Kristen Stewart sparks outrage with fierce speech calling out Hollywood

Kristen Stewart delivered a forceful and emotionally charged address at the Academy and Chanel Women’s Luncheon in Los Angeles, using the moment to warn that the progress once promised after the Me Too movement has stalled. Wearing Chanel and standing before a room filled with filmmakers, actors and industry figures, she described the situation as a stark reality that too many prefer to ignore.

Stewart highlighted the gap between the hope that followed Me Too and the reality she has witnessed while completing her directorial debut, Chronology of Water, which arrives in December. She told the room that the sense of possibility seen in the early days of the movement has since been met with resistance, judgement and dismissal. Her tone remained steady, though she admitted her emotions were heightened, noting that she felt raw and exposed but ready to speak plainly.

The audience included Kate Hudson, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Riley Keough, Felicity Jones, Tessa Thompson, Alicia Silverstone, Barbie Ferreira, Dylan Meyer and Patty Jenkins. Stewart spoke to them directly as she described the hostility that often greets stories told authentically from a woman’s point of view. She said that even today such stories are treated as too dark or too confronting, despite depicting experiences that many women understand deeply.

Her speech grew more intense as she discussed her frustration with the inequality that persists behind the scenes. She pointed to an industry that still underestimates female directors and continues to shrink the space available to them. She referenced recent statistics that showed a minimal number of female directed studio films this year and said the apparent backward slide has been devastating. She criticised business models that appear supportive on the surface yet fail to genuinely create opportunities.

Stewart urged those present to continue pushing against the noise, describing the fight as necessary for future generations of filmmakers. She said the responsibility now rests with those who have managed to make their films in spite of barriers. She ended with a message of determination, insisting that pretending the issue has resolved benefits no one and that visibility and honesty remain essential.