Only Upon Rewatching Star Trek: The Next Generation Did I Remember Kirsten Dunst's Character From Season 7

Kirsten Dunst appeared in a Star Trek: The Next Generationseason 7 episode before her breakout roles in Interview with the Vampire and Jumanji. With its episodic nature, TNG needed new guest stars each week, and several future Hollywood stars popped up throughout the show's seven seasons. Actresses like Ashley Judd, Teri Hatcher, and Famke Janssen all appeared in episodes of TNG early in their careers. Kirsten Dunst was only around 11 years old when she made her Star Trek debut, as a young alien girl named Hedril in TNG season 7, episode 7, "Dark Page."

Following the continuing adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D, TNG had lost some steam by its seventh season but still found interesting ways to explore its characters. "Dark Page" focuses on Ambassador Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett) and a tragedy from her past that she has long kept buried. It's a surprisingly serious storyline for the flamboyant Lwaxana Troi, and it ultimately strengthens the relationship between Lwaxana and her daughter, Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis).

Kirsten Dunst's Star Trek: The Next Generation Character Explained

Dunst Portrayed Hedril, A Young Cairn Girl Who Befriended Lwaxana Troi

In "Dark Page," Lwaxana takes on the role of teacher for an alien race known as the Cairn, who communicate telepathically but wish to learn verbal communication. Kirsten Dunst portrays Lwaxana's star pupil, Hedril, who causes Lwaxana's memories of her own lost daughter, Kestra, to resurface. Deanna immediately notices that something is amiss with her mother, eventually leading to the reveal that Lwaxana had an older daughter named Kestra who died as a child. Lwaxana had destroyed all evidence of Kestra's existence, but Hedril reminded Lwaxana of the daughter she'd lost.

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In addition to Lwaxana, Hedril traveled to the Enterprise with her father, Maques (Norman Large), a senior diplomat for the Cairn. Hedril knew that she made Lwaxana sad, although she did not understand why. She seemed to genuinely care for Lwaxana, especially considering she did not have a mother figure of her own. When Lwaxana's resurfacing memories sent her into a coma, the image of Hedril appeared in the elder Troi's dreams in place of Kestra. Ultimately, Hedril served as the catalyst for Lwaxana to finally share the truth with Deanna and begin working through her grief and guilt.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Was One Of Dunst's Earliest Roles (Before Jumanji)

Dunst Appeared In TNG In 1993, When She Was Just 11 Years Old

Kirsten Dunst began appearing in television commercials when she was as young as three years old, and she appeared in a couple of minor roles before Star Trek: The Next Generation. Kirsten Dunst's breakthrough role would come the following year when she portrayed the child vampire Claudia in Interview with a Vampire, alongside Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. This role earned Dunst a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Dunst also costarred as Amy in the 1994 adaptation of Little Women, alongside Winona Ryder and Claire Danes.

Many millennials may remember Kirsten Dunst from her portrayal of Judy Shepherd in 1995's Jumanji, which also starred Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, and David Alan Grier.

Kirsten Dunst went on to have a busy career throughout the 1990s and 2000s, starring in numerous films and television shows. Dunst's biggest film at the box office at that point came in 2002 when she starred as Mary Jane Watson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man. Dunst continues to enjoy a successful Hollywood career today and most recently starred in Alex Garland's Civil War in 2024. It's nice to think that Star Trek: The Next Generation played at least a minor role in that success.