Hit! is a 1973 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor. It is about a federal agent trying to destroy a drug zone after his daughter dies from a heroin overdose.

Cast[link]

• Billy Dee Williams - Nick Allen
• Richard Pryor - Mike Willmer
• Paul Hampton - Barry Strong
• Gwen Welles - Sherry Nielson
• Warren J. Kemmerling - Dutch Schiller
• Janet Brandt - Ida
• Sid Melton - Herman
• Zooey Hall - Carlin
• Todd Martin - Crosby
• Norman Burton - The Director
• Jenny Astruc - Mademoiselle Frelou
• Yves Barsacq - Romain
• Jean-Claude Bercq - Jean-Baptiste
• Henri Cogan - Bornou
• Pierre Collet - Zero

External links[link]

• Hit! at the Internet Movie Database

This article about a crime film is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Bradley Cooper
Cooper speaking at the USS Ronald Reagan in July 2009
Born	Bradley Charles Cooper[1] (1975-01-05) January 5, 1975 (age 37) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma mater	Georgetown University The New School
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1999–present
Spouse	Jennifer Esposito (2006–2007)

Bradley Charles Cooper (born January 5, 1975) is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Hangover, The A-Team, Wedding Crashers, and Limitless. In 2011, People magazine named Cooper "Sexiest Man Alive".^[2]

Early life[link]

Cooper was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in nearby Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. His mother, Gloria (née Campano), is Italian-American, and his father, Charles J. Cooper, was Irish-American and worked as a stockbroker for Merrill Lynch. He has one sister named Holly.^[3][4][5] Cooper was raised Catholic.^[6][7] While attending Germantown Academy, Cooper worked at the Philadelphia Daily News.^[8] After graduating from Germantown Academy in 1993,^[9] he attended Villanova University for his freshman year,^[10] then transferred to Georgetown University, from which he graduated with an honors BA in English in 1997.^[11][12] Cooper became fluent in French at Georgetown and spent six months as an exchange student in Aix-en-Provence, France.^[13][14][15] Later, in 2000, he received an MFA in acting from Actors Studio Drama School at The New School in New York City.^[11][16]

Career[link]

Cooper began his professional acting career on the television series Sex and the City in 1999,^[5] and also served as a presenter for Globe Trekker. Cooper made his film debut in Wet Hot American Summer in 2001, before landing his role as Will Tippin in the successful television drama Alias.^[5] He returned twice to Alias as a guest star after leaving the show in 2003, and he also guest-starred on the short-lived TV series Miss Match in the same year. Cooper shot scenes for the 2002 psychological thriller Changing Lanes; the footage was removed from the finished film but is featured on the film's DVD and Blu-ray releases.^[17][18]

Cooper co-starred in the ABC Family film I Want to Marry Ryan Banks with Jason Priestly, and appeared as a regular guest star in the WB series Jack & Bobby. He played the popular villain Sack Lodge in the hit comedy Wedding Crashers and appeared in the film Failure to Launch as a friend of Matthew McConaughey's character. Cooper played the lead role in the Fox sitcom Kitchen Confidential, based on a memoir by chef Anthony Bourdain, which debuted in September 2005. However, despite critical acclaim, Fox announced after just four episodes that the series had been canceled.^[19][20]

Cooper at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Whatever Works

In March 2006, Cooper starred in Three Days of Rain on Broadway with Julia Roberts and Paul Rudd at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater.^[21][22] Cooper also appeared on stage as Jake in the 2008 production of Theresa Rebeck's play The Understudy at the Williamstown Theatre Festival alongside Kristen Johnston.^[23]

Cooper at Comic Con 2007

In 2007, Cooper starred in Season 5 of Nip/Tuck as Aidan Stone, a television star on the fictional show Hearts 'N Scalpels. Cooper also starred in Yes Man with Jim Carrey. He also made an appearance in the movie The Rocker with Rainn Wilson in 2008.

