When movie and TV lovers think of queer icons, it’s likely that Kristen Stewart is one of the many stars who comes to mind. For years now, she’s supported and starred in fare that centers on people and themes that don’t conform to heterosexual norms. She’s most recently done that with her latest film, Love Lies Bleeding – an upcoming A24 production. Many would argue that the movie and others represent the progress that’s being made within Hollywood in regard to telling LGBTQ+ stories. However, while opening up about the future of queer storytelling, Stewart got honest about the changes she would still like to see.
Kristen Stewart seems to be pleased that space has been carved out for “marginalized voices” to be heard through filmmaking. However, she believes there’s still improvement that can be made when it comes to one specific area. While speaking at the Berlin Film Festival (via Variety), she conveyed her hope that the industry will begin to make room for stories that aren’t “all about the reasons that they’re sidelined.” She opened up about her viewpoint, sharing the following sentiments:
I think we can’t keep doing that thing where we tell everyone how to feel and sort of pat each other on the back and receive brownie points for providing space for marginalized voices, and only in the capacity that they are allowed to speak about that alone. We’ve all been there the whole time. I think the era of queer films being so pointedly only that is done, it’s over. Maybe they’ll keep happening, but I think it’s sort of inherent to how we’re all moving forward.
What the alum of the (queer-coded) Twilight franchise appears to be conveying is that there’s more to the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals than any struggles they face. Many surely face prejudice and more during their day-to-day lives, but that’s not what defines their experiences. When it comes to filmmaking, there are plenty of more nuanced stories to tell in this regard that don’t simply emphasize discrimination, forbidden loves or elements like those. To be clear, the Spencer star isn’t aiming to denigrate any films that fall into that category, as they absolutely do still signify steps in representation. Amid the film festival, she actually spoke about being part of the cast of Happiest Season, the 2020 yuletide rom-com:
I was happy to do Happiest Season because it was a gay old time, it was a Christmas movie, it was a completely commercial, straightforward, right-down-the-line, hide-the-vegetables type of popcorn thing that we’re never really allowed to have. And I did that once, and now I’m really kind of into the idea of unearthing sidelined perspectives and not making it all about the reasons that they’re sidelined, but their actual experience.
Following its theatrical release, the film did prove to be a hit amongst Hulu subscribers, and deservedly so. Still, Kristen Stewart makes good points about the value of expanding the narrative real estate that’s available for queer cinema. As her comments suggest, she’s looking to expand the big-screen horizons and seemingly avoid a sense of preachiness:
What they love, what their desires are, where they come from, where they want to go. And then not feeling like you always have to stand on a fucking soapbox and be everyone’s spokesperson.
The positively received Love Lies Bleeding seems to be a firm step in the right direction. There is a queer romance at the center of it, but it’s not about the two central characters (played by Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian) being chastised for their love per say. It’s about the two navigating romance while grappling with themes of violence and familial ties, which any couple whether hetero or homosexual can identify with. The thriller looks like it’s going to be a gripping piece of cinema that I’m aiming to see. I also hope that Stewart as well as other filmmakers are given the opportunity to tell similarly complex tales of queer people moving forward.
Love Lies Bleeding opens in theaters on March 8 as part of the 2024 movie schedule.
