NEWSKristen Stewart: "I Feel Like I Really Know Bella Now"
Oct. 1 2009, Published 9:31 a.m. ET
For all the girls (and let's face, it, women) out there who have read the Twilight series and dreamed about being Bella, rest assured that Kristen Stewart, while not actually being Bella, is trying her hardest to bring her character to life for the fans. K-Stew chatted with veteran actor Dennis Hopper for the October issue of Interview magazine and revealed her inner feelings on becoming Bella.
"I’ve actually always been interested in following a character more long term, but the only place to really do that as an actor is on a TV series," she explains in the interview. "But the Twilight series is cool because you know what’s ahead of you — all of the books have been written. And I get breaks in between."
Even though Kristen knows what's coming next, she says the downtime in between playing Bella isn't easy.
"It’s sort of a depressing thing to lose a character just when you’ve been able to get to know her," Kristen confesses. "Usually, at the end of a film it’s like I’ve finally gotten to know this person completely, and then we’re done. That actually happened on the set of Twilight, and then it happened again on New Moon. Each time my character Bella became a different person, and I got to know that person and take her to the next level."
And then there are the legions of fans who, along with envying Kristen's time with leading man Robert Pattinson, have already cast themselves as Bella. The importance of portraying such a beloved role isn't lost on Kristen.
"I do feel more of a pressurized strain than what is typical for me. Usually, what drives you is your own personal responsibility to the script and the character and the people you are working with. But in this case, I have a responsibility not only to that but to everyone who has personal involvement in the books — and now that spans the world," Kristen explains.
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"It’s an insane concept," she says, adding that she is wholly invested in Bella now, perhaps even a little too much.
"There are certain things in Twilight... As much as I’m proud of that movie and I do like it, I feel like maybe I brought too much of myself to the character. I feel like I really know Bella now," Kristen admits. "But most readers feel like they know Bella because it’s a first-person narrative. She’s like a little vessel and everyone experiences the story through her. All of these girls who are fans personally feel like they encapsulate that character. So it’s like, 'How the hell am I going to do that for all of them? It’s impossible!' But I’ve decided, if you’re just unabashedly honest all of the time, you have nothing to be ashamed of."
Hey, we can't all be Bella, but someone's got to do the job, and Kristen seems to be up for the challenge!
