Kristen Stewart Deserves To Be Remembered For Her Talent, Not As Bella From Twilight

When looking at the Twilight Saga, it is easy to forget how much it captivated fans with its blend of supernatural elements and teenage romance centered around Bella Swan. At the core of this cultural phenomenon, the Twilight protagonist's transition from a regular high school girl to a vampire queen sparked adoration and criticism. Despite the franchise’s immense success, Bella Swan has faced significant backlash, often labeled as a poorly written character. But it’s crucial to recognize that Kristen Stewart, the actress who portrayed Bella, did her best with her role.

The Twilight Saga also made household names out of its romantic leads, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. For his part, the Edward Cullen actor has largely shed his Twilight image, and Pattinson has had a lauded film career, starring in everything from A24 arthouse movies to blockbuster superhero fare, playing the titular superhero himself in The Batman. It has been impressive watching him grow as an actor, but it seems strange that some fans can't seem to do the same thing for Kristen Stewart.

Bella Swan Is a Bad Character (But Kristen Stewart Did What She Could With The Role)

The Twilight Protagonist Is Surface-Level Deep & That's Not Stewart's Fault

Many arguments debate why Bella Swan doesn’t measure up as a character. To many, Bella seems like a classic “Mary Sue”—a term used for young female protagonists who are overly idealized and lack depth. In the books, Bella is often described as expressionless and unremarkable, seeming to exist mainly for the development of the male characters around her. It feels like she doesn’t have much of a personality or any ambitions beyond her romantic interests in Edward Cullen and Jacob Black.

Bella often comes off as passive and reactive rather than proactive. Her main traits seem to be her clumsiness and her deep, unwavering love for Edward. Compared to the more vibrant personalities of the supporting characters, Bella’s character arc—or lack thereof—can make her seem like a weak protagonist. It feels like she’s there to be the object of male affection rather than an engaging character in her own right. Kristen Stewart’s performance as Bella didn’t escape criticism either.

The role demanded a certain level of restraint and minimalism, which could have contributed to the perception of Stewart’s performance as stilted. Stewart had the tough task of bringing life to a character who wasn’t particularly dynamic or multifaceted. Despite these challenges, she infused Bella with a sense of earnestness and vulnerability, even if it didn’t always resonate with critics. Her performance, though not universally praised, showed her dedication to making the character relatable within the confines of the script.

Stewart Has Had a Powerhouse Career Post-Twilight

Transition From Teen Star To Acclaimed Actress

Looking beyond Twilight, Kristen Stewart’s evolution as an actress remains impressive. She’s shown her range and depth in roles that highlight her talent. Especially impressive was her performance in Spencer, where she portrayed Princess Diana with exceptional intensity and nuance. Stewart was a 2022 Oscar Nominee for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in Spencer. It felt like such a departure from the muted Bella Swan, proving her ability to handle complex and emotionally charged roles.

In Love Lies Bleeding, Stewart continued to break free from her Twilight image, tackling a role that allowed her to explore darker, more intense themes. The film was critically acclaimed for its raw and gripping storytelling, and Stewart’s performance was noted for its depth and emotional impact. Similarly, in Happiest Season, she demonstrated her comedic chops and ability to handle lighter yet still emotionally resonant material.

Seeing Stewart’s post-Twilight career unfold is a testament to her versatility and skill as an actress. She’s effortlessly navigated between indie films and major productions, showing that her talents extend far beyond the role that initially brought her fame. Each new role has allowed Stewart to redefine herself and dispel doubts about her acting abilities.

What's Next For Kristen Stewart?

Kristen Stewart Will Make Her Directorial Debut

Kristen Stewart went from playing a teenage girl infatuated with a vampire to being an acclaimed actress who has received Oscar nominations. In 2024 alone, Stewart starred in three movies. These include the romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding, the post-apocalyptic romance Love Me, and the road comedy Sacramento. If anything, the mixture of genres in that single year shows that Stewart is proving time and time again that she is more than just Bella Swan and that she can pull off any role asked of her.

The next movie on the slate for Stewart is The Chronology of Water, which will show that Stewart is more than just a great actor. The Chronology of Water will mark Stewart's directorial debut and is based on a script she wrote, adapted from writer Lidia Yuknavitch's memoir. The story follows a young woman who finds her voice through writing and her salvation as a swimmer. However, Stewart will only direct the film and has signed Imogen Poots to star in the lead role, with Thora Birch as a supporting star.

Can Bella Swan Be A Great Character?

There Is A TV Adaptation Coming Soon

Two new Twilight series are in the works, and both are coming to television. Much like the upcoming Harry Potter series on Max, Lionsgate Television is working on rebooting Twilight as a streaming series and retelling the stories with a new cast and possibly more plot moments from the novels that were left out of the main movies. At the same time, Netflix is working on an animated series that will be based on Midnight Sun, which is the book that tells the story from Edward's point of view instead of Bella's.

Stephenie Meyer herself is attached as a producer to the Midnight Sun animated series. This could show things from Edward's point of view in the series, which could show what he sees in Bella. It could allow her not to appear quite so helpless and make her a stronger character, since Edward needs to have a reason to want to be with this human teenage girl. However, this is still a complicated relationship since she is 17, and he is over 100, so making her a "great character" might be complicated.

On the other hand, the Twilight TV series (reported by The Hollywood Reporter) would be the best chance to improve Bella's character. The series could possibly work to move her age up a little to remove the stigma of a 100-year-old man dating a teenager. However, it could also make some major changes to the original Twilight Saga storyline by strengthening her and giving her more agency in her life rather than making her a prize that Jacob and Edward are battling for. It isn't impossible, but changes must be made to fix Bella Swan.