bout with depression. She was gracious and handled the subject well. Kirsten also said that she’ll do promotion for her films, but that she doesn’t go to events as she feels uncomfortable. She also admitted that she lives with her mom, and joked about having to brush cat litter out of her bed! I’m really warming to her. Here’s more:

On her career break
I definitely took a little bit of a break. Also, when you’re in your 20s you’ve got to figure things out and take a step back… it reinspired what I do.

On depression
It’s not something I don’t feel like totally comfortable talking about. It’s a very personal thing I dealt with.

On being sensitive in the business
As an actress, you’re supposed to be sensitive and vulnerable and have this side to you. But then you’re supposed to be like super sociable and ‘on’ and like, nice to everybody. That’s a weird dichotomy. It’s a lot to ask of a person. It’s not a normal thing.

On going to events
I avoid the red carpet as much as possible. You have to do it to promote your movies obviously, but you won’t see me at an event for the sake of it.

On living with her mom
I’m in New York. But right now I’m at my mom’s house… My mom, my grandma, my aunt’s there visiting and my cousins live there. Three generations of ladies and three cats. So things are really looking up for me.

On having the cat litter in her bedroom
I have the worst bedroom. Downstairs near the garage. I’m leaving the cat litter box out of there. Because there was like granules on my bed and when I got out of the shower, melting cat littler. It’s hard to keep clean.

That’s hysterical! She has a great attitude about living with her family. She probably has a house in LA too anyway. It sounds like she’s in such a good place in her life.

Ellen told Kirsten, who won best actress at Cannes this year, that she’ll probably get an Academy Award nomination for Melancholia. She also inevitably asked her about director Lars Von Trier’s Nazi comments that got him booted from the film festival. Kirsten explained “He was so nervous and he just got started on a tangent and then wouldn’t stop. So it was like watching your friend just put their foot in their mouth deeper and deeper and deeper. I was so embarrassed for him.” She also explained that Von Trier was trying to make a joke. “YouTube it, my face is actually pretty funny.”

Later on in the show, Ellen and Kirsten played Guesstures with the audience. It was funny as hell and Kirsten really rolled with it. Whatever she went through, she’s come out the other side and she’s better than ever. I’d love to see her in more films.

Kirsten is shown on 11/3 and 11/4 on GMA and at the AFI Film Fest. Credit: WENN. Story via ONTD