On February 7, 2009, Cooper hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest TV on the Radio. Cooper impersonated Christian Bale in a fake commercial for a DVD featuring celebrities yelling at movie crew members called, "No, Bruce! Let Me Finish! The Best of Celebrity Tirades." In 2009, Cooper starred in the films He's Just Not That into You, Case 39^[24] and The Hangover. In October 2009, Cooper received the Hollywood Comedy Award at the 13th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Awards.^[25] The success of The Hangover led to new opportunities for Cooper, but in an interview with Shave Magazine, Cooper said: "It’s the same. I mean, look, more doors have been opened for sure but it’s not like I sit back with a cigar on Monday morning and go through the scripts that have been offered."^[26]

In 2010, he starred in Valentine's Day, and played the role of Templeton "Faceman" Peck in the feature film version of The A-Team. He guest co-hosted WWE Raw on June 7, 2010 along with his The A-Team co-stars Sharlto Copley and Quinton Jackson.^[27]

In 2011, Cooper starred in the techno-thriller Limitless, based on the 2001 novel The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn, as well as the comedy sequel The Hangover Part II. As of August 2011^[update], he is filming for The Place Beyond the Pines, in the role of an early 1990s police officer.^[28] He will then go on to film an adaptation of Matthew Quick's serio-comic novel The Silver Linings Playbook with Robert De Niro and Jennifer Lawrence, directed by David O. Russell.^[29][30] In September 2011, GQ UK presented Cooper with the "International Man of the Year" award.^[31] On November 16, 2011, People magazine named him Sexiest Man Alive.^[32]

In January 2012, plans were announced for Cooper to reunite with The Silver Linings Playbook co-star Jennifer Lawrence for the Susanne Bier adaptation of Ron Rash's period novel Serena.^[33] In March 2012, Cooper and Warner Bros. entered into a two-year first look deal for his production company 22 & Indiana Pictures.^[34]

Personal life[link]

Cooper married actress Jennifer Esposito in late 2006.^[35] In May 2007, it was announced that Esposito had filed for divorce.^[36]

In September 2010, it was reported that Cooper and actress Renée Zellweger had been in a relationship for over a year.^[37] On March 18, 2011, People reported that the couple had ended their relationship.^[38]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bradley Cooper

• Bradley Cooper at the Internet Movie Database
• Bradley Cooper on Charlie Rose
• Works by or about Bradley Cooper in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Bradley Cooper at the Notable Names Database

Kristen Bell
Bell at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
Born	Kristen Anne Bell (1980-07-18) July 18, 1980 (age 31) Huntington Woods, Michigan, United States
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1992–present
Partner	Dax Shepard (2007-present)

Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress. In 2001, she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. After moving to Los Angeles, Bell landed various television guest appearances and small film parts before appearing in a lead role in the David Mamet film Spartan. Her first film role was an uncredited appearance in Polish Wedding. She gained fame and critical praise as the title role on the acclaimed television series Veronica Mars from September 2004 to May 2007.

During her time on Veronica Mars, Bell appeared as Mary Lane in the film Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical, a reprise of the role she had played in the New York theatrical production of the eponymous musical upon which the film was based. She also portrayed the lead role in Pulse, a remake of a J-Horror film. In 2007, she joined the cast of Heroes, playing the character Elle Bishop, and Gossip Girl as the off-screen titular narrator. In 2008, she played Sarah Marshall in the comedy film Forgetting Sarah Marshall. She has since appeared in a number of comedy films, such as Fanboys, Couples Retreat, and When in Rome. Bell was also the voice of Cora in Astro Boy and is the voice and face of Lucy Stillman in the Assassin's Creed video game series. Bell has received a Satellite Award and Saturn Award, and has been nominated several times for Television Critics Association Awards and Teen Choice Awards.^{[citation needed]}

Early life and family[link]

Bell was born and raised in Huntington Woods, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Her mother, Lorelei (née Frygier), is a registered nurse, and her father, Tom Bell, is the television news director for WOAI-TV in San Antonio.^[1] Her parents divorced when she was two years old, and she has two half sisters, Sara and Jody, from her father's second marriage. Bell has strabismus, which affects her right eye. She inherited it from her mother, who had it corrected as a child. Bell claims that if she does not get enough sleep, it aggravates the ailment. She calls her right eye "Wonky".^[2][3]

Bell stated that she did not like her first name at the age of four. Her mother convinced Bell to go by her middle name of Anne instead; she used the name Annie until high school.^[4]

