Female actors get treated like puppets in Hollywood: Kristen Stewart

Actor Kristen Stewart says that female actors are often "treated like puppets" in Hollywood, with many assuming anyone can step into acting—but her experience changed when she directed her debut film, The Chronology of Water.

PTI

January 27, 2026 / 16:04 IST

The actor explained how there is a perception that directors have "otherworldly abilities."

Actor Kristen Stewart says female actors get "treated like puppets" in Hollywood, with everyone around thinking anyone can become one, but it’s not so when one is a director, the experience she got after coming up with her directorial debut The Chronology of Water.

Stewart, known for featuring in Twilight films alongside Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, recently turned a director with The Chronology of Water, a 2025 biographical drama based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir. It featured Imogen Poots in the lead role. She said people started talking to her differently when she stepped into the director’s shoes.

"Actresses get treated like s**t, I’ve got to tell you… People think anyone could be an actress, but the first time I sat down to talk about my movie as a director, I thought, wow, this is a different experience, they are talking to me like I’m somebody with a brain," the actor told The Times of London in an interview.

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The actor explained how there is a perception that directors have "otherworldly abilities." "There’s this idea that directors have otherworldly abilities, which is not true. It’s an idea perpetuated by men. Not to sound like I’m complaining all the time, but it’s worse for female actors than male ones — they get treated like puppets, but they are not… Imogen put her whole body and soul into this movie,” she added.