Kristen Stewart has been in the acting business since she was a child, gaining prominence at the age of 12 for her role in Panic Room. Yet, no amount of being a famous child actor could have prepared her for the fame and popularity she received after starring in Twilight. Skyrocketing to international fame with her portrayal of Bella Swan, Stewart, like any other actor found it difficult to navigate through her newfound success.
While it was both a bane and boon for her career, Stewart’s portrayal made her feel frustrated and trapped by her iconic role. It got worse for her when she realized the reality that Twilight would forever remain part of her life and career.
Kristen Stewart Had a Hard Time Post-Twilight Fame
Kristen Stewart has not held back about how her life changed after the immense success of the Twilight series and the negative impact of her overnight fame. Starring as Bella Swan, the actress’ life turned upside down when she said yes to the first movie back in 2008. Although her role put her at the forefront of the Hollywood spotlight and brought her worldwide fame, it also brought with it an unforeseen burden.
Back in 2009, after the release of the first film, the actress described how every conversation had to have Twilight mentioned at least once. Instead of celebrating her as an actor and her future and past work, the constant talk of the film frustrated the young star. So to nobody’s surprise, Stewart remarked to Interview Magazine the following when asked about her newfound success,
The sad thing is that I feel so boring because Twilight is literally how every conversation I have these days begins—whether it’s someone I’m meeting for the first time or someone I just haven’t seen in a while. The first thing I want to say to them is, ‘It’s insane! And, as a person, I can’t do anything!’ But then I think to myself, God damn it, shut the f*ck up.
While Stewart is not the only one to speak thus, it is a sad reality that celebrities go through at least once in their lives. Furthermore, the intense scrutiny and high expectations from fans of the book series added significant pressure, making her experience even more challenging.
Kristen Stewart Felt Pressurized Post-Twilight Fame
Kristen Stewart was certainly eager to prove herself as an actress when she signed up for the first Twilight film. And she certainly did do a brilliant job at portraying her character with all the subtle and nuanced details required for the role. However, while making the first film, the future sequels of the flick weren’t planned.
Seeing the success of the first film, the future movies, based on the book series of the same name, were eventually green-lit. However, this only added to the woes of the actress, who now felt more pressured given the established fandom of the books and the desire to do an even better job in future movies.
Speaking to Interview Magazine, Stewart revealed,
I do feel more of a pressurized strain than what is typical for me. Usually, what drives you is your own personal responsibility to the script and the character and the people you are working with. But in this case, I have a responsibility not only to that but to everyone who has personal involvement in the books—and now that spans the world.
Further elaborating, the actress remarked that since the books were written in first-person narrative, Bella Swan feels more personal to a lot of readers, making it impossible for her to satisfy the expectations of fans.
Remaining persistent to prove herself, the actress remarked that she decided to be unabashedly honest all of the time, which ultimately turned out to be the best approach for a character like Bella Swan.
The Twilight franchise can be streamed on Peacock.