Just before her freshman year of high school, Bell's parents decided to pull her from the public school system.^[5] She then attended Shrine Catholic High School in nearby Royal Oak, where she took part in the drama and music club.^[6] During her time at the school, she won the starring role in the school's 1997 production of The Wizard of Oz as Dorothy Gale^[7] and also appeared in productions of Fiddler on the Roof (1995), Lady Be Good (1996), and Li'l Abner (1998). In 1998, the year she graduated, Bell was named the yearbook's "Best Looking Girl" by senior class vote.^[8]

When Bell was 17, her best friend, whom she met at age 11 during a Detroit community theater production, was killed in an automobile accident. Bell said that it was "both the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. [...] Once you learn not to take people for granted, you live a lot happier life".^[9]

Shortly after her high school graduation, Bell moved to New York City to attend the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University,^[4] majoring in musical theater.^[10] In 2001, during her senior year at New York University, Bell left a few credits shy of graduating^[11] to take a role in the Broadway musical version of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Career[link]

Early work (1992–2003)[link]

In 1992, Bell went to her first audition and won a dual role as a banana and a tree^[9] in a suburban Detroit theater's production of Raggedy Ann and Andy.^[4] Her mother had established her with an agent before Bell was 13, which allowed her to appear in newspaper advertisements for several Detroit retailers and television commercials. She also began private acting lessons.^[4] In 1998, she appeared with an uncredited role in the locally filmed movie Polish Wedding.

In 2001, Bell left New York University to take a key role as Becky Thatcher in the short-lived Broadway musical of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. That same year, she made her credited film debut in Pootie Tang. Her one line in the film was cut and her appearance exists only as a scene shown during the credit sequence.^[12] Additionally, she auditioned for the television series Smallville for the role of Chloe Sullivan, a part eventually won by Allison Mack.^[13] In 2002, she appeared in the Broadway revival of The Crucible with Liam Neeson, Angela Bettis and Laura Linney. Bell then moved to Los Angeles, California in 2002 because of her friendship with writers Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney,^[12] and appeared in a handful of television shows as a special guest, finding trouble gaining a recurring role in a television series. Bell had "tested like eight times and booked nothing and every show [she] tested for got picked up," including auditions for Skin and a Norm Macdonald series.^[9]

In 2003, she landed a role in the Hallmark Channel movie The King and Queen of Moonlight Bay. Bell appeared on the show Punk'd.

Breakout (2004–06)[link]

Bell on the set of Veronica Mars

In 2004, Bell appeared in the Lifetime television movie Gracie's Choice, which received one of the network's highest ratings.^[11] She made her debut in a theatrically released film, with David Mamet's Spartan, as Laura Newton, the kidnapped daughter of the U.S. President, acting alongside Val Kilmer. Bell also guest-starred on the HBO's drama Deadwood in a two-episode story arc ("Bullock Returns to the Camp" and "Suffer the Little Children").

At 24 she won the role of the title character in UPN's drama Veronica Mars, which was launched in the fall of 2004. Created by Rob Thomas, the series starred Bell as the seventeen year old detective Veronica, which put her alongside actors Enrico Colantoni who played her father, Jason Dohring, Percy Daggs III and Ryan Hansen. Bell noted the parallels between the character of Veronica and her own life — Bell's parents had divorced and her best friend had also died, like that of Veronica.^[11] The series earned positive reviews from television critics, as did Bell's performance. Some critics felt that she was overlooked, however, and deserved an Emmy Award nomination.^[14][15][16]

In 2005, Bell starred in Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical, reprising the role she played in the short-lived 2001 off-broadway musical. The musical was a spoof of the 1936 exploitation film of the same name. Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical debuted on the Showtime network on April 16, 2005. On September 18, 2005, Bell performed the theme song from Fame on the "Emmy Idol" portion of the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. She and the cast of Veronica Mars were nominated for two Teen Choice Awards in 2005: "Choice Breakout Actress" and "Choice Breakout TV Show".

