Charlie's Angels is a property that dates back to 1976, when the original series premiered on TV. Since then there's been a set of films in the 2000's, as well as an ill-fated TV reboot in 2011. Now the Angels are back in theaters, with a new movie directed, written, produced by Elizabeth Banks. The new version is an origin story, following three strangers as they become a team. Chief among them is Kristen Stewart's Sabina Wilson, who is the undisputed scene-stealer of the blockbuster. And it turns out that she was allowed to improvise quite a bit on set.
Kristen Stewart is the primary comedic relief of the new Charlie's Angels, giving a killer performance in the process. She's constantly making light of serious situations, and her abilities as a decoy are also fodder for laughs. And it turns out that many of her one-liners were actually ad libbed. I recently had the chance to speak with the cast of Charlie's Angels, where co-star Naomi Scott revealed that Sabina's best lines came from Stewart's mind. Check out the video of our conversation below.
Well, that's exciting. While the script for Charlie's Angels is snappy and full of amusing one-liners, it turns out that Kristen Stewart is actually responsible for some of the new blockbuster's best dialogue. And it all came to her naturally on set.
From my above conversation with Charlie's Angels stars Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska, you can tell how much natural chemistry the three actresses had. Despite not having worked together before (and Balinska making her big movie debut), they really hit it off on set. And Kristen Stewart was comfortable enough with her co-stars that she was able to come up with a variety of hilarious lines on the spot.
From the trailers for Charlie's Angels alone, you can tell how much of a scene-stealer Kristen Stewart was going to be in the new reboot. She's got a variety of wise cracks, especially when incapacitating Crazy Rich Asians actor Chris Pang's Johnny Smith. While that scene in particular is scripted, there were plenty of opportunities for Stewart to play and react through improvisation.
Overall, the reboot of Charlie's Angels is quite different from the set of movies starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu. Director
McG's movies followed a trio of women who were already best friends, and used to working alongside each other on daring missions. The action was over the top, inspired by the new technology that debuted in The Matrix. What's more, the Angels were basically superheroes, able to do physically impossible tasks, all while flipping their hair in slow motion.
Related: Charlie's Angels End Credits: Which Celebrities Make Cameo Appearances?
On the flip side, Elizabeth Banks' Charlie's Angels is based a bit more in realism. The Townsend Agency has grown quite a bit over the years, with countless Angels and Bosleys around the world. The new movie is a bonafide origin story, with Naomi Scott's Elena serving as an everyman who mirrors the audience's perspective of events. It's an exciting change, and it should be fascinating to see how well the movie does-- and if it gets a sequel.
Charlie's Angels is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies. Plus our 2020 release list to look ahead toward the New Year.
