Key Takeaways:
– Kristen Stewart faced repeated intrusions from studio executives during the production of “Happiest Season (2020).”
– Stewart criticized the studio’s attempt to ‘sanitize’ and ‘shroud’ elements in the film.
– The actress expressed admiration for Director Clea DuVall’s patience.
– Stewart contrasted the experience with her work on the unapologetic LGBTQ film “Love Lies Bleeding (2024).”
– Despite the turmoil, “Happiest Season” was well-received by critics.
Actor Kristen Stewart took issue with Hollywood’s presentation of LGBTQ characters in mainstream films, citing direct experiences on the set of “Happiest Season.” While the 2020 film marked a significant step in LGBTQ representation among Hollywood’s mainstream, Stewart highlighted studio interference as a major point of contention for her.
Unwanted Studio Notes on ‘Happiest Season’
Best known for her role in the “Twilight” series, Stewart revealed being bombarded with repeated ‘notes’ from studio executives concerning the minutiae, such as her hair and wardrobe. She described the interactions as ‘annoying,’ arguing that they attempted to sanitize or ‘shroud’ elements of the film to make it more palatable for the general audience.
Stewart confided these frustrations to Them magazine, stating, “The identity was beaten out of my goals there. I was getting so many studio executive notes about my hair and my clothes. I was like, ‘You did read the script. You did hire me. What are we doing here?’ It was f—king annoying.”
Admiring Clea DuVall’s Patience
Despite her disappointment, Stewart also took time to appreciate director Clea DuVall, who managed to persist despite similar pressures from studio top brass. Stewart expressed her admiration for DuVall’s patience, admitting that she herself lacks such perseverance.
The actor drew a contrast between DuVall’s management of “Happiest Season” and her own recent project “Love Lies Bleeding.” Unlike “Happiest Season,” the new lesbian crime-thriller doesn’t seek to ‘shroud’ its characters or plot, offering a respite from the more sanitized portrayal of Sapphic characters in mainstream settings.
A More Unfiltered Portrayal in ‘Love Lies Bleeding’
Stewart further compared her experience working on “Love Lies Bleeding” to that on “Happiest Season.” The former provided an unfiltered portrayal of lesbian characters, equivalent to a breath of fresh air for the actress. “It’s pretty f—king sick,” she commented on the straightforward approach of her latest film.
‘Happiest Season’ and It’s Critical Acclaim
Despite the backstage issues, “Happiest Season” garnered a positive reception from both critics and audiences. The film scored an impressive 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, backed by glowing reviews. The movie’s personal connection with openly lesbian Director and Co-Writer, Clea DuVall, played a significant part in its charm.
DuVall had longed to portray an authentic LGBTQ+ experience in a Christmas movie, and “Happiest Season” fulfilled this wish. Co-writer and actor Mary Holland hinted at a sequel, saying, “The story of Happiest Season was an idea that Clea [DuVall] had for many years. And so it’s a personal story to her…”
The future is still uncertain for Abby and Harper, the central characters of “Happiest Season,” but the benchmark it set in terms of LGBTQ representation in mainstream Hollywood remains. As for Kristen Stewart, audiences can relish her raw performance in “Love Lies Bleeding,” now in theaters in the U.S. and soon to be released in the U.K. on May 3, 2024.
Today, as Hollywood continues its quest for inclusion and diversity in film, Stewart’s reflections should serve as invaluable insights into the pressures mainstream LGBTQ films face while trying to cater to general audiences.