In 2006, Bell won the Saturn Award for "Best Actress on Television" for her acting on Veronica Mars, while the series was nominated for "Best Network Television Show". Aside from working on Veronica Mars, in April, Bell starred as Gracie in Fifty Pills, an entry for the Tribeca Film Festival. She appeared in a short independent film called The Receipt and the horror film Roman, which was directed by her The Crucible co-star Angela Bettis. Released on August 11, 2006, Pulse starred Bell as the lead Mattie. A remake of the Japanese horror film Kairo, the film grossed US$27.9 million worldwide,^[17] however it garnered negative response from critics. Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter commented, "despite the starring presence of Kristen Bell, [the] young actress has far less interesting material to work with here than she does as [the character] "Veronica Mars.""^[18]

Recent and future roles (2007–present)[link]

Veronica Mars continued on UPN until the third season, in which the show was renewed and returned on the newly created The CW. On January 19, 2007 CW Entertainment President Dawn Ostroff announced that, while she was pleased with the gradual improvement of Veronica Mars's ratings, the series would be put on hiatus after February sweeps to air a new reality series, Pussycat Dolls Present. On May 17, 2007 Ostroff announced the cancellation of the series.^[19] The two-hour series finale aired in the United States on May 22, 2007, and on June 11, 2007 Thomas officially announced in an email to TV Guide's Michael Ausiello that Veronica Mars had been canceled by the CW.^[20] A Veronica Mars feature film and comic book series continuation had been discussed,^[21] and for a short time there was talk of another collaboration between Bell and creator Thomas that would be unrelated to the Veronica Mars series.^[19]

Following the cancellation of Veronica Mars, Bell had voiced interest in appearing on Heroes because she was a fan prior to being cast.^[22] On July 29, 2007, during a train ride back to Los Angeles from the San Diego Comic-Con with Heroes actors Zachary Quinto and Masi Oka, and writers from the series, the writers had mentioned that if she "ever want[ed] to come on Heroes, give us [writers] a call," to which Bell said she would "love to."^[23] She was also spoken to about a role on Lost, but turned down the role^[24][25] to portray Charlotte Staples Lewis.^[26] Announced in August 2007, Bell was to portray Elle Bishop, a "mysterious young lady" with an "awesome power".^[23] She did not have to audition for the role of Elle,^[12] who made her first appearance in an October 2007 episode, and will appear in at least thirteen episodes during the run of the series.^[27] The casting of Bell, as Heroes creator Tim Kring explains, "was not easy to pull off", but because of the large ensemble cast of the series and multiple story arcs, "we found a way to jump into a small window in [Bell's] schedule."^[27] Concurrently with filming on Heroes, she narrated as title character in the CW series Gossip Girl.

Shortly after the cancellation of Veronica Mars in early 2007, Bell filmed on location in Hawaii for her starring role as the title character in the Judd Apatow comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. She noted that the improvisational comedy in the film was "a lovely experience".^[12] The film, written by and also starring Jason Segel, was released theatrically on April 18, 2008. Bell lent her voice and likeness to the video game Assassin's Creed which was released on November 13, 2007 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and April 8, 2008 for the PC.^[28] Bell reprises her role of Lucy in Assassin's Creed II released on November 17, 2009, and again in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, released on 16 November 2010.^[29] In the spring of 2006, she finished filming the Star Wars-themed comedy Fanboys, which had its release date pushed to January 14, 2008. This was due to additional funding given to director Kyle Newman to shoot new scenes, however, the busy schedules of the actors only allowed for filming in September 2007, thus moving the release date to accommodate that.^[30] Bell will voice the character of Marybelle in the animated feature Sheepish, which also has a 2008 release date.^[31] She also starred in the 2009 comedies Serious Moonlight, alongside Meg Ryan, and Couples Retreat, which chronicled four couples who partake in therapy sessions at a tropical island resort. Jason Bateman played her husband.^[32] On March 31, 2008, Bell began shooting for the Mark Steven Johnson-written Disney film When in Rome in locations in Rome and New York; the film was released in 2010.^[33] Bell reprised her role as Sarah Marshall for a cameo appearance in the film Get Him to the Greek, a spin-off sequel from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, released June 4, 2010.

Bell has also said that when she is free from film and television roles, she would like to perform on stage again.^[34] She co-starred with singers Christina Aguilera and Cher in the movie-musical Burlesque which was released on Thanksgiving in 2010.

