Very well done.
Even if the hits are coming, you take them anyway. It’s a character building approach. And it’s a much stronger strategic move than that apology. A friend and I were discussing this last night. He compared the apology, the delivery of it, the desperateness of it, the theatricality of it, to 10 Things I Hate About You, or any dramatic declaration in a high school movie in which one of the leads expresses to the other lead, in the most public way possible, like in the cafeteria, that I Love You or I Miss You. If that was high school for Kristen Stewart, last night was post-graduation.
Stewart spent a lot of time with fans AND the press. Her face was spectacular. She wore Zuhair Murad which... you know...that’s Carrie Underwood styles, and I don’t love. But the aesthetic is not the point. The point is she did not simply pose for photos and rush inside, like we’ve seen from so many other stars after a scandal. Here’s how it went down:
At first it didn’t seem like she would be giving interviews. No one knew before she arrived if she’d be stopping for media. At one point it looked like it would be a bust. And then there was a huddle with her publicist. They called Garrett Hedlund over. He nodded. And they worked the press line paired, generous with their time, thoughtful with their answers. Smart. And strategic. She was nervous though. You could tell because at the step and repeat her leg was trembling. And as she made her way down the line, she started to get little red bumps on her neck. Which I find so endearing. Like I said earlier, it’s a character building experience. As Sasha, who was producing the carpet, said to me afterwards - she came to play. And she’ll be playing more today at the On The Road junket. She’s paired today too - with Walter Salles. So she’s meeting her professional obligations but they’re doing their best to put her in a protected situation. Coming to TIFF was the right move. So far it’s been a success.
