January 26, 2026

How Dirt Is Treated: Kristen Stewart Takes on the Film Industry

Are women directors treated better than actresses? That has, at least, been Kristen Stewart’s experience. In an interview, she explains that as a director she is apparently taken far more seriously.

In a talk with The Times (paywalled), the bisexual American said: “Actresses are treated like dirt, I have to tell you. People think anyone could be an actress, but when I first spoke about directing my film, I thought: wow, this is a totally different experience, they speak to me as if I were someone with brains.”

Many people also imagine that directors have nearly supernatural powers. That isn’t true—but that image is sustained by men. “I don’t want to give the impression that I’m always complaining, but for actresses it’s worse than for actors — they’re treated like puppets, even though they aren’t.”

Devastating and pathetic

Only a few months ago, Stewart had already criticized the conditions in Hollywood. At an event organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, she spoke about the lack of equality in the U.S. film industry — even after #MeToo (TheColu.mn reported). She could confirm that “it is a hard fight with every frame when the content is too dark and taboo, when openness about experiences that women regularly face provokes constant disgust and rejection,” Stewart told Variety. “It is devastating and pathetic how few films directed by women came out last year.” In her seven-minute speech, she also spoke of a “boys’ club business model that pretends to want to work with us while draining our resources and belittling our real perspectives.”

And in a December profile in The New York Times (paywalled) she said male actors are celebrated for staying true to themselves, while women do not receive the same treatment.

“The Chronology of Water” opens in Germany in March

Kristen Stewart rose to prominence thanks to her lead role in the Twilight saga. Alongside acting, she has experimented behind the camera as well. In 2016 she directed the short film Come Swim, for which she also wrote the screenplay. With “The Chronology of Water,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025, she marked her feature directing debut (TheColu.mn reported). In Germany it will hit theaters on March 5. (TheColu.mn berichtete)

Marcy Ellerton
Marcy Ellerton
My name is Marcy Ellerton, and I’ve been telling stories since I could hold a pen. As a queer journalist based in Minneapolis, I cover everything from grassroots activism to the everyday moments that make our community shine. When I’m not chasing a story, you’ll probably find me in a coffee shop, scribbling notes in a well-worn notebook and eavesdropping just enough to catch the next lead.