Los Angeles, Jan 27 (.) Hollywood actor Kristen Stewart has spoken candidly about the treatment of actresses in the film industry, saying women are often treated like “puppets.” In a recent interview, the Twilight star shared her views on industry culture and gender bias.
“Actresses get treated like shit, I’ve got to tell you. People think anyone could be an actress, but the first time I sat down to talk about my movie as a director, I thought, wow, this is a different experience. They are talking to me like I’m somebody with a brain,” Stewart said, as quoted by Variety.
Opening up about her experience after making her directorial debut, Stewart added, “There’s this idea that directors have otherworldly abilities, which is not true. It’s an idea perpetuated by men. Not to sound like I’m complaining all the time, but it’s worse for female actors than male ones — they get treated like puppets, but they are not. Imogen Poots put her whole body and soul into this movie.”
This is not the first time Stewart has addressed the challenges faced by women in Hollywood.
Speaking previously, she said, “There’s a common act that happens before the acting happens on set: If male actors can protrude out of the vulnerability and feel like a gorilla pounding their chest before they cry on camera, it’s a little less embarrassing. It also makes it seem like a magic trick, like it is so impossible to do what you’re doing that nobody else could do it.”
She further noted that men are often “aggrandised for retaining self,” while women are not afforded the same treatment.
On the professional front, Stewart, widely known for leading the Twilight franchise, has transitioned into direction with her latest project, ‘The Chronology of Water’. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a 6.5-minute standing ovation.
Adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, the film follows a woman’s journey of transforming trauma into art, according to Deadline.
Stewart worked on the project for eight years, underscoring its deeply personal nature. She co-wrote the screenplay with Andy Mingo, and the film stars Imogen Poots, Jim Belushi, and Thora Birch.
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