Kristen Stewart Is Getting Ready To Direct Her First Film, But Here’s Why She Won’t Star In It

Kristen Stewart in Happiest Season screenshot
(Image credit: Netflix)

After being in the business since she was a young teen and taking part in some iconic, yet sometimes awkward productions (you know I’m talking about, Twilight franchise), Kristen Stewart is turning into quite the force to be reckoned with. With her jaw-dropping portrayal of Princess Diana in Spencer steadily approaching, the Happiest Season actress is stepping behind the camera in a directorial role. While there are plenty of actors-turned-directors who have leading roles in their own films, it doesn’t appear that Stewart is going that route, and there’s a pretty simple reason why. 

In an interview with Variety, Kristen Stewart revealed that there actually doesn’t seem to be a part for her in her directorial debut The Chronology of Water. Stewart also admitted that she wants to act in the film and is trying to find a way to hold a role, but she has her doubts that she’ll be both in front of and behind the camera for this project. Here’s what the actress and now-director said on the subject:

There’s actually no part for me. I guess depending on who plays Lydia, I could maybe play her older sister but probably not. I keep trying to figure out a way to get in there but I don’t think so.

The film is still in the very beginning stages and they are just now finding a cast for the project, so really nothing is written in stone at this point. Either way, though, it doesn’t sound like Kristen Stewart will be acting as a lead character in The Chronology of Water. With the main character not yet matched up to an actor, it’s possible Stewart could resemble the future actor enough to play the smaller part of her sister, but it really doesn’t sound like Stewart has much faith in that idea. 

The Chronology of Water will be based on a memoir of the same name by Lidia Yuknavitch, and tells a story of hardship early in life that leads to addiction of many types. It’s not an easy story, but it's one that Kristen Stewart seems excited about telling on camera, even if her face is not one in the actual film adaptation. 

It will definitely be interesting to see how Kristen Stewart’s career develops as she begins her journey behind the camera, especially with such a heavy first project. The Charlie’s Angels actress has been open about her career having a lot of duds and the purely great films she has been a part of being very few. Once The Chronology of Water gets a full cast and really gets underway, hopefully she can take the lessons learned from such a career to create something she actually deems as masterful. 

Carlie Hoke
Content Writer

Constantly thinking about books, coffee, and the existential dread I feel from Bo Burnham’s Inside.  While writing I’m also raising a chaotic toddler, who may or may not have picked up personality traits from watching one too many episodes of Trailer Park Boys.