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Who Is Kristen Stewart?
Kristen Stewart is a versatile actress who began her career as a child performer before achieving fame as a teen icon. She gained significant recognition for her role as Bella Swan in the acclaimed Twilight series, which catapulted her to international stardom. Following this success, Stewart showcased her talent in a variety of films, including Snow White and the Huntsman, Still Alice, and Café Society. More recently, she has joined the cast of the reboot of Charlie’s Angels, further demonstrating her adaptability as an actress.
Early Life & Career
Born on April 9, 1990, in Los Angeles, California, Kristen Jaymes Stewart was raised in a creative environment. Her father, John Stewart, worked as a stage manager, producer, and director, while her mother, Jules Mann-Stewart, is a scriptwriter. This artistic background provided Kristen with early exposure to the entertainment industry. At the age of eight, she made her television debut after a performance in a school Christmas play caught the attention of a talent scout. This led to her first acting role in the Disney Channel movie The Thirteenth Year (1999).
Film Breakthrough: Panic Room
Stewart’s career took a significant leap forward in 2001 when she appeared in the independent film The Safety of Objects. However, it was her pivotal role in the 2002 blockbuster Panic Room that marked her breakthrough. Co-starring alongside seasoned actors Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, and Jared Leto, Stewart portrayed a diabetic teenager in a gripping narrative. Her nuanced and compelling performance garnered critical acclaim and established her as a formidable talent in Hollywood, contributing to the film’s impressive box office success of $95 million.
Cold Creek Manor
Kristen Stewart next took on the role of the daughter of Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone in the suspense drama Cold Creek Manor (2003). Despite delivering commendable performances alongside her co-stars, the film’s plot was heavily criticized by both reviewers and audiences, leading to a lackluster box office performance. Following this, Stewart appeared in two more films in the subsequent year that also struggled commercially: the light-hearted teen adventure Catch That Kid (2004) and the adventure drama Undertow (2004), which, despite receiving decent reviews, was released primarily on video.
Into the Wild and The Cake Eaters
Stewart showcased her versatility as an actress in the Showtime special feature Speak (2005), portraying a teenager who becomes mute after experiencing sexual assault. That year, she also appeared in the sci-fi film Zathura and the drama Fierce People (2006). After several modest box office successes, Stewart garnered critical acclaim for her role as a teenage commune member in the biopic Into the Wild (2007). This performance reignited interest in her career, and she subsequently starred in Mary Stuart Masterson’s The Cake Eaters.
Twilight, Adventureland, and The Runaways
The year 2008 marked a significant turning point for Stewart. She starred alongside Robert De Niro in the Hollywood satire What Just Happened? before landing the lead role opposite teen heartthrob Robert Pattinson in the adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling series, Twilight (2008). The films, which center on a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire, boasted a dedicated fan base even before the release. Stewart quickly became a romantic icon for many adolescents, propelling her to A-list status.
Her newfound popularity in the Twilight franchise overshadowed other projects, including her starring role in the comedy Adventureland (2009), her performance in Welcome to the Rileys (2009), featuring James Gandolfini, and her portrayal of rocker Joan Jett in the 2010 biopic The Runaways, alongside Dakota Fanning.
Twilight Sequels and Romance with Robert Pattinson
The release of The Twilight Saga: New Moon in 2009 proved to be an even greater success than its predecessor, grossing over $290 million in the U.S. alone. Both Stewart and Pattinson saw their young fan base expand significantly, accompanied by intense media speculation regarding their off-screen romance.
The Twilight series continued with three additional films, concluding with The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 in 2012. The final installment achieved remarkable box office success, earning over $140 million in its opening weekend. Overall, the Twilight franchise amassed more than $3 billion globally, as reported by Box Office Mojo.
Snow White and the Huntsman
In the same year that the Twilight series reached its conclusion, Kristen Stewart experienced notable box-office success in another prominent role. She took on the iconic character of Snow White in Snow White and the Huntsman, starring alongside Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron. This film reimagined the traditional Snow White narrative, portraying the character as a formidable warrior. It emerged as one of the summer’s most popular hits.
However, Stewart faced significant personal backlash later that year when it was revealed that she had been involved in a romantic relationship with Rupert Sanders, the married director of Snow White and the Huntsman. In light of this revelation, Stewart publicly apologized to her then-boyfriend and Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson for her indiscretion. Despite her attempts at reconciliation, the couple ultimately ended their relationship shortly thereafter.
Still Alice, Café Society, and Charlie’s Angels
In 2014, Stewart showcased her versatility by appearing in three films: Camp X-Ray, Clouds of Sils Maria, and Still Alice. The following year, she featured in the indie film Anesthesia and American Ultra, alongside her former Adventureland co-star Jesse Eisenberg. Stewart continued to expand her repertoire with a role in Woody Allen’s Café Society (2016) and the critically acclaimed biographical thriller Lizzie (2018), which centered on accused ax murderer Lizzie Borden. She later returned to mainstream cinema with the 2019 reboot of Charlie’s Angels.
Spencer
Stewart is set to portray Princess Diana in an upcoming film that delves into the royal’s tumultuous separation from Prince Charles.
Personal Life
Following her high-profile relationship and subsequent breakup with Twilight co-star Rob Pattinson, Stewart has been linked to a number of women. Identifying as bisexual, she dated model Stella Maxwell and is currently in a relationship with screenwriter Dylan Meyer.