What You Never Knew About Kristen Stewart
You probably recognize Kristen Stewart from her time playing Bella Swan in the "Twilight" films, the hit vampire romance series based on the popular books by Stephenie Meyer. Even if you didn't watch the series, they were such a sensation that you probably saw Stewart on countless billboards and magazine covers with her costars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. Since her time in the franchise, she's appeared in a variety of roles, from indies to blockbuster movies. Some of her most well-known films are "Café Society," "Charlie's Angels," "Personal Shopper," and "Happiest Season." The American star also took on an iconic English figure, playing Princess Diana in 2021's "Spencer."
Whether you're a huge Stewart fan or not, the actress has had quite an impressive and exciting career. She's spent her entire young adult life in the public eye, facing challenges and growing and changing in front of all of us. So, you might think you know all there is to know about her, but there's a lot more to Stewart's past, personal life, and career that isn't common knowledge.
She used to be the highest-paid actress in Hollywood
Kristen Stewart reached an impressive milestone early in her career. In 2012, Forbes listed her as the highest-paid actress in Hollywood. This was primarily due to her lead role as Bella Swan in the incredibly popular "Twilight" series.
When the first of the films came out, Stewart was only 18, and though she'd acted from a young age, she was relatively unknown. Because of this, she likely didn't make as much off of the first few films. But, with the success of the series, Stewart became more and more indispensable to the studio. As Forbes pointed out in its article, it's not as if they could cast a new actress for Bella Swan without sending fans into an uproar.
Forbes estimated that Stewart made $12.5 million per film on the last two installments in the franchise. She also had a share of the profits in her contract. But her success didn't stop at "Twilight." By then, Stewart was wildly famous and had starred in 2012's "Snow White and the Huntsman." With yet another blockbuster to her name, Forbes put her total earnings from May 2011 to May 2012 at around $34.5 million.
Joan Jett was impressed by Kristen Stewart's portrayal of her
In 2010, Kristen Stewart starred alongside Dakota Fanning in the biographical film "The Runaways." The movie follows the all-girl 1970s rock group of the same name with Stewart playing Joan Jett, the band's guitarist. Jett is a monumental figure in rock music both for her time in The Runaways and later in Joan Jett and the Black Hearts. So, Stewart had some big shoes to fill. As she told Parade, "It's an immense responsibility to play a real person, one of the most intimidating things that I've ever had to confront."
Fortunately, Stewart took that responsibility seriously and didn't disappoint, at least not according to Jett herself. In an interview with CinemaBlend, the rock legend talked about Stewart's portrayal of her. "She's authentic," Jett said. "I don't mean to put words in her mouth, but what I get is she feels she has to do it justice."
Jett also said that there are certain similarities she saw between herself and the actress: "When you see us together physically, the energy is so similar. The way we move, the way our hands move and our hair, the way we talk, we start and don't finish sentences. It's really bizarre, but in a great way."
She's also a musician
Another reason Kristen Stewart was the perfect choice to play Joan Jett is that she's a musician herself. While playing the rock legend, Stewart did her own singing. The actress also plays guitar, and Jett told MTV News that she advised Stewart on how to copy her style. "During the filming, she was playing guitar. We went through it. I showed her the positions that I play — because some guitar players will use different hand positions on the boards — so I showed her how I played it, and she picked it up really well," Jett explained.
But that wasn't the only time that Stewart flexed her musical abilities on-screen. You can hear her voice in 2007's "Into The Wild" when she sings "Angel from Montgomery."
Though she hasn't performed in any recent roles, it seems Stewart still has a love for music. In a 2016 interview with Elle, she shared that she has a soundproof room in her home so she can "play drums really loud." Let's hope she shows off her drumming in a future film!
Her parents also work in Hollywood
Though she may not have become as well-known as she is today until "Twilight," Kristen Stewart started acting years before. Her first credited role was as Sam Jennings in 2001's "The Safety of Objects." It makes sense that she broke into acting young when you consider that she grew up with two parents who worked in Hollywood. According to Bustle, Stewart's mother, Jules Stewart, is a script supervisor, and her father, John Stewart, is a stage manager.
In a photography book, "The Art of Discovery: Hollywood Stars Reveal Their Inspirations," Kristen Stewart discussed her parents' impact on her early career. E! News later quoted the interview, sharing, "I thought what they did for a living was awesome." Stewart envisioned herself on set too, but it wasn't until her role in "The Safety of Objects" that she realized what acting meant to her. "I thought, 'Wow this isn't just a cool job like my parents have, this is who I am,'" Stewart said. It seems her instincts were right since she's brought us incredible performances ever since.
