Kristen Stewart Sounds Alarm on Status of Women in Hollywood

Way back in pre-pandemic times of 2016, Kristen Stewart took the stage to accept a trophy during Elle’s Women in Hollywood Awards, and immediately offered gratitude for the invite and shine. Then came the heat: “I would be remiss if I didn’t say how much I look forward to a time when there’s not a need for a special night for women.”

That time has yet to come, and Stewart is not shy enough to say so. In fact, it was one of the first lines of her keynote address at the Academy’s Women’s Luncheon presented by Chanel on Tuesday afternoon, delivered in front of a starry and almost all female crowd seated outside on the Academy Museum’s scenic Dolby Family Terrace. The guest list included Kate Hudson, Sarah Paulson, Kerry Condon, Tessa Thompson, Zoey Deutch, Kaitlyn Dever, Claire Foy, Riley Keough, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Emma Mackey, Alicia Silverstone, Felicity Jones and more.

After paying respects to the woman who led her to the stage at this moment in time — Stewart made her feature directorial debut by adapting acclaimed author Lidia Yuknavitch’s The Chronology of Water, in theaters next month — the Oscar nominated actress noted how moving it was to look out on a sea of women. “It’s absolutely sick to see you all here in your flesh.”

But Stewart also said “the dire need for us to connect and grow stronger in numbers is self evident,” whether that gathering is day or night. (Recent studies have shown that films directed by women and people of color plateaued and continue to dip based on 2025 figures.) While Stewart may have changed her tune about female forward events, she did not lose any of the fire. One might even say that she poured gasoline on it as a way to sound the alarm on the status of women in Hollywood, particularly those behind the camera.

“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 just 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 step of the way when the content is as too dark, too taboo, when the frankness with which it serves up observations about experiences routinely experienced by women frequently provoked disgust and rejection. But they are true and I don’t feel disgusting,” Stewart said, revealing that she was in a “severe state of PMS” on Tuesday.

Though she said it can be “awkward” to talk about inequality yet “it is 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 of silencing, it’s like we’re not even supposed to be angry. I can eat this podium with a fork and fucking knife, I’m so angry.”

There’s that fire. “May I leave my contortionist skills at the door and speak from the heart? May I not conceal or reframe my anger, but share it lively so as to move through it to something more fun and more beautiful and less boring, more original. 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.”

Because of the low numbers and the continued consolidation, layoffs and cutbacks, Stewart pulled no punches in describing what she sees beyond the terrace. “Our business is in a state of emergency, man,” said the veteran star, joined at the event by the women on her team, including WME power agent Elyse Scherz and Viewpoint rep Ruth Bernstein. “And the last thing that I want to do here is lose the celebration under a pile of pissed off rubble. We are allowed to be proud of ourselves and maybe to allow each other to reclaim the gratitude.”

There was no shortage of gratitude flowing from the podium, which hosted comments from Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor, Ruth E. Carter and two Gold Fellowship recipients. The recently installed president thanked Chanel for its long-standing support of the luncheon and to the art of cinema through many high-profile programs and events. Taylor also name-checked Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, who worked with the leading filmmakers of her time. She then had a moment similar to Stewart’s as she was moved by those seated in front of her.

“When I look around and all the brilliant, inspiring, accomplished women from all different backgrounds and disciplines gathered here today, this is a room I feel safe in. This is a room I feel relaxed in, and this is a room I’m excited to be in. Women are amazing,” she said. “When I lost my house in the fire this past January, it was the women in my life who showed up with the most practical and emotional support. It’s also my female friendships that I turn to when I struggled with the balance of motherhood and my career. Honest guidance from so many women in this community saves me daily.”

Meanwhile, Carter, a two-time Academy Award winner, had the honor of presenting this year’s Gold Fellowships to two recipients, Alina Simone and Marlén Viñayo, both of whom delivered rousing remarks. The unique celebration offered by the event — toasting the next generation while hosting established creatives from across Hollywood — is one of the reasons it continues to draw such a powerful crowd.

“I love coming to this event every year because I love how it showcases and celebrates next generation of filmmakers and all of the women in our community,” explained Warner Bros. Entertainment CEO Pam Abdy. “Today is not about work. It’s about supporting and lifting each other up and helping each other be part of this community. We don’t often take enough time to recognize that this really is a community and we are all here to support each other and support each other’s art. That’s the most important thing.”

Important, and also urgent, per Stewart, who received a standing ovation when she closed her remarks (with Sarah Paulson being the first out of her chair with applause). “We obviously need many more women’s luncheons in our lives. We need to become ladies who lunch all the fucking time.”