Kristen Stewart has blasted Hollywood for a "devastating" lack of progress after the MeToo movement.
The 25-year-old star - whose directorial debut Chronology of Water will hit the big screen next month - has taken aim at the film industry for the barriers still placed in front of female filmmakers trying to share their stories.
During the keynote speech at the Academy and Chanel’s 2025 Women’s Luncheon on Tuesday (04.11.25), she said: “In a post-MeToo moment, it seemed possible that stories made by and for women were finally getting their due, that we might be allowed or even encouraged to express ourselves and our shared experiences, all of our experiences without filter.
“But I can now attest to the bare-knuckle brawling that it takes every single frame, when the content is too dark, too taboo, when the frankness with which it serves up observations about experiences routinely experienced by women frequently provoke disgust and rejection.”
The Twilight star joked that she was "in a severe state of PMS today", but wanted to take the opportunity to speak her mind.
Speaking to an audience including the likes of Kate Hudson, Alicia Silverstone, Riley Keough and more, she added: "So in my hormonally activated state let's get further into this.
"It's awkward to talk about inequality for some people, and it's more awkward when the nature of inequality is somewhat ephemeral.
"We can discuss wage gaps and taxes on tampons and measure it in lots of quantifiable ways, but the violence is silencing. It's like we're not even supposed to be angry. But I can eat this podium with a fork and f****** knife, I'm so angry.”
According to Ankler, Freakier Friday, Elio and I Know What You Did Last Summer are the only studio movies directed by a woman in 2025 - Nisha Ganatra, Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson respectively.
Kristen said: "The backsliding from our brief moment of progress is statistically devastating.
"It is devastating. Such a pitiful number of films from the past last year have been made by women.”
She described Hollywood as "in a state of emergency", taking aim at "a boys club business model that pretends to want to hang out with us while siphoning our resources and belittling our true perspectives".
She said: “Every man, woman, and child should be supported to express their true self, whatever that looks like.
"Every woman has a right to use their true voice, not the one that's been curated for them by someone else...
“What feels obvious to me is pretending it isn't happening is not an option,. Those of us who have been lucky enough to make a movie have a responsibility to those who are yet to come.”
