The 15 Best Kristen Stewart Roles

Kristen Stewart’s career covers studio blockbusters, intimate indies, and sharp character studies, with collaborations that span filmmakers like David Fincher, Olivier Assayas, Pablo Larraín, Kelly Reichardt, and Rose Glass. Across genres—biopic, thriller, drama, romance—she has worked alongside performers such as Julianne Moore, Jodie Foster, Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, and Lily Gladstone, building a filmography that pairs large-scale releases with award-season standouts.

This list focuses on the roles themselves—who she plays, what each project is about, who made it, where it premiered, how it was released, and what recognition it received. You’ll find festival highlights, major studio pictures, and platform releases, with details on directors, co-stars, source material, and the industry context that shaped each performance.

‘Spencer’ (2021) – Diana, Princess of Wales

Directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight, ‘Spencer’ follows Diana over a tense holiday at Sandringham as she decides the course of her future. The film features cinematography by Claire Mathon and a score by Jonny Greenwood, and it was distributed by Neon after a high-profile festival launch. Production was a European co-venture, with locations in Germany and the U.K. standing in for royal estates.

Stewart’s portrayal centers on Diana’s private rituals, interactions with staff, and strained family protocols, with the narrative framed as a “fable from a true tragedy.” The performance earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, along with nominations and wins from major critics groups and guilds. Costume design by Jacqueline Durran and hair and makeup departments were widely cited for period accuracy and character detail.

‘Clouds of Sils Maria’ (2014) – Valentine

Olivier Assayas’s ‘Clouds of Sils Maria’ is a meta-drama about an aging star (Juliette Binoche) and her assistant, Valentine, as they rehearse a revival of a play that launched the actor’s career. Shot in Switzerland and Germany, the production uses the Engadine valley and the Maloja Snake cloud phenomenon as visual motifs. IFC Films handled U.S. distribution after its festival circuit.

Stewart became the first American actor to win a César Award, taking Best Supporting Actress for the role. The film explores labor, authorship, and celebrity through on-the-page rehearsal scenes and on-location travel, with Chloe Grace Moretz portraying a rising tabloid-era performer. Dialogue passages about translation, line readings, and stage direction provide insight into the mechanics of performance.

‘Personal Shopper’ (2016) – Maureen

Reuniting with Olivier Assayas, ‘Personal Shopper’ blends psychological mystery with a story about grief, following a fashion assistant who is also a medium trying to contact a deceased twin. The film premiered in competition at Cannes, where it received the Best Director award, and later released in the U.S. through IFC Films. Principal photography took place in Paris and London, with real-world fashion showrooms and ateliers used as locations.

The narrative integrates texting as a cinematic device, placing extended sequences on smartphone screens and trains to track a ghostly pursuit. Stewart’s character navigates high-end styling tasks for a celebrity client while investigating messages from an unknown sender. The production leans on restrained sound design and minimal visual effects to stage its supernatural elements.

‘Certain Women’ (2016) – Beth Travis

Kelly Reichardt’s ‘Certain Women’ adapts Maile Meloy short stories into an ensemble drama set in Montana, with Stewart appearing alongside Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, and Lily Gladstone. The film was shot on location, using natural-light photography and regional settings that emphasize distance and routine. It premiered at Sundance before moving through international festivals and an art-house rollout.

Stewart plays a night-school teacher who commutes long distances to lead an education law class, intersecting with a ranch hand in a quietly unfolding storyline. The film’s structure alternates among three narratives, connected by geography and recurring motifs. Awards attention included Independent Spirit nominations and widespread critics’ citations for the ensemble.

‘Still Alice’ (2014) – Lydia Howland

Adapted from Lisa Genova’s novel, ‘Still Alice’ was directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland and centers on a linguistics professor’s early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Julianne Moore’s lead performance won the Academy Award, with a supporting cast including Stewart, Alec Baldwin, and Kate Bosworth. The film utilized a modest budget and an expedited schedule, with extensive consultation from medical professionals and advocacy groups.

As Lydia, Stewart portrays a theatre-oriented daughter navigating caregiving dynamics, career choices, and family planning. Scenes focus on memory exercises, medical consultations, and household adjustments to depict the impact of the condition. The project partnered with organizations for outreach and education during its release window, expanding its audience beyond traditional drama viewers.

‘Twilight’ (2008) – Bella Swan

Catherine Hardwicke directed ‘Twilight,’ adapted from Stephenie Meyer’s novel, with Summit Entertainment overseeing production and distribution. Shot in the Pacific Northwest, the film built a franchise that led to multiple sequels, soundtrack albums, and a large consumer-products program. Its theatrical rollout leveraged fan events, cast tours, and exclusive retailer partnerships.

Stewart’s Bella anchors a human-vampire romance that introduced an ensemble including Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, and Anna Kendrick. The film’s global success established one of the decade’s most prominent teen franchises, with subsequent entries expanding the mythology, covens, and production scale. Key elements included blue-tone photography, wire-work stunts, and location shoots at schools and forests.

‘The Runaways’ (2010) – Joan Jett

‘The Runaways,’ directed by Floria Sigismondi, dramatizes the formation of the eponymous all-girl rock band, with Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie. The production secured music rights and involved Jett as an executive producer and on-set resource, allowing for instrument training and performance authenticity. Costumes and hair departments recreated stage looks, posters, and tour ephemera.

The film covers management strategies, recording sessions, and international touring, charting the band’s rapid ascent and internal pressures. Stewart performed guitar parts and stage movements developed with coaching from Jett. The release joined the music-biopic space with screenings at major festivals before a theatrical and home-entertainment window.

