Kristen Stewart on Woody Allen Role: My “Buoyant” Character “Exemplifies Lightness”

A version of this story first appeared in the Sept. 25 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.

Kristen Stewart took a break from filming Woody Allen‘s latest movie to promote Drake Doremus‘ Equals at the Venice and Toronto film festivals. As usual, very little is known about the Allen film, but Stewart tells THR that the role is a stretch for her.

“I’ve never played anyone like this. She’s quite buoyant and exemplifies lightness. People usually cast me to be the silent, quiet type,” says the actress, who stars alongside Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg and Blake Lively. As for working with Allen, Stewart says he’s “exactly what you expect him to be.

“Woody’s an interesting guy. He’s gentle, which I didn’t necessarily expect because he’s quite dom-like and can be sarcastic, but he’s so cut-and-dried, too. He minces no words.” 

As for specifics about the movie, Stewart admits that she’s “not allowed to talk about it.”

Fortunately, she did elaborate on whether she feels typecast in Hollywood. 

“No, because I started when I was really young, as a kid, and then I still feel like I’m a kid. But more so when I was younger I was attracted to things that felt immediately close to me. That was what moved me. ‘I know I can do that — that is me.’ I feel like even with this new character that I’m playing [in Allen’s movie], I wouldn’t want to play her unless I think somewhere in there (points to herself), she’s there,” said the actress, who made a quick pit stop in Toronto for the showing of Equals. (She also found time to pop into Hooters.) “I’m not a character actor at all. If I were to play a murderous villain, I would justify why they murdered people. I would be like, ‘Well you know what? They had a terrible upbringing.’ I would have to understand them. I can never disagree with people that I play, which some time could be a problem; it could limit me, but I don’t think so. I think it just might make me better at what I choose.”

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