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Over the years, Kristen Stewart has dabbled in a wide variety of genres and roles, from thrillers to science fiction, and action-horror to rom-coms. Most recently she’s starred in the critically acclaimed Spencer, based on Princess Diana’s revelation that she will divorce Prince Charles and, by extension, the entire British royal family.
While she’s faced criticism for her acting in the past, she has an impressive filmography under her belt, and Spencer stands to be a pivotal moment in her varied and impressive career, but it’s certainly not the only film in which her ability to translate emotionality through subtle beats and her versatility has shone through.
Snow White and the Huntsman
Kristen Stewart has come a long way from Snow White and the Huntsman to Spencer. While her performance has often been compared to her portrayal of Bella in the Twilight saga, it’s true that Stewart’s talents weren’t fully recognized in this dark fantasy picture. While Snow White and the Huntsman was visually impressive and featured stars like Charlize Theron, and Chris Hemsworth, the plot suffered from inconsistencies. It still managed to garner some praise for its effects and Theron’s performance, but Stewart was sadly overlooked. Her Snow White seemed lacking in clear intentions, and Stewart’s subtle style doesn't seem to suit the melodramatic flair of the fantasy genre.
Charlie’s Angels
The 2019 reboot of Charlie’s Angels stars Kristen Stewart alongside Naomi Scott and Elizabeth Banks. A continuation of the original TV series and films, Charlie’s Angels follows three superspies hunting down an international embezzler, kicking butts and dropping one-liners in the name of women-power. It’s a funny, feminist, action-packed romp, but falls short of memorable storytelling. Stewart’s performance makes up a bulk of the film’s entertainment value, as she is able to showcase her versatility. She's sometimes charming and sweet, sometimes goofy, sometimes seductive. She also brings some much-needed queer representation to the film, bringing her own unique energy to the role and teasing the binary of feminine/masculine in a way that managed to keep a franchise built on sexist stereotypes relevant to the new evolutions in feminist and queer theory.
Twilight Saga
Twilight, and Stewart’s performance therein, certainly don’t get enough credit from the critics. The paranormal teen romance, based on the book series by Stephanie Meyer, was a box office smash. According to Film Site, three of its five films are in the top 100 highest-grossing films of all time (domestic gross). Full of Pacific Northwest fog, brooding vampires, and at times outrageously nonsensical writing, it may not be a stellar piece of cinema, but Stewart has voiced support for the saga to this day, adamantly saying that she’s proud of her work.
She was only 17 years old when she first starred in Twilight, and her commitment to a film that, objectively, suffers from a case of the camp, is admirable. Stewart has proven herself more than capable of complex roles, this film just fails to offer her one.
Underwater
Stewart’s character, Norah, comes face-to-face with Lovecraftian monsters in this thrilling science fiction action horror film set in the deep sea. Underwater fuses together several genres, Frankenstein-ed together into something surprisingly entertaining. It’s a tense, harrowing disaster flick, with Stewart and her gang of survivors trekking through the underwater depths in the hopes of reaching safety after the underwater research site they’ve been working at is destroyed. Stewart mostly provides close-ups of despairing or determined faces, and the script is too watertight for its own good, leaving out the potential for a stronger emotional impact which leaves not much room for Stewart to impress. It serves a few good thrills but doesn't fully showcase Stewart’s abilities.
Certain Women
Based on a collection of short stories by Maile Meloy, Certain Women is a quietly impressive film. Set in Montana, it follows three women across their intersecting lives. Stewart plays a young lawyer named Beth who becomes the object of a female ranch hand’s fascination. The film relies on long, slow shots and the score to do much of the storytelling, as well as allowing the actors to shine through sparse dialogue and physicality shaped by their environment. Stewart doesn’t so much shine in her role as she does fold into it, so naturally that it seems she’s been living in Beth’s skin a long time before the cameras showed up in Livingston. It’s a pensive and poignant film, and though it’s on a much smaller scale than Spencer, more than a glimpse of Stewart’s true prowess is evident in this little but mighty film.
On the Road
Based on Jack Kerouac’s iconic novel that encapsulated the American spirit of the 1960s, On the Road struggled to live up to the fame of its source material. It follows a young writer, Sal Paradise (Sam Riley), who sets off across the states on a road trip of epic proportions with the mad but entrancing Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund), and his sweetheart Marylou, played by Stewart. It’s difficult to keep up with the vigor of a character like Moriarty, but Stewart does exceptionally well for herself. As Marylou, she’s charming, carefree, reckless, and vivacious. Despite the sometimes shallow nature of the characters, Stewart manages to lend her own depth to the role. It’s a film about hedonism, and Stewart seems to enjoy her role as the hedonistic vixen another testament to her versatility.
Panic Room
The first film that gained Stewart her notoriety at only 12 years old, Panic Room is a thriller that follows Meg Altman (Jodie Foster), and her daughter, Sarah (Kirsten Stewart), to their new home in New York with its curious addition of a “panic room.” Burglars break in and they take shelter, and while the plot is not particularly ingenious, Foster and Stewart both sold their roles with honesty and commitment. Stewart surprised audiences with her ability to understand and portray the character’s emotions at such a young age. It’s another glimpse at Stewart’s emotional acuity which has always been present in every role throughout her career, even if her prior films have not received as much praise as Spencer.
Into the Wild
Stewart plays a sweet, lovestruck young girl, Tracy, in Into the Wild, the film retelling of the story of the enigmatic Christopher McCandless, who hiked North America and met an untimely death after he was lost in the Alaskan wilderness. Stewart is only sparingly featured in the large cast of characters that filter through McCandless’ life, but her acting is memorable. She follows Candless with yearning gazes, sharing a duet that features her husky and charming singing voice. Another small part for a big actor, Stewart balances both the naivete of a sixteen-year-old first fumbling through love and the world-wise nature of a girl who’s seen a few things beyond her years, but is still clinging to hope in something beautiful. Stewart’s performance is effortless, ranking close to her delivery in Spencer.
Happiest Season
At first glance, it’s a simple, charming holiday rom-com with a lesbian twist, but Happiest Season sits at the top of the genre, introducing fresh characters and jokes to an oversaturated market. Her character, Abby’s, complicated relationship with her closeted girlfriend comes to a head at Christmastime, with the whole family contributing to Yuletide chaos.
While it may have seemed questionable whether Stewart could hold her own against the comedic genius of Dan Levy, who plays her best friend, Stewart is completely in her own element, delivering both crisp comedy and effortless emotion. Although generically different from Spencer, it manages to claim its spot as one of Stewart’s top films (and a Christmas staple) due to its genuine heart, and Stewart’s earnest gravitas that keeps the lighthearted elements of the film in check.
Spencer
Spencer is Kristen’s tour de force thus far. She portrays Diana nearly at the end of her marriage with Prince Charles, suffering through a Christmas celebration where her every move is watched and criticized. Stewart reminds us why the world fell in love with Princess Diana in the first place, brilliantly portraying both her spiritedness and her conflicting duties to the crown, her sons, and her own self. The piece is an inside look at Diana’s emotional and mental world, which Stewart navigates with clarity, replicating Diana’s memorable charm and providing a haunting look at her inner struggles.
Princess Diana remains as sympathetic as ever, but with Stewart’s touch, she becomes fully human, frenetically trying the grasp the trailing threads of her freedom and selfhood as it’s ripped away by her constricting life. As wonderful of a film as it is, it seems to be only the beginning of Stewart’s long-awaited recognition for the stunning performances she’s consistently provided throughout her career, and hopefully, this leads to Stewart appearing in more roles that allow a full expression of her immense talent.