‘Adventureland’ (2009) – Em Lewin

Greg Mottola’s ‘Adventureland’ is a period coming-of-age story set at a regional amusement park, with a cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, and Ryan Reynolds. It was produced by Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Miramax, with on-location filming at a real park to capture ride operations and midway logistics. The soundtrack leans heavily on alternative and new-wave tracks licensed from multiple labels.

Stewart’s Em works alongside seasonal staff, balancing family complications with workplace camaraderie. The film maps park shift rotations, breakrooms, and ride maintenance to frame character interactions. Marketing focused on a blend of comedy and music nostalgia, while home release materials highlighted commentary tracks and behind-the-scenes features.

‘Panic Room’ (2002) – Sarah Altman

Directed by David Fincher for Columbia Pictures, ‘Panic Room’ centers on a mother-daughter duo trapped during a home invasion in a brownstone outfitted with a fortified safe room. The production constructed a full multi-level set on sound stages to enable complex camera moves, including digital stitching for long takes. The cast features Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam.

Stewart plays Sarah, whose diabetes becomes a critical plot element as the siege extends. The film’s technical approach combined practical effects, motion-control shots, and digital previsualization to map the townhouse’s interior. Its theatrical release emphasized Fincher’s precision filmmaking and suspense pedigree, followed by strong ancillary performance.

‘Seberg’ (2019) – Jean Seberg

‘Seberg,’ directed by Benedict Andrews, follows actor Jean Seberg’s experiences in Los Angeles as she becomes the subject of FBI surveillance tied to COINTELPRO. The film was produced by Automatik and Ingenious Media, with Amazon Studios acquiring U.S. rights after a major festival premiere. Costuming tracked Seberg’s style evolution across publicity shoots and private life.

Stewart’s portrayal covers film sets, media interviews, and monitored phone calls, with Jack O’Connell, Margaret Qualley, and Zazie Beetz in key roles. The narrative blends archival-inspired recreations with dramatized encounters, focusing on surveillance techniques, informants, and press leaks. Marketing materials highlighted the historical backdrop and civil-liberties themes.

‘Love Lies Bleeding’ (2024) – Lou

Rose Glass directed ‘Love Lies Bleeding,’ an A24 release that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before expanding to wide availability. The film pairs Stewart with Katy O’Brian, Ed Harris, Dave Franco, and Jena Malone, mixing crime elements with a gym-culture setting. Cinematography, production design, and stunt coordination emphasize weight rooms, backrooms, and desert exteriors.

Stewart plays Lou, a gym manager whose relationships intersect with organized crime and family entanglements. The production employs practical effects, stylized violence, and needle-drop cues to shape tone. Publicity centered on Glass’s follow-up to a breakthrough debut, with press focusing on the film’s blend of romance, underworld dealings, and bodybuilding milieu.

‘Underwater’ (2020) – Norah Price

‘Underwater,’ directed by William Eubank for 20th Century Studios, is a deep-sea survival thriller set at a drilling facility in the hadal zone. The cast includes Vincent Cassel, Jessica Henwick, John Gallagher Jr., and T.J. Miller. Production used heavy atmospheric effects, custom dive suits, and large-scale sets to simulate pressure and limited visibility.

Stewart’s Norah is a mechanical engineer coordinating evacuations and damage control after a catastrophic breach. The film integrates creature-feature elements with industrial procedures like bulkhead sealing and pressure-gauge monitoring. Its marketing highlighted claustrophobic action sequences and the engineering design of the station’s corridors and submersibles.

‘Happiest Season’ (2020) – Abby Holland

Clea DuVall’s ‘Happiest Season’ is a holiday romantic comedy distributed domestically by Hulu, with a theatrical component in some markets. The ensemble includes Mackenzie Davis, Dan Levy, Alison Brie, Mary Steenburgen, and Aubrey Plaza. Production designed a suburban family home for multigenerational gatherings and seasonal set dressing.

Stewart’s Abby plans a proposal while navigating her partner’s decision to keep their relationship private during a family visit. The film combines comedic set pieces with family-dinner dynamics, office parties, and charity events. Release strategy emphasized at-home viewing during the holidays, supported by cast interviews and soundtrack promotion.

‘Camp X-Ray’ (2014) – PFC Amy Cole

Written and directed by Peter Sattler, ‘Camp X-Ray’ follows a young soldier assigned to Guantánamo Bay who forms an unexpected connection with a detainee. The film premiered at Sundance and was later released by IFC Films, with location work and set builds used to recreate detention-block procedures. The cast includes Peyman Moaadi and Lane Garrison.

As PFC Amy Cole, Stewart navigates guard training, protocol enforcement, and ethical conflicts inside a regimented environment. The production consulted publicly available materials to depict procedures like cell checks, restraint usage, and shift rotations. The film’s outreach included panel discussions on military policy and human rights.

‘Into the Wild’ (2007) – Tracy Tatro

Sean Penn directed ‘Into the Wild,’ adapted from Jon Krakauer’s nonfiction book about Christopher McCandless. Emile Hirsch stars, with a supporting cast including Stewart, Catherine Keener, Hal Holbrook, and Vince Vaughn. Location shooting spanned multiple states to track the journey’s geography, and the soundtrack features original music by Eddie Vedder.

Stewart appears as Tracy, a teen musician who meets McCandless in Slab City, performing songs within the diegesis. The production blended handheld photography with landscape vistas, emphasizing road communities and makeshift stages. The film received multiple award nominations and became a staple in discussions around American travel narratives and minimalist living.

Share your favorite Kristen Stewart role in the comments and tell us which performance you’d add to this list!