Kristen Stewart wants you to know one thing loud and clear: She cares. While her sometimes uncomfortable public demeanor has been targeted by critics, she told Elle in the June cover story, “I hate it when they say I don’t give a s–t, because nobody cares more than I do. I’m telling you I don’t know anybody who does this that gives a s–t more than I do.”
Right on, K-Stew. The crazy rocket ship ride to fame the Kristen has taken these past few years would be difficult for even the most seasoned veterans to handle. In a matter of three years she has gone from a teenage actress whose resume included largely small indie pictures to the star of one of the biggest international franchises on the planet. But don’t mistake awkwardness with misery. She told the magazine about being on the red carpet:
People say that I’m miserable all the time. It’s not that I’m miserable, it’s just that somebody’s yelling at me … I literally, sometimes, have to keep myself from crying … It’s a physical reaction to the energy that’s thrown at you.
It’s an experience E! Online gossip columnist Ted Casablanca can attest to the insanity. He wrote about the atmosphere at the The Yellow Handkerchief premiere where he saw photographers “screaming at Stewart (and her publicist) to “move out of the f—–ng way” and just give them a solo shot.”
Now, many might argue that this is the life Kristen signed up for when she became an actress. But the insatiable celebrity industrial complex that has been built up around our stars has spiraled out of control. Wanting to be an actor shouldn’t be an automatic waiving of all rights to privacy. And just because you’re famous, doesn’t mean you should be hunted for profit. As Kristen said in the cover story:
It’s insane! Once somebody finds out, you have to get the hell out of wherever you are. People freak out. And the photographers, they’re vicious. They’re mean. They’re like thugs. I don’t even want to drive around by myself anymore. It’s f—–g dangerous.
And by dangerous, she means random strangers coming to her room at night:
Somebody knocked on my hotel room door and asked for a light, then said that they were a big fan. I was like, “Do you really need me to light your cigarette? How do you know what room I’m in?” I can’t be by myself and I like being by myself.
Sure, more seasoned stars might handle the spotlight better. But more introverted and reserved personalities like Kristen shouldn’t be punished for feeling overwhelmed by the attention. If only crazy, unabashed extroverts were stars we’d have nothing but a sea of Tila Tequilas on the red carpets. No one wants that.
So perhaps it’s time we rethink how we characterize the Kristens of the word. As she told the magazine:
I think it’s funny that when I go onstage to accept an award, they think I’m nervous, uncomfortable, and awkward — and I am — but those are bad words for them.
But there’s one lesson Kristen has already learned well about the fame game. There is no end to the public’s appetite for the most intimate of details. When asked about Team Edward vs. Team Jacob she said: “I would never cheapen my relationships by talking about them. People say, ‘Just say who you’re dating. Then people will stop being so ravenous about it.’ It’s like, No they won’t! They’ll ask for specifics.”
The girl has a point.
