At least that’s what divisive star Kristen Stewart is finding out with the second of her two films at the industry’s most revered summit.
After being roundly applauded for her role in Woody Allen’s Cannes festival opener Café Society, Kristen was booed when her follow-up Personal Shopper screened for critics.
Then, just 24 hours later at the film’s official premiere, she received a rapturous four-and-a-half-minute standing ovation.
In the psychological thriller, Kristen plays a young American in Paris who half-believes she’s in contact with her late twin brother.
Following the screening, a clearly ecstatic Kristen, who changed into sneakers after walking the red carpet in heels and a Chanel dress, was seen hugging her co-stars and the film’s director, Olivier Assayas, while the crowd applauded.
While discussing the Cannes competition entry during the festival, Kristen said: “It’s a ghost story, sure, but the supernatural aspects of it just lead you to very basic questions.”
As for the boos, Olivier, who also directed Kristen in 2014 Cannes competition entry Clouds of Sils Maria, said, “It happens to me once in a while, where people just don’t get the ending.”
He added, “When you come to Cannes, you have to be prepared for everything.”
Kristen also pointed out, “Everybody did not boo. Let’s be clear.”
History shows that a few jibes from Cannes critics has little to no impact on a film’s commercial success – Taxi Driver (1976) and Pulp Fiction (1994) are just two that survived early hits to reach spectacular heights at the box office.
Not that Kristen seems too concerned anyway.
The paces that Personal Shopper put her through has left her stronger on the other side.
“I don’t mean to sound too dramatic or actor-y in saying, ‘Oh, it almost broke me,’ but I can do anything [now]. This movie made me feel like there’s nothing I can put myself through that could make me not keep going.”
“I’ve just never felt so good,” she said, “feeling so bad.”
Personal Shopper is expected to open in Australia in October.
For more from the Cannes Film Festival, click here.
