Kristen Stewart is Variety’s Sundance cover star this month, and during a Know Their Lines segment the star revealed she didn’t enjoy making one of her more recent films. Didn’t enjoy is actually an understatement, as during the video she was given a line from 2019’s Charlie’s Angels, and after quoting the line Stewart revealed that she “hated” making the film. Stewart was praised for her turn as Sabina in the film, but it would go on to receive mixed reviews overall and underperform at the box office. Stewart says “It was a good idea at the time. I hated making that movie.”
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In the video, Stewart is given a line from her past films, and at one point she is given a line from the opening scene of Charlie’s Angels that showcases Sabina. Stewart looks at the card and says “Did you know that it takes men an additional seven seconds to perceive a woman as a threat compared to a man?”
“This was a mouthful at the time,” Stewart said. “I remember saying that. That was from a little film called ‘Charlie’s Angels.’ We wanted a strong opener, you know? We wanted to really like broadcast what the movie was about. It was a good idea at the time. I hated making that movie. I don’t know what else to say to you.”
Stewart then praised the trio of Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore, who brought the classic TV show to life on the big screen in 2000’s Charlie’s Angels and 2003’s Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. Stewart said, “Honestly, the three…you can’t touch [that]. Cameron, Lucy and Drew…I love that movie. I love that movie! If that says anything.”
In an interview with Rolling Stone, director Elizabeth Banks discussed the hurdles they encountered when trying to promote the film and being pigeonholed by the approach to marketing and the media’s view of the project. “So much of the story that the media wanted to tell about ‘Charlie’s Angels’ was that it was some feminist manifesto,” Banks said. “People kept saying, ‘You’re the first female director of ‘Charlie’s Angels!’ And I was like, ‘They’ve only done a TV show and McG’s movies…what are you talking about? There’s not this long legacy.’ I just loved the franchise. There was not this gendered agenda from me. That was very much laid on top of the work, and it was a little bit of a bummer. It felt like it pigeonholed me and the audience for the movie.”
“To lose control of the narrative like that was a real bummer,” Banks said. “You realize how the media can frame something regardless of how you’ve framed it. I happen to be a woman who directed a ‘Charlie’s Angels’ movie that happened to star three incredible women. You can’t control the media saying, ‘You’re a lady director, and that’s special!’ – which it is, but it’s not the only thing.”
“I remember having a conversation with someone who was like, ‘You guys are going to have a partnership with Drybar’ – which is, like, a hair-blowing thing,” Banks told Rolling Stone. “And I was like, ‘Alright… but could we have an ad during the baseball playoffs? It’s not only this one thing.’ It was interesting to see how the industry sees things that star women. It was a real lesson for me,” Banks said.
What do you think of Stewart’s comments? Let us know in the comments!
