You might know that Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are dating. Maybe you even know that they have been photographed together at some of their famous spots around the world. But did you know that they actually work together?
It is true! Stewart is the director of the upcoming film Jupiter Ascending, and she and Pattinson are acting in the film together. So what is the method to their madness? Let’s dive into the details.
The Setup
In preparation for their roles, Stewart and Pattinson have been working together since January. They rehearse scenes and work on their character development. In addition, they have been touring around the U.S. meeting fans and promoting the film. While some sources indicate that Stewart is the more experienced of the two, and that she is taking the reins of the film, it seems that it is more of a partnership.
This was confirmed when Stewart tweeted on February 10, “Jupiter Ascending is such an honor to be a part of. It’s not just a film, it’s such a powerful message. My partner & I are proud to be a part of this.
In an interview with E! News, Stewart again spoke about the partnership and how they are approaching their roles in the film.
“It’s a beautiful story of collaboration and partnership,” Stewart said. “We talk through each scene and build on each other’s strengths. I think he really appreciates my acting ability, and I think I really appreciate his cinematic and production value. So it’s a perfect marriage of sorts.”
And then in an interview with Elle, Stewart elaborated on how their working relationship came about.
“We really connected on a personal level when we were working on Eclipse,” Stewart said. “It wasn’t like we worked together before and knew what each other was like. It was more like we had this chemistry and felt like we were meant to be working together. And we both have very strong personalities, so there was definitely some tension. But we were both committed to the project and just focused on making it the best it could possibly be.”
“We both wanted to approach [Eclipse] in a different way — more personal. With Robert I felt like I could be myself a little more and not have to watch my words so much. I could show more emotion. With Kristen it is a little bit different. She has to play a character the entire time, so there is never really a moment when she is not acting. So in a way it is easier for her to just act the way she normally is. There is never a moment where she is not bringing that [character] energy to the table. So it was a nice change of pace for both of us.”
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20. Since then, it has continued to play at many other festivals around the world, including the Berlin Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. It will continue to play in theaters throughout the U.S. at least until April 12.
The Scenes
So, what kind of scenes are we talking about here? Well, in Eclipse, the first of Stewart’s two films with Pattinson, they play a married couple struggling with infertility. In an interview with E! News, Stewart described the scene where she injects herself with her husband’s sperm as “very personal. It was the first time either of us had ever done anything like that. It was pretty wild. Not something I would describe as acting.”
But Stewart also describes the scene where they finally conceive a child as “one of the most gratifying moments.” And it is indeed one of the film’s highlights. During post-production, Stewart called it her “favorite scene.”
You can watch it below. Just be prepared to have your heart broken.
The Message
At its core, Jupiter Ascending is a love story. It is also an important story about finding your place in the universe and being true to yourself. It is a theme that ties into Stewart and Pattinson’s own personal lives. Pattinson tweeted about the film, “This is a story about discovering the uniqueness of who you are, as well as learning to express that through your actions.“
The film’s director, Justin Lin, spoke about the themes that he wanted the film to evoke. He told Deadline, “[The film is] about identity, who you want to be and how you are going to go about making that happen. And it’s about realizing your full potential and not feeling limited by what you think you can or can’t do.”
Stewart, who spent four years as a Jehovah’s Witness before finding her way to film, said in an interview with E! News about the themes she wanted to bring to the table, “I think that is a big part of what attracted me to the movie. The premise of the story is very unique. It’s not something I’ve ever really seen before. And I think that is why it stood out to me. But at the same time, I think a lot of the themes that are in the movie are ones that I have experienced in my life. And I think that is what makes it relatable to everyone.”
So if you are ready to watch some of the most talented actors on the planet give it their all, then be sure to see Jupiter Ascending in theaters near you.