Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan #2

Actor-based discussion regarding the Twilight Saga cast

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G-Faerie08
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Re: Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan #2

Post by G-Faerie08 »

JulieM wrote:Just got home from the movie. Kristen was absolutley amazing!! That's all that needs to be said. :D
Psssst HI JULIE!!! *waves*

So yeah. I have always been a fan of Kristen and while I will admit she was a bit awkward in Twilight, she had definitely turned it around for NM. I think the first film of any series such as this is awkward for the actors because they are taking on a role that fans of the books are familiar with. So there is the pressure to "get it right." Plus with the lack of a decent budget in the first film, there was only so much that could be done as far as special effects and things of that nature.

Anywho, this second film, I really felt like KStew truly embraced the character of Bella. I have said on other threads where you can tell that an actor really knows how to act when you watch them and don't see them as an actor, you see them as the character they are playing. When I was watching KStew, I saw nothing but Bella on the screen. The same goes for everyone else (though I really wish the Cullens had more screen time).
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Re: Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan #2

Post by pennybug84 »

I agree with others in saying that she was AMAZING in NM. I totally saw her as Bella & could feel all that she was going through. Especially in the break up scene and when she starts wondering the woods trying to go after him. And also the October, November, December montage. It was soo good & just sad!

I liked her okay in Twilight, but I definitely feel like she had a better grasp & understanding of her character in NM. I read an interview she did once (I wish I could find it now to actually quote from it) where she said that she thinks in Twilight she she probably put too much of herself into Bella. And so that could explain some of that parts where I wasn't as convinced and happy that she was Bella. After seeing Twilight I just couldn't picture her in BD being the pregnant, lying on a couch or hospital bed, doing everything she can to protect her "little nudger" Bella. But after NM I think maybe I can.
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Re: Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan #2

Post by JulieM »

Gii-*Waves Back* Hello my fellow HH resident!

Great point abouts about Kristen in Twilight, but I did like her in that too. I do think a lot of her "awkwardness" came from CH and her direction. As for New Moon, I think she did step it up a notch. She had me in tears many times. I could really feel her "pain.' And if I can feel that, then that is great acting.

Pennybug84-Totally agree with you about the "months" montage. I just wanted to jump into the screen and hug her. Soooooo sad!
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Re: Bella Swan Cullen #3

Post by lady4string »

SenorGimp wrote:Had to throw this out there real quick...
I watched Twilight again yesterday, and it really annoyed me how Kristen Stewart is SO emotionless throughout all of the more emotional scenes in the movie, but it got me to thinking...
Maybe that complete lack of ability to emote will serve her well in her portrayal of Zombie-Bella in New Moon, and then the plot of the second book will actually make her seem like a worthwhile actress for at least part of this one movie...
I know that's harsh, but god I just wish they would have cast almost ANYONE else for that role, or the Kristen Stewart were at least capable of mediocre acting...
Sorry, I'll leave off now.
She's too dead in both movies. I guess it works a little more with New Moon (since KS is good at looking numb out into space), but she seems like she doesn't want to be there and is utterly bored. Physically, she looks the part, but acting wise, it's just so wooden. I know Ashley Greene auditioned for the role and at least has more than one facial expression and vocal inflection so ,therefore, she would have done a better job than KS. I dunno. Maybe Stewart needs to lay off the bong? I think Hardwicke in general was way off with some of the casting. Ex: Nikki is a good actress, but her coloring is way off for Rosalie. Don't cast someone who is naturally tan and brunette for a pale skinned blonde (it looked odd on an otherwise beautiful girl). I know her and CH go way back. It reminds me that it's not who is best for the job, but who you know that gets you the part.
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Re: Bella Swan Cullen #3

Post by Jazz Girl »

I think Kristen was great in both films, though admitedly better in New Moon. In Twilight, I think she felt the pressure a little more and was still trying to "find" Bella. But I still found her performance quite impressive. I guess the true test then will be how she carries Eclipse, though that is admittedly the story when most people dislike her the most because of her indecision and the way she hurts both Edward and Jacob. I suppose it's a matter of preference. Some love her. Some don't.
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Re: Bella Swan Cullen #3

Post by Angelvamp »

Wow, I totally agree with the Senor and Lady4string. Kristen was wooden and is even more so in NM. When Kristen signed on for Twilight, I doubt that she expected the mania that ensued. So, I don't believe that she felt any sort of "pressure" at all. Twilight was not a big budget film, by any means. Not like New Moon was. That was like a sure bet.
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Re: Bella Swan Cullen #3

Post by Asheleyo »

I thought her portrayal of Bell in New Moon was leagues better than Twilight. She was wooden then, but she loosened up, and I think she connected more with the character for New Moon. I hope that means she connected more in general, not just with the emotional state she was in, so that Eclipse and Breaking Dawn will be well played. I could see the difference in the way that she looked at the other characters. It was like she knew them and liked them, and it made the interactions so much more believable.

