Anyone who still thinks of Kristen Stewart as “that girl from ‘Twilight,'” is clearly putting blinders on to one of the more interesting actresses currently working in Hollywood. Stewart has stepped out of the blockbuster franchise that made her name, and parlayed it into a string of interesting indie projects, working with a handful of acclaimed auteurs. However, Olivier Assayas has made her a muse of sorts, directing Stewart in two straight projects — “Clouds Of Sils Maria” (for which Stewart won the César award for her performance) and “Personal Shopper.” And while he might be slightly biased, he’s unequivocal in assessing the talent of his recent collaborator.
She’s “the best actress of her generation,” the director said at the Zurich Film Festival (via Screen Daily).
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“Kristen has an infinitely larger range than many actresses of her generation. She has an inner depth coupled with a spontaneity and naturalness that sets her apart. She also has an innate understanding of cinema that makes me believe she could succeed at directing too,” Assayas added.
Praise doesn’t come much higher than that, and given that Stewart continues to sign up for a wide range of projects, with a diverse array of directors, Assayas likely isn’t the only one who believes in her talent.
As for the director himself, he said that while he doesn’t have any new film project officially lined up, he is hoping to get the previously scrapped “Idol’s Eye” back in front of cameras. That film was supposed to star Robert Pattinson, Robert De Niro, and Rachel Weisz, but financing was pulled at the last minute in 2014, halting the movie about a bunch of criminals who accidentally rob a porn store backed by Chicago mafia boss Tony Accardo. However, Assayas’ producer recently reacquired the rights, and if all goes according to plan, it could be shooting very soon.
“I hope it will be my next film,” Assayas said. “If things advance I’d like to shoot it in Toronto before the end of the winter.” Fingers crossed, and let’s hope that cast is still intact too.