"It felt like such thievery": Kristen Stewart reflects on the pressure of coming out to the public in throwback interview

It had never been easy for Twilight series alum Kristen Stewart to navigate her relationships while constantly being speculated and torn apart by the media. Given the explosive popularity of the series, it was impossible for the actress to stay out of the limelight.

Kristen Stewart and co-star Robert Pattinson's off-screen romance was also a topic of conversation for a long time, and they still remains one of the most iconic Hollywood ex-couples.

However, following Stewart's cheating scandal with Snow white and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders, the two split and years later, in 2019, the actress started making headlines again with then-rumoured girlfriend, actress and screenwriter, Dylan Meyer.

In an interview with InStyle back on October 7, 2020, the Panic Room actress opened up about the struggles of navigating her sexuality while being under the constant surveillance of the media:

"The first time I ever dated a girl, I was immediately being asked if I was a lesbian. And it's like, "God, I'm 21 years old."

The actress further commented on how her decision to not come out was influenced by a feeling that it would mean giving away herself to the media to be devoured by controversy:

"Not because I felt ashamed of being openly gay but because I didn't like giving myself to the public, in a way. It felt like such thievery."

Further into the interview, Stewart also spoke about feeling uncomfortable under the public gaze and reflected on being a part of the queer community.

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Kristen Stewart discusses how the media attention made her uncomfortable

The 33-year old actress elaborated on how constantly being under media surveillance impacted her relationships. While being confused about her sexuality, the intrusive gaze of the media further pressurized her, as coming out would make her a representative of the queer community.

"Even in my previous relationships, which were straight, we did everything we could to not be photographed doing things — things that would become not ours. So I think the added pressure of representing a group of people, of representing queerness, wasn't something I understood then."

Kristen Stewart had been incredibly forthcoming in sharing how she felt during the period when she was still processing her sexuality. The Charlie's Angels starrer said that it was extremely "hard" and "weird" and continued:

"But back then I would have been like, "No, I'm fine. My parents are fine with it. Everything's fine." That's bulls***. It's been hard. It's been weird. It's that way for everyone."

Kristen Stewart is a private person who isn't on social media. In the interview she also revealed that there had been no pressure from the LGBTQ+ community, but from being constantly photographed while going out with her girlfriend.

She further added:

"I was going out every day knowing I'd be photographed while I was being affectionate with my girlfriend, but I didn't want to talk about it. I did feel an enormous pressure, but it wasn't put on me by the [LGBTQ+] community."

All of this changed when Stewart met Dylan Meyer in 2019. After dating for two years, the couple got engaged in November, 2021.

Till date, things are going smoothly for Kristen Stewart and her fiancée and she casually mentioned the possibility of a spontaneous and unplanned wedding while appearing on Andy Cohen's show 'Watch What Happens Live' on October 26, 2023.

The two are reportedly working on a script together.