The Power of the Dog is a 2021 Western psychological drama directed by Jane Campion that collected dozens of accolades and nominations when it premiered.

The film features Kirsten Dunst as a widow and inn owner in 1925 Montana along with Benedict Cumberbatch as the domineering ranch owner who becomes increasingly disdainful of her after she marries his brother.

Kirsten Dunst has a lot going on these days, balancing a film career with motherhood, and she still manages to kill it at both. Her fiancé Jesse Plemons also stars in the film, in a truly impressive feat of co-parenting.

So while fans know how she feels about at least one of her co-stars, there have been some confusing messages about her relationship with her other co-star, Benedict Cumberbatch, with some outlets reporting that the two didn't speak to each other on set at all.

Here's what fans need to know about the rumors that Kirsten Dunst and Benedict Cumberbatch didn't speak to each other during The Power of the Dog filming.

The Onscreen Relationship Between The Two Is Pretty Fiery

The Power of the Dog involves a relationship between Kirsten Dunst's and Benedict Cumberbatch's characters that is pretty incendiary. They don't call it a psychological drama for nothing!

Benedict Cumberbatch's character Phil Burbank takes dig after dig at his brother's new wife, showing animosity towards her because he thinks she married his brother for his money.

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Plenty of actors who play onscreen nemeses are chummy in real life, including Kirsten's Spider-Man co-star Tobey Maguire and his on-screen enemy, but according to some reports, it sounded like that may not be the case for Kirsten and Benedict.

Kirsten Dunst explained in an interview with Entertainment Tonight Canada that a lot of the scenes in which Phil takes some of his biggest digs at her character Rose were also scenes she shot by herself.

One scene finds her playing the piano downstairs in the family's home, while Phil tries to outdo her piano-playing with his own banjo-strumming upstairs, interfering with her ability to play.

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Kirsten Dunst explained what those scenes were like to film: "Just the way he trumps her with his artistry when she's trying to play the piano... the little digs he does do, I often shot alone, so I had to create what that was for me."

Kirsten Dunst Confirmed That She Didn't Speak To Benedict Cumberbatch While They Were On Set Together

Kirsten Dunst confessed that "Benedict and I didn't speak on set when we were on set." When the interviewer pressed her to elaborate saying, "I imagine that just, like, helped things along..." Kirsten reiterated that they didn't speak to each other at all outside of their scenes together.

"Yeah, just like, you know, the dynamic was like, there, like...we don't speak to each other."

For many actors, this explanation seems obvious; the two actors needed to create distance for themselves that would show up onscreen. But to some, this dynamic might seem like it's taking things a bit too far.

So was there actually animosity underlying that onscreen dynamic, or could the two put the film aside and relate to each other as people when they left set?

Luckily for the cast — not to mention the whole production team — there was reportedly no IRL drama between any of the film's stars.

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Kirsten Dunst went on to say there were exceptions to this practice, and there were times when Benedict Cumberbatch showed his more human side, even over-correcting and being needlessly apologetic, in Kirsten Dunst's eyes.

"And on the weekends we all got together, obviously, he'd be like, 'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.' It's like, it's okay, Benedict, whatever you need to do to make this role the best it can be, I'm like, 'I'll do the same, you do you,' like, go for it."

This probably sounds more like the Benedict Cumberbatch his co-stars and fans know and love. According to many posts on Tumblr and other internet message boards, Benedict Cumberbatch is actually really lovely to work with and comes to each role with a curiosity about his character and the relationships he is portraying.

Fans have reported that he's been exceptionally kind when he's been stopped for an autograph or a picture, times when you would really think an actor would be irritated at the intrusion.

Instead, they've said he's notably polite and gracious. This is a pretty far cry from the rough and domineering presence like the one he imbues Phil Burbank with, and for his co-star's sake, fans are thrilled.

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