Bell had a cameo in Scream 4, which was released on April 15, 2011.^[35] She is also attached to the films Everybody Loves Whales and Dance of the Mirlitons.^[36]

She has also appeared in the music video for "Madder Red" by Brooklyn experimental rock band Yeasayer.

Bell portrays the role of "Mary Magdalene" in The Truth & Life Dramatized Audio New Testament Bible, a 22-hour, celebrity-voiced, fully dramatized audio New Testament which uses the RSV-CE translation.

She is the female lead on the Showtime series House of Lies, which premiered on January 8, 2012, and is directed by Stephen Hopkins.

In the media[link]

In 2006, Bell was selected "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" on PETA's yearly poll.^[37] She was placed #68 on Maxim's 2005 "Hot 100" list,^[38] #11 in Maxim's 2006 "Hot 100" list,^[39] and #46 in Maxim's 2007 "Hot 100" list in which she was stated to have "single-handedly saved the CW from becoming the worst network ever."^[40] In 2006, Maxim also placed Bell at the top of the "Fall TV's Criminally Sexy Investigators" List.^[37] In 2008, she was featured at #59 on Ask Men's Top 99 Women of 2008 List.^[41] Reflecting on her admitted popularity with "geeks", Bell was voted the fourth sexiest woman on TV by the staff at Wizard magazine.^[42]

She stated to have never thought of herself as womanly because she "always play[ed roles] and look[ed] and act[ed] 10 years younger than [she is]", however as she explains, "Something magical happened when I turned 25 — I looked in the mirror and was like, You might not get carded for an R-rated movie anymore. Like I didn't have a little stick figure anymore."^[43] Bell has said that many of the characters she has played are tomboys because she was "not homely enough to play the nerdy girl and not nearly pretty enough to play the pretty girl".^[43]

Bell has been associated with the idea that "nerdy is the new cool", and she explains, "what was previously perceived as nerdy is now viewed as original. What I like about nerdiness, geekiness, is it doesn't really matter what you're into — it just means you're not a follower."^[43] She has also said, "I love nerds. Comic-Con junkies are the tastemakers of tomorrow. Isn't that funny? The tables have turned."^[12] Vanessa Juarez of Entertainment Weekly commented that Bell's role on Veronica Mars, Heroes and as a Star Wars fanatic in Fanboys has "solidif[ied] her placement at the center of the geek universe", while Rodney Rothman stated, "I guess she's cornered the market on losers."^[44] Bell's work is often compared to Sarah Michelle Gellar's portrayal of the titular character on the cult television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.^[45] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter stated that Bell was "arguably the television successor [to Gellar's portrayal of Buffy] when it comes to fighting bad guys." Bell is sometimes confused with Lauren Conrad from the show The Hills. "Yeah, sometimes fans yell, 'Hey, Lauren' to me, but usually from a distance," said Kristen.^[18]

Despite "new celebrity" status, Bell claims that she is not concerned because "no one ever recognizes [her] anyway". As Bell explains, "I hang out with Hayden quite a bit — they never take pictures of me. I just step to the side, and I push myself in front of her when she wants to get out of it, or put her in the car."^[43] Bell is a recurring guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, appearing in interviews as well as sketches. On the Late Late Show, she is shown to have garnered a humorous hostility towards Craig's robot skeleton sidekick Geoff Peterson, claiming that she had wanted to be Craig's sidekick on his show and taking it upon herself to cut Geoff down every chance she gets. Both Bell and Geoff Peterson appeared with Ferguson during the five Late Late shows filmed in France.^[46]

In January 2011 it was announced that Bell would be the new face of Neutrogena.^[47]

Personal life[link]

Bell signing in January 2005 at San Francisco's Metreon

At age 11, Bell became a vegetarian.^[37] In an interview with PETA, Bell stated, "I have always been an animal lover. I had a hard time disassociating the animals I cuddled with — dogs and cats, for example — from the animals on my plate, and I never really cared for the taste of meat. I always loved my Brussels sprouts!"^[48] During her time in Michigan, Bell fostered animals from Michigan Humane Society and she now supports the San Diego-based Helen Woodward Animal Center. Bell often attends fund raisers for the ASPCA and other non-profit organizations dedicated to protecting animals. She owns a Welsh Corgi-Chow Chow mix named Lola, a Welsh Corgi-Chihuahua mix named Shakey, and a black Labrador Retriever named Sadie, who was 11 years old when she was rescued from Hurricane Katrina and adopted by Bell in 2005.^[5][49]

