When Kristen Stewart agreed to appear on Rolling Stone’s March cover, she had one simple goal: to do “the gayest thing.” Sporting a mullet and donning jock straps paired with basketball shorts, her appearance on the cover drew immediate ire from some, and it became a lightning rod for controversy, igniting a wave of social media backlash. During the Spencer star’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the host disclosed CBS's reluctance to display the controversial cover because of how upset it made "a lot of people."
During her appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, which aired on the 2024 TV schedule on March 11, Kristen Stewart was questioned about the backlash to the cover, notably her provocative pose with her hand inside her jockstrap. This inquiry came on the heels of Colbert sharing that CBS had reservations about airing the image on the program. Before defiantly sharing the photo, he said:
There’s a lot of buzz about this Rolling Stone cover of yours. Now before I show this cover, I just want you to know and the audience to know that I think it’s a perfectly lovely cover. We were asked by CBS not to show it. They thought that would be not a good idea for us to show this, and I don’t understand why, [shows the cover] cuz there’s the cover, right there.
The cover, which you can see embedded below, has more in common with Jeremy Allen White's iconic Calvin Klein shoot than Rolling Stone's covers that have featured women in bikinis.
Before complimenting the Twilight star’s ability to pull off sportswear -- “I want to say you look better in a jockstrap than I ever did,” Colbert said -- Stephen asked the A-list actress why she thought so many were up in arms about the cover. The Personal Shopper performer took a moment before giving a measured response:
OK, let’s keep this light. I think it’s a little ironic because I feel like I’ve seen a lot of male pubic hair on the cover of things; I’ve seen a lot of hands in pants, like unbuttoned. I think there’s a certain overt acknowledgment of female sexuality that has its own volition that is annoying for people who are sexist and homophobic.
The former Colbert Report performer made a fair point after this, stating there have been far more risque covers than the forthcoming issue. He continued:
I’ve certainly seen more revealing covers on Rolling Stone or Sports Illustrated, for that matter.
Check out the full interview in the video below.
The Charlie’s Angels veteran actress appeared on the late-night talk show to discuss her upcoming A24 film. What we know about Love Lies Bleeding is that it's an LGBTQ+ romantic thriller that is already stirring significant buzz following its Sundance premiere. The excitement surged following the trailer release, which showcased Stewart in a distinctly gay role, which excited many of her fans.
You can catch Kristen Stewart in Love Lies Bleeding now, as it's already landed on the 2024 movie schedule. Be sure to check your local listings.
