The Escape Artist

Since Twilight, Kristen Stewart Has Refused To Be Confined, Taking On Daring Roles In Complex Films Like Personal Shopper And Declaring Her Sexuality On Snl. How She Won Her Freedom—And What She Plans To Do With It.

- Sara Vilkomerson

On FEB. 4, KRISTEN STEWART arrived at Saturday Night Live for rehearsal. It did not go well. “I couldn’t get out one line,” says Stewart, who was hosting for the first time. “I was embarrassed. I was so nervous. Just being on stage with the whole crew—and that cast is epic— and everyone was killing it immediately. I felt like they were all thinking, ‘This poor girl is going to crash and burn.’ ”

But when the show went live that night, it was a confident Stewart who strode on stage. In under five minutes she poked fun at her nerves and her image, and reminded the world of the bizarre fact that the current President of the United States used to obsessively tweet about her love life and then boyfriend, Twilight costar Robert Pattinson. “Donald, if you didn’t like me then, you’re probably really not going to like me now,” she said with a sly grin. “Because I’m hosting SNL, and I’m, like, so gay, dude.” The audience roared its approval, Twitter melted down, and Stewart went on to deliver one of the show’s best episodes this season.