Jodie Foster didn't think Kristen Stewart would become an actress
Though she got her first acting role as a child, it wasn't easy for Kristen Stewart to get those first few parts. She told Vanity Fair that, though her mother wasn't exactly excited about her daughter's desire to become an actress, she began taking her to auditions at the age of 8. Stewart recalled auditioning for commercials and never being the right fit: "You can feel that the adults aren't getting what they want no matter how old you are."
But things started to turn around after her part in "The Safety of Objects." The very next year, she was cast in "Panic Room." At only 11, she had a significant role, acting alongside Jodie Foster. Recalling working with Stewart, Foster said she was very "mature" and "analytical." She told Vanity Fair about a conversation she'd had with Stewart's mother in which she'd asked, "Kristen doesn't want to be an actress, right?" Foster had assumed the young actress wouldn't make a career out of performing because "Kristen does not have the traditional personality of an actress," noting, "She doesn't want to dance on the table for Grandma and put a lampshade on ... If anything, she's uncomfortable with that."
She and Robert Pattinson got in 'trouble' while shooting Twilight
Playing Bella Swan in "Twilight" made Kristen Stewart an international sensation with her picture on posters and tabloids around the world. But before the major fame, Stewart was just trying to make the first "Twilight" movie the best it could be. Stewart told Vanity Fair that she and costar Robert Pattinson didn't want their acting to be super "polished."
"Me and Rob got into a lot of trouble," Stewart said. Though the director, Catherine Hardwicke, didn't mind, it caused tension with the studio, which Stewart said wanted Pattinson to "be not so brooding" and her to "smile all the time."
While Stewart may be a talented actress, she's never been known for being exceptionally smiley, and she didn't want to change herself. "I have been criticized a lot for not looking perfect in every photograph," the actress said. "I'm not embarrassed about it. I'm proud of it. If I took perfect pictures all the time, the people standing in the room with me, or on the carpet, would think, What an actress! What a faker!"
She was a big defender of her Twilight character
Although "Twilight" was wildly popular, it was also heavily criticized, with some critics having a particular problem with the main character, Bella Swan. A common complaint put towards Stewart's character is that she's not a good example of feminism. As argued by Tanya Gold in a Guardian article, though Bella should be the hero of the story, she spends a lot of time giving up control to her vampire boyfriend, Edward, as played by Robert Pattinson.
However, Stewart defended her character from these criticisms. While Bella is not an action hero, the actress explained to Vanity Fair that she finds Bella strong in a different, more subtle way. "In fact, you have someone who is stronger than the guy she is with, emotionally. Fight for the thing you love — you are a remarkable person if you do it. It's a cop-out to think that girl power is all about gusto and ballbusting."
She's directed a film that's 'totally about personal relationships'
Along with her impressive acting portfolio, Kristen Stewart has also tried her hand at directing. She's done a few shorts and directed an episode of the 2020 Netflix series "Homemade." Her short film "Come Swim" got some buzz when it came out in 2017 due to its subject matter. The indie film, which premiered at Sundance, centers around a relationship, and based on Stewart's interview with the Los Angeles Times, it seems she drew inspiration from her own life. "I wanted to externalize a literally internal thought process," she said. "I read through poems of mine from the past few years and I was like 'I'm writing the same poem over and over. If I don't make this movie, I can't move on.'"
Though the film is very symbolic, she confirmed it was about a romantic relationship. "Dude, it's totally about personal relationships," she said. "Full-on heartbreak." This had many fans guessing it could be about her relationship with former "Twilight" costar Robert Pattinson.
According to People, the pair was rumored to start dating in 2009. They mostly kept their relationship private despite being the talk of celebrity gossip. But, in 2012, they parted after a public scandal in which it was revealed Stewart had cheated on Pattinson with "Snow White and the Huntsman" director Rupert Sanders. Their intense relationship and dramatic separation captured media and fan attention and bolstered gossip that the short film could be about him.
Kristen Stewart was bullied in school
As you can imagine, starting her career so young made it difficult for Kristen Stewart to keep up with a typical school schedule. So, the actress switched to homeschooling while she was in high school. But Stewart didn't mind the transition and told Vanity Fair that independent study was a much better fit for her.
