From Nervous to Natural: Channing Tatum & Kirsten Dunst Open Up on Their Chemistry in Roofman

In Roofman, a film based on the unbelievable true story of “Roofman” Jeffrey Manchester, both stars praise each other’s authenticity—Tatum admits to being intimidated, while Dunst applauds his genuine nature—fueling what promises to be one of the fall’s most compelling character dramas.

When Roofman begins its theatrical run on October 10, 2025, audiences will see a side of Channing Tatum that both challenges and affirms his range—and one that was fashioned in part by his relationship with co-star Kirsten Dunst.

Tatum recently reflected on the surprise of finding in Dunst not a distant Hollywood icon, but someone down-to-earth. “She’s not a diva, where she could easily be … and have earned that. And she’s not,” he shared in an interview. “She wants to have a cigarette and a whiskey with you and talk shit.”

At Roofman’s Los Angeles premiere, Dunst returned the compliment. Though she and Tatum hadn’t met prior to filming, their first shared scene—set in a singles mixer at a Red Lobster—laid the groundwork for something real. “We spent zero time together,” Dunst recalled. “He’s a very genuine human being and someone who can’t lie. He is just like a good human. What you see is what you get with Chan.”

Directed by Derek Cianfrance, Roofman is based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, a former Army reservist who turned to robbing McDonald’s locations—cutting holes in their roofs—to support his family. After serving time, he escaped prison, then went into hiding in a Toys “R” Us for six months, during which he meets and falls for Leigh (Dunst), a spirited single mother.

Cianfrance has said he chose Tatum for Roofman precisely because he wanted to showcase all facets of the actor’s craft: the action, the romance, the vulnerability. Tatum, meanwhile, has expressed both excitement and a sense of mission in portraying someone with a deeply flawed past but also with capacity for humanity.

Tatum confessed that working with Dunst stirred unexpected nerves. Despite his many years on screen, he admitted he was “intimidated” by her, particularly recalling her early work—films like Interview with the Vampire left a lasting impression. “I was so intimidated to work with her … I just wanted her to like me,” he said during a recent festival premiere.

For her part, Dunst resists the Hollywood stereotype. Her praise of Tatum’s openness and sincerity—“What you see is what you get”—speaks to a working relationship built on trust rather than ego. It casts Roofman not only as a story of a man hiding from the law, but also of artists finding their authentic rhythm with each other.