She and many of those who worked on Veronica Mars, including personal friend Ryan Hansen, are involved with the charity organization Invisible Children Inc. The goal of the organization is to create awareness regarding the plight of Northern Ugandans who are caught in the midst of a civil war between the government and Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army.^[50] Bell has also done a public service announcement for Do Something's Healthy Living Campaign.^[51]

Bell supported and campaigned for Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election. Along with Rashida Jones, she visited college campuses in Missouri to discuss the candidates and encourage voter registration.^[52][53][54] Bell has shown her support for the Writers Guild of America in the writer's strike, appearing in the picket lines in December 2007 stating, "the writers are just looking for some fairness."^[55]

In 2007, Bell ended a five-year relationship with former fiancé Kevin Mann,^[43] and went on to date actor Dax Shepard.^[56] As of January 2010, she is engaged to Shepard.^[57] She told Complex magazine that dating "makes me want to vomit. And not out of grossness — OK, a little bit out of grossness, but just nerves." Bell explains, "I've always been a serial monogamist."^[43]

As she is a Detroit native, she is also an avid fan of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team.^[58]

She is also a lover of sloths. When her now fiance Shepard got her a sloth for her birthday, she broke down in tears.^[59]

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

Wins[link]

2006 

Saturn Award, for Veronica Mars

Jury Prize at the Austin Fantastic Fest, for Roman

Family Film Award, for Veronica Mars (shared with Enrico Colantoni)

2005 

Satellite Award, for Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical

Nominations[link]

2009 

Teen Choice Award, for Heroes

Saturn Award, for Heroes

MTV Movie Award, for Forgetting Sarah Marshall

2008 

Teen Choice Award, for Forgetting Sarah Marshall

2007 

Saturn Award, for Veronica Mars

2006 

Satellite Award, for Veronica Mars

Teen Choice Award, for Veronica Mars

2005 

Satellite Award, for Veronica Mars

Saturn Award, for Veronica Mars

Teen Choice Award, for Veronica Mars

TCA Award, for Veronica Mars

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Kristen Bell

Wikinews has related news: Award show producers try Emmy Idol

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kristen Bell

• Kristen Bell at the Internet Movie Database
• Kristen Bell at the Internet Broadway Database
• Kristen Bell at AllRovi
• Kristen Bell^{[dead link]} at Complex
• Couples Retreat Video Interview at AMCtv.com

Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart at the 2012 Wondercon on March 17, 2012
Born	Kristen Jaymes Stewart (1990-04-09) April 9, 1990 (age 22) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1999–present
Signature
Website
kristenstewart.com

Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga. She has starred in other films, including Panic Room (2002), Zathura (2005), In the Land of Women (2007), The Messengers (2007), Adventureland (2009), The Runaways (2010), and Snow White and the Huntsman. She will star in upcoming films in 2012: On the Road and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

Early life[link]

Stewart was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.^[1][2][3] Her father, John Stewart, is a stage manager and television producer who has worked for Fox.^[4] Her mother, Jules Mann-Stewart, is a script supervisor originally from Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia.^[3][5][6][7] She has an older brother, Cameron Stewart, and an adopted brother, Taylor.^[8][9] Stewart attended school until the seventh grade and then continued her education by correspondence.^[3] She has since completed high school.^[10]

Career[link]

Early work[link]

Her whole family all worked behind the camera and Stewart thought she would become a writer/director, but never considered being an actor. "I never wanted to be the center of attention – I wasn't that 'I want to be famous, I want to be an actor' kid. I never sought out acting, but I always practiced my autograph because I love pens. I'd write my name on everything."^[11] Stewart's acting career began at the age of eight, after an agent saw her perform in her elementary school's Christmas play.^[12] After a year of auditioning, Stewart's first role was a small nonspeaking part in the Disney Channel original film The Thirteenth Year.^[4] Then, she had another part in the film The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas as the "ring toss girl".^[4] She subsequently appeared in the independent film The Safety of Objects, in which she played the tomboy daughter of a troubled single mother (Patricia Clarkson). Stewart also played a tomboy in the film Panic Room, playing the diabetic daughter of a divorced mother (Jodie Foster). She was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her performance.^[13]