Not only was it easier to work with her acting schedule, but she also hated her time in public school. Growing up, she was more of a tomboy and said she usually wore her brother's clothes or gym clothes. Because of this, she was often bullied for not dressing like everyone else. "I didn't even think about it," Stewart said, adding, "But it's not like I didn't care that they made fun of me ... I remember this girl in sixth grade looked at me in gym and was like, 'Oh my God! That's disgusting — you don't shave your legs!'" Looking at her success now, it's pretty safe to say Stewart got the last laugh.
She's open about her sexuality
Ever since her public relationship with Robert Pattinson, who Kristen Stewart is dating has been a constant topic of public interest. So, when she began dating Alicia Cargile in 2014, it sparked lots of questions about her sexuality. Rather than trying to keep it a secret, Stewart stayed open about her sexuality. In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, the actress said, "You're not confused if you're bisexual. It's not confusing at all. For me, it's quite the opposite." However, Stewart later told Harper's Bazaar that she doesn't identify as a bisexual or a lesbian and just prefers not to label herself at all.
Stewart didn't want to hide her relationships with women, but she's received some pushback on that throughout her career. She told Harper's Bazaar, "I have fully been told, 'If you just like do yourself a favor, and don't go out holding your girlfriend's hand in public, you might get a Marvel movie.'" But the actress said she didn't "want to work with people like that" anyway and continued to live her life authentically.
Donald Trump doesn't seem to be a fan
The idea of Donald Trump giving his opinion on the star of "Twilight" may seem odd, but back in 2012, the then-future president had a lot of opinions about Kristen Stewart's dating life. After rumors of Stewart cheating on her boyfriend Robert Pattinson with her director started making headlines, Trump had a surprising amount to say on the subject and took to Twitter to let everyone know about it. In a series of tweets, Trump advised Pattinson not to go back to Stewart, saying such things as, "She cheated on him like a dog & will do it again — just watch" (via Harper's Bazaar).
At the time, Stewart told Variety that she didn't think much of it because she only knew of Trump as a reality TV star. Though once he became president, the idea of him tweeting at her was a lot stranger. When Stewart hosted "SNL" in 2017, she spent part of her opening monologue discussing Trump's apparent dislike for her. After reading a series of vicious tweets, she said jokingly, "To be fair, I don't think Donald Trump hated me. I think he's in love with my boyfriend," which got a big laugh from the audience.
She knew she wanted to marry her fiancée early on in their relationship
Kristen Stewart began daring her current flame, Dylan Meyer, in 2019. Meyer is a screenwriter and actress in her own right. She's best known for her writing credits on "Moxie," "Miss 2059," and "XOXO. In a November 2019 interview, Stewart told Howard Stern that they'd first met on a film set but then hadn't seen each other again for six years. They met again at a mutual friend's birthday party. Stewart said when they saw Meyer again, she thought, "Where have you been, and how have I not known you?"
Throughout the Howard Stern interview, the actress continued to gush about how in love with Meyer she is. She even told Stern that she couldn't wait to ask Meyer to marry her. The two hadn't been dating for a year yet at the time, but the lovestruck actress said she had the perfect proposal planned out. She also clarified that she wouldn't propose right away. "I want to be like somewhat reasonable about it, but I think good things happen fast," Stewart said.
However, it turns out that Meyer would be the one to propose, something Stewart must have realized she wanted after her 2019 interview. Stewart shared the good news to Stern in November 2021, saying (via CNN), "I wanted to be proposed to, so I think I very distinctly carved out what I wanted and she nailed it. We're marrying, it's happening."
She was nervous to play Princess Diana
The American actress plays the beloved Princess Diana in "Spencer," a biopic about Diana's decision to leave Prince Charles while spending Christmas with the royal family. Stewart told BBC News that she was so nervous about portraying such an iconic figure that her jaw locked up, and she had a hard time opening her mouth before they started shooting.
Feeling an immense responsibility to do the part justice, Stewart said she read and watched everything about Princess Diana that she could find. She specifically mentioned watching old interviews with Diana and the interpretation of her in "The Crown." "I just tried to absorb her in an emotional and general way, and then trust the process, and expect her to show up," Stewart said.
It seems that her work paid off. She's gotten rave reviews for her portrayal of Diana, with one reviewer calling her performance "brittle, tender, sometimes playful and not a little uncanny."