Why Kristen Stewart ‘Felt Bad’ For The Twilight Sequel’s Directors

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Sometimes a book adapted for the screen, especially in the Young Adult genre, becomes a huge success. The Twilight movies were a prime example, launching the careers of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Stewart, who recently directed her first film, The Chronology of Water, has shared that she sympathizes with the directors who took on the Twilight sequels.

The Twilight films became incredibly popular when they were released, beginning with the first movie in 2008. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, it closely followed the story in Stephanie Meyer’s book. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kristen Stewart discussed how Hardwicke had more creative freedom than the directors who worked on later Twilight movies, saying:

You know, revisiting the first Twilight film, what really strikes me is how much of Catherine Hardwicke’s vision shines through. It’s rare for a director to maintain that level of personal authorship, especially on a project with so much external pressure. Honestly, navigating all those studio notes and fan expectations while still delivering something that feels like your own work? That’s a nearly impossible feat. It’s easy to lose yourself when everyone else seems to have an opinion, and she managed to avoid that completely.

That makes sense. Every movie involves many different opinions, but adapting the Twilight books for the big screen was particularly challenging. Catherine Hardwicke managed to create her vision for the first film, but it seemed harder for the directors of the sequels to do the same.

You know, in a recent interview, Kristen Stewart was talking about working with Chris Weitz and Bill Condon on the later Twilight movies, and it was really interesting. She actually said she felt both sorry for and impressed by them, which is a complicated feeling! She even wondered if they ever felt like they were truly in charge of those films, like they actually directed them, and it got me thinking…

Despite a restrictive production environment, the Twilight sequels possessed a unique identity. They were surprisingly energetic and self-assured. It takes a relentless, almost single-minded dedication to achieve that level of commitment, and as an actor, you can’t help but admire it. It makes you want to cultivate that same passion in your own work.

It seems Kristen Stewart’s experience heading a major franchise like The Twilight Saga played a role in her decision to direct The Chronology of Water. She’s had a very successful acting career, and likely picked up valuable lessons from watching the directors she’s collaborated with over the years – including her time playing Bella Swan.

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2025-12-05 19:40