After Panic Room's success, Stewart was cast in another thriller, Cold Creek Manor, playing the daughter of Dennis Quaid's and Sharon Stone's characters. She was again nominated for a Young Artist Award for her performance.^[13] It was revealed that at about this time in her career, she had to be homeschooled due to her irregular schedule, which was affecting her grades. She said, "I started homeschooling because my teachers were failing me. I think it was just resentment – I made more work for them. But homeschooling is great; you can study what you want, which allows you to get more excited about what you're doing".^[13]

2004–07[link]

Her first starring role followed, in the children's action-comedy Catch That Kid, opposite Max Thieriot and Corbin Bleu. Stewart also played the role of Lila in the thriller Undertow. Stewart starred in the Lifetime/Showtime television film Speak (2004), based on the novel by Laurie Halse Anderson. Stewart, 13 at the time of filming, played high school freshman Melinda Sordino, who stops almost all verbal contact after being raped.

In 2005, Stewart appeared in the fantasy-adventure film Zathura, playing the role of Lisa, the irresponsible older sister of two little boys, who turn their house into a spacecraft hurtling uncontrollably in outer space by playing a board game. The film received praise by critics, but Stewart's performance did not garner much media attention, as it was noted that her character is immobilized during most of the film.^[14] The following year, she played the character Maya in Fierce People, directed by Griffin Dunne. After that film, she received the lead role of Jess Solomon in the supernatural thriller film The Messengers.

In 2007, Stewart appeared as teenager Lucy Hardwicke in In the Land of Women, a romantic drama starring Meg Ryan and Adam Brody. The film, as well as Stewart's performance, received mixed reviews. That same year, Stewart appeared in the Sean Penn-directed adaptation film Into the Wild. For her portrayal of Tracy – a teenage singer who has a crush on young adventurer Christopher McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch) – Stewart received mixed reviews. While Salon.com considered her work a "sturdy, sensitive performance",^[15] and the Chicago Tribune noted that she did "vividly well with a sketch of a role",^[16] Variety's critic Dennis Harvey said, "It's unclear whether Stewart means to be playing hippie-chick Tracy as vapid, or whether it just comes off that way."^[17] After Into the Wild, Stewart had a cameo appearance in Jumper and also appeared in What Just Happened, which was released in October 2008.^[18] She also co-starred in The Cake Eaters an independent film that has only been screened at film festivals.

2008–present[link]

On November 16, 2007, Summit Entertainment announced that Stewart would play Isabella "Bella" Swan in the film Twilight, based on Stephenie Meyer's bestselling vampire romance novel of the same name.^[19] Stewart was on the set of Adventureland when director Catherine Hardwicke visited her for an informal screen test which "captivated" the director.^[20] She starred alongside Robert Pattinson, who plays Edward Cullen, her character's vampire boyfriend. The film began production in February 2008 and finished filming in May 2008. Twilight was released domestically on November 21, 2008.^[21] Her performance garnered mixed reviews with some critcs calling her "the ideal casting choice" and praising her for conveying "Bella's detachment, as well as her need to bust through it"^[22] while others criticized her acting for being "wooden" and lacking variety in her facial expressions which they described as "blank".^[23]

Stewart reappeared as Bella in the sequel, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, once again receiving mixed reviews for her performance. Jordan Mintzer from Variety called Stewart "the heart and soul of the film" and praised her for giving "both weight and depth to dialogue...she makes Bella's psychological wounds seem like the real deal"^[24] Manohla Dargis from The New York Times said Stewart's "lonely-girl blues soon grow wearisome" throughout the film^[25] and Billy Goodykoontz from The Arizona Republic stated "Stewart is a huge disapointment... She sucks the energy right out of the film".^[26] She reprised this role in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

Kristen Stewart at the 2010 Academy Awards.

At the 2010 82nd Annual Academy Awards, Stewart and Twilight co-star Taylor Lautner presented a tribute in honour of the horror movie genre.^[27]

In 2009, Stewart starred in The Yellow Handkerchief, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and was released into theaters in 2010 by Samuel Goldwyn Films. She also starred alongside James Gandolfini in Welcome to the Rileys, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2010.

