Uneasy about fame
Is Kristen Stewart getting a bad rap for being a whiner when all she reallywants is a little privacy?
It's OK to be private, Kristen, but show your fans a little love
Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning in "Runaways"
Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattison
Though I’m not fan of Twilight, I have a soft spot for 20-year-old actress Kristen Stewart. She’s cadaverously pale, hella moody, and not, uh, "traditionally" attractive. None of this stopped her from snagging a hot rich dude (Robert Pattinson) and earning crazy bank.
It gives me hope.
However, the vampire star is more than a little whiny. No, apparently it's not easy being famous. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times K-Stew complained about fame:
It’s strange when you become a novelty. It’s sort of like, ‘Yeah, sure. Go put this on your Facebook so your friends can laugh at it.’ Because that’s what they will do. And I usually say no to people like that, when they’re like, ‘Yo, yo, can I get a picture of you?’ And it’s like, ‘No, … you.’ “That’s what I’m thinking.”
She doesn’t like strangers making fun of her on Facebook? That happens to those of us who aren’t famous, too.
She misses the freedom of no one recognizing her? Well if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. When you pursue a career in acting you forfeit certain rights. If strangers ask to take your photo, you oblige them. Acting abilities, looks, and connections all contribute to success, but, ultimately, the fans decide a star’s fate. You have to play nice.
Stewart went on to say, “Nothing about being a celebrity is desirable,” she said. “I’m an actor. It’s bizarre to me that everybody’s so obsessive. I don’t want to be a movie star like Angelina Jolie.”
Nothing about celebrity life is desirable? Really? Not the fat paycheck, traveling the world, excelling wildly in a difficult field that (I hope) you’re passionate about?
Also, what does she find so bizarre about the public’s obsession with actors? That’s been going on since the dawn of silent film. Surely she must have recognized the possibility of Twilight propelling her into stardom, considering the book’s pre-movie popularity.
Perhaps she meant to say that it’s bizarre to be the center of attention since she still feels like an average girl. Let’s give her the benefit of a doubt.
Still, it isn’t the first time the actress has put her foot in her mouth. In a July interview with Britain’s Elle, she compared the paparazzi photographing her to getting raped. (She later apologized, saying "I made a terrible mistake). During a 2008 interview with David Letterman, she self-consciously referred to herself as "actually really boring," insisting, "I don't have a personality fit for television. I just don't.”
Whenever I describe something as boring it means I don't want to talk about it. I assume stars mean the same. Describing her personal life as mundane sends out an alert to interviewers that she doesn't want to discuss it.
Jodie Foster (who starred with a young Stewart in Panic Room) said she’s surprised that the Twilight actress continues to work in the industry:
"She's a great person, and I'm not surprised she's gone on to do great things. But I am surprised she is an actress. I didn't think that's where she was headed. And even though her mom said, 'No, she really, really wants to be an actress,' I felt like, Nah, she won't because she really doesn't have the stereotypical personality."
What is a television personality? Well, it’s definitely not stuttering, fidgeting, or running your hands through your hair— all jittery behaviors that Stewart has exhibited in past interviews. A few nervous quirks are forgivable, even endearing. Nothing is wrong with a little honesty. But shunning someone trying to take a photo is an insult to her fans.
K-Stewis isn't even old enough to drink and is still adjusting to fame. So what if the starlet isn’t always the most articulate or gracious? It’s refreshing to see a celebrity shy away from the spotlight while reality “stars” like Spencer and Heidi pull publicity stunts for the sole sake of fame.
If only Stewart could find a happy middle ground between the two extremes and smile for the cameras while keeping her private life private.
