Kristen Stewart’s 5 most memorable roles as Love Lies Bleeding trailer lands
Kristen Stewart’s Love Lies Bleeding will screen at BFI Flare 2024. (Lionsgate)
Kristen Stewart is delivering another knock-out performance in the steamy, action-packed trailer for sapphic thriller Love Lies Bleeding, but it’s not the first time the queer star has slayed on the big screen.
Twlight star Stewart has long been a visible champion the queer community, first coming out in 2017 and announcing her relationship with now-fiancée Dylan Meyer in 2019.
Over recent years, Stewart has channeled her LGBTQ+ activism into her art, from playing queer roles to producing LGBTQ+ TV series to directing gay music videos. Whether you were obsessed with Hulu’s reality series Living for the Dead or watched boygenius’ short film the film on repeat – Stewart has done it all.
Now, the 33-year-old screen star is bringing her all to Rose Glass’ gory sophomore feature and “electric new love story”, Love Lies Bleeding, in which she plays reclusive gym manager Lou.
When Lou meets ambitious bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O’Brian) as she is passing through town on her way to Las Vegas, things soon start to heat up before violently falling apart.
The fast-paced trailer holds nothing back as it shows Lou and Jackie’s first meeting, interspersed with clips of their passionate, behind-closed-doors love affair. A synopsis notes that “their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.”
Soon, Jackie and Lou are forced to battle against the dark forces circling them, and threatening their love. As the stakes increase, we see a bloody gun exchanges and daring escapes as Jackie and Lou try to save themselves before it is too late.
Love Lies Bleeding also stars Jena Malone (The Hunger Games), Dave Franco (21 Jump Street) and Ed Harris (Apollo 13).
As fans celebrate seeing Stewart back on the big screen in a sexy, heart-pounding thriller, here’s our round-up of Stewart’s most memorable film roles to date…
Happiest Season (2020)
In a major departure from Love Lies Bleeding, we have Stewart’s starring role in queer festive romcom Happiest Season. She plays Abby, the loving partner of Harper (Mackenzie Davis) who is thrilled to be meeting Harper’s family over Christmas.
But everything goes wrong when Abby discovers Harper has hidden their relationship from her family. The all-star cast also featured Dan Levy, Alison Brie and Aubrey Plaza, with the film marking a leap forward for queer festive film fare when it originally came out in 2020.
Stewart delivered with a hilariously chaotic yet tearjerking performance that captured the highs of queer joy, effortlessly mixed with the emotional baggage many LGBTQ+ people are familiar with over the holidays.
Spencer (2021)
Who can forget Stewart’s acclaimed turn as LGBTQ+ icon Princess Diana in the haunting drama Spencer. The actor truly embodied the people’s princess in this character study of the beloved late royal as she spirals into a mental breakdown while holidaying with the Royals over Christmas.
We see Stewart expertly navigate the stages of (slightly mad) grief as Diana processes Charles’ affair and enacts her plan to finally divorce him. Although the film divided fans, it seemed to win over critics, leading to Stewart landing her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 2022.
Charlie’s Angels (2019)
Next we go to the controversial Charlie’s Angels. The Elizabeth Banks-produced film starred Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska as the new generation of Angels working for the mysterious Charlie Townsend.
The film didn’t live up to everyone’s expectations (leading to a swathe of poor reviews). It showed Stewart as the goofy, exuberant and ass-kicking Sabina Wilson; a role which strayed away from her usual brooding and darker characters.
Despite the mixed reception to the film, Stewart did mark herself its standout, carving out many memorable lines with a larger-than-life performance in an otherwise lacking remake.
Underwater (2020)
Returning to more familiar (and depressing) ground, we have Underwater. This race-against-time, nautical sci-fi film sees Stewart playing mechanical engineer Norah Price. When a deep-water earthquake strikes a team of oceanic researchers’ subterranean laboratory, panic sets in.
Stewart offers a heart-racing performance as Norah faces gnarly monsters and impending doom while she tries to save her crew from almost-certain death amidst the threatening dark of the deep-sea.
If you’re looking for a taste of Stewart’s horror acting, this is one for you.
Twilight (2008)
Finally, this list wouldn’y be complete without the role that flung Stewart into global stardom. The actor truly made waves with her role as Bella Swan in Twilight, opposite Robert Pattinson’s Edward Cullen.
Stewart’s performance of the quiet, awkward yet determined Bella gave birth to countless memes and, at one point, made her the highest paid film star in the world. Never underestimate the power of teens obsessed with a hunky vampire-werewolf YA series.
Here’s to Bella Swan, long may she live (as a sparkly vampire).
Love Lies Bleeding arrives in UK cinemas on 19 April 2024.