I still think her Bella is a bit off. But since we lose that closeness to Bella when we no longer have insight into her head, it's much harder to judge. We know book Bella's reactions so clearly, we don't have to wait for an expression to figure it out. I think Kristen wasn't anxious enough about Edward's behavior right after her party. The fact that she smiled when she saw Edward standing awkwardly next to her house, and didn't immediately see that as a bad omen kinda bugged me. Bella knew something was up just because his car was parked somewhere different and he wasn't approaching her or looking happy to see her. They made it clear enough in the movie that Edward was behaving oddly at that point too. There should have only been a mixture of dread and determination (because she thought she had worked out that Edward was going to take her away with him). But that was the only reaction that really came to mind was wrong. So I think Kristen did well.
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Re: Bella Swan Cullen #3

Post by Jazz Girl »

AshleyO~ I agree completely. When you are so used to having that insight, it is hard to take into account that Kristen can't ever be as explicit in terms of what she is experiencing as Bella as we would like. It's not like we can always have a running narration like we get in the book. Also, I honestly believe Kristen is handicapped somewhat by the way SM writes Bella's selflessness/selfishness. Many of Bella's reactions are completely at odds with what we know her to be feeling because she is trying to cover up her fears, or her doubts, or her overwhelming reactions. The smile in question is the perfect example. Remember that, in the book, Bella does smile briefly when Edward comes to her. She is trying so hard to put aside her ill-at-ease feelings because she is trying to give him time and space to deal on his own (a tactic I always thought was a HUGE mistake anyways) and she is trying to show him that she's fine with what happened, and that it didn't phase her at all. Also, I always read a little bit of relief in that smile as well. No matter what, he had come to her after being absent. In that briefest of moments, she just knew he was there. She hadn't processed the look on his face yet, just his mere presence.
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Re: Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan #2

Post by Chernaudi »

When you are so used to having that insight, it is hard to take into account that Kristen can't ever be as explicit in terms of what she is experiencing as Bella as we would like. It's not like we can always have a running narration like we get in the book. Also, I honestly believe Kristen is handicapped somewhat by the way SM writes Bella's selflessness/selfishness. Many of Bella's reactions are completely at odds with what we know her to be feeling because she is trying to cover up her fears, or her doubts, or her overwhelming reactions.
And that's a problem with book to movie adaptions-the whole story doesn't always translate. Things can be condensed and explained in shorter periods of time, but some things do go missing. Just go back to Twilight where Kristen recites some of the thoughs that Stephenie wrote that Bella was thinking. And also watch Speak where Kristen does the same with Melinda.

That aspect is limited, but I do feel that through her actions that Kristen does a good job of trying to portray what Bella is thinking and the way that Bella is trying to sheild some of those thoughts. One must try to remember that Bella is kinda a weird character-she's oddly scared but extremely brave at the same time; she's scared of Victoria because of what she worries that Victoria could do to her family and friends, but she's not afraid of Edward or Jacob when they try to insist that Bella keep her distance.

Bella's a strange character in that way, and especially in Twilight, Kristen really didn't have a crap load to go off of aside from what she read in the books and SM's stuff, the former being one of the few failings(not really a failing, but still somewhat of a problem, especially for the cast) of the novels-great story, and it's good that Steph left things about the characters open to interpretation for the readers, but, at least early on, character development wasn't the novels' strongest point. But then again, leaving the characters open to the readers' intreptation is a double edged sword; it inspires readers(and the cast of the movies) to have an imagination, but it kinda short-chains or befuddles the cast, and it's known that they might not match up to everyone's expectations, because their picture of the chacters can vary so much.

All and all, everyone, especially Kristen, Rob and Taylor, pretty much got it 90-99% right, but no one's perfect, just like how the novels aren't perfect, but we love them anyways :). That, and they can all act, inspite of what the shippers and jealous people say, as KStew has taken more crap than any 19 year old young lady should for doing something that she likes for her own reasons.
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Re: Bella Swan Cullen #3

Post by twilightnewbie »

Jazz Girl wrote:AshleyO~ I agree completely. When you are so used to having that insight, it is hard to take into account that Kristen can't ever be as explicit in terms of what she is experiencing as Bella as we would like. It's not like we can always have a running narration like we get in the book. Also, I honestly believe Kristen is handicapped somewhat by the way SM writes Bella's selflessness/selfishness. Many of Bella's reactions are completely at odds with what we know her to be feeling because she is trying to cover up her fears, or her doubts, or her overwhelming reactions. The smile in question is the perfect example. Remember that, in the book, Bella does smile briefly when Edward comes to her. She is trying so hard to put aside her ill-at-ease feelings because she is trying to give him time and space to deal on his own (a tactic I always thought was a HUGE mistake anyways) and she is trying to show him that she's fine with what happened, and that it didn't phase her at all. Also, I always read a little bit of relief in that smile as well. No matter what, he had come to her after being absent. In that briefest of moments, she just knew he was there. She hadn't processed the look on his face yet, just his mere presence.
Jazz Girl, I pretty much agree with you on this one; however, in the Book, Bella does not smile when Edward comes to her in this scene. The book only says that before getting out of her truck, she ..."took a deep breath". But see my reply to AshleyO below.
AshleyO wrote:The fact that she smiled when she saw Edward standing awkwardly next to her house, and didn't immediately see that as a bad omen kinda bugged me. Bella knew something was up just because his car was parked somewhere different and he wasn't approaching her or looking happy to see her.
Actually, I think this is an instance of how good Kristen is in displaying emotions subtly. If you notice, Kristen smiles ever so briefly a small smile and then transitions into a look of concern. By doing it this way, we can see and feel her anxiety better and with more impact. I think it was well played, but what do I know, I'm still wandering around Forks. :? :)
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