In 2010, Stewart portrayed rock star Joan Jett in The Runaways, a biographical film of the titular band of the same name from writer-director Floria Sigismondi.^[28] Stewart met with Jett over the 2008–2009 New Year to prepare for the role and ended up prerecording songs in a studio for the film.^[29] She received praise for her performance as the Metro Times wrote, "It turns out that Stewart is actually really good at capturing Jett's icy, tough-but-cool girl swagger, adding the needed touches of vulnerability that transform it into a pretty terrific performance... Stewart is a genuine rock star here."^[30] Also, A. O. Scott of The New York Times noted "Ms. Stewart, watchful and unassuming, gives the movie its spine and soul."^[31]

She was cast in the role of Mary Lou in an upcoming film adaptation of Jack Kerouac's cult classic novel On the Road. Shooting began in August 2010.^[32]

Stewart was listed as the highest earning female actress in Hollywood in the "2010's Top Hollywood Top Earners List" compiled by Vanity Fair. Throughout 2010, Stewart earned an estimated $28.5 million for all her movie appearances.^[33]

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 was released on November 18, 2011. The film was successful in the box office making $283.5 million its opening weekend. Though the film received negative reviews, Stewart's performance was praised. Gabriel Chong called Stewart's performance "mesmerising" and said that she "makes [Bella's] every emotion keenly felt that runs the gamut from joy, trepidation, anxiety, distress and above all quiet and resolute determination"^[34] and the Village Voice's Dan Konis saying Stewart "beautifully underplays"^[35] the role. However, some critics found Pattinson and Stewart's chemistry lacking and said that the relationship came off like a "charade" onscreen^[36] or that none of the three leads were convincing in their roles.^[37]

In March 2011, it was confirmed that Stewart would be playing Snow White in the film Snow White and the Huntsman.^[38] Filming began on August 15 and the film was released on June 1, 2012.^[39]

On December 6, 2011, Stewart was named number one on Forbes magazine's list of Hollywood's Best Actors for the Buck.^[40]

She was named the new face of an unnamed Balenciaga perfume on January 13, 2012.^[41]

In May 2012, Stewart was cast in the thiller titled Cali, directed by Nick Cassavetes. She will begin shooting the film at the end of this summer.^[42] Stewart plays one half of a troublesome pair of San Fernando Valley lovebirds who decide to sell a fake snuff film and permanently ditch with the cash. Years later, Stewart's character runs into a dilemma when she's compelled to return to Los Angeles to help out the little sister she left behind. After faking her own death, she must explain her dramatic decision to not only her closest family members but to the angry former business partners she left behind.

Personal life[link]

Stewart currently lives in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. She has expressed a desire to live and work in Australia, saying, "I want to go to Sydney University in Australia. My mom's from there."^[43] Apart from acting, she is also interested in attending college in the near future, saying, "I want to go to college for literature. I want to be a writer. I mean, I love what I do, but it's not all I want to do – be a professional liar for the rest of my life."^[44] In 2008, in an interview with Vanity Fair, Stewart acknowledged that she was in a relationship with Michael Angarano, her co-star from Speak.^[45]

Since meeting on the set of Twilight, Stewart has been romantically linked to co-star Robert Pattinson.^[46] Though they have never explicitly confirmed a relationship, paparazzi photographs and eyewitness accounts have driven intense media and fan speculation and attention, making "Robsten" the subject of wide media coverage.^[47] In an interview with GQ, when asked why she remained reluctant to talk about the relationship despite evidence of it being accessible online, Stewart replied, "Yeah, I know it is...So much of my life is so easily googled. I mean, it's like, come on guys, it's so obvious!"^[47] When asked why she refuses to talk about her life, Stewart replied "I'm selfish. I'm like, 'That's mine!' And I like to keep whatever is mine remaining that way. It's a funny little game to play and it's a slippery slope. I always say to myself I'm never going to give anything away because there's never any point or benefit for me. I guarantee whenever I get married or have a baby, everyone is going to want to know my kid's name and I'm not going to say it for ages."^[47]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kristen Stewart

• Official website
• Kristen Stewart at the Internet Movie Database