Lucky Star

Acclaimed, awarded, widely beloved—such is the exalted state of being for Emma Stone. But as Jason Gay discovers, the actress always wants more: challenging roles, radical projects like her new film Bugona), heights of feeling, Everything has exploded,” she says. A good thing.

- Jason Gay

FOOT FORWARD Stone, at the Palais des Papes in Avignon, France. Her next film, Bugonia, is out in October-after a debut at the Venice Film Festival. She wears Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesquière here and throughout; louisvuitton.​com.

Fashion Editor: Grace Coddington.

On a gray New York City morning, Emma Stone steps inside a quiet breakfast spot downtown, and you can feel the ions in the room begin to stir. Service, heretofore professional, notches up a tick. The manager and someone who appears to be the manager's manager stop at our table-How are you, good to see you, what can I get you, okay, perfect, of course, right away. Everything comes right away, because it's Emma Stone, and you or I would do the same.

Who doesn't adore or at least admire Stone? In an acrimonious era during which it's near impossible to achieve critical unity on any being or concept-even Stevie Wonder and sunny afternoons have their antagonists-the 36-year-old actress and producer has reached a rare altitude of public goodwill.

WALLFLOWER

In Bugonia, Stone plays a kidnapped CEO who has her head shaved. "No better feeling in the world," she reports.

Maybe it's because Stone's really good at what she does for a living, like double-Oscar good. Maybe it's because she keeps taking devilish risks with outré collaborators like auteur Yorgos Lanthimos and pilot Nathan Fielder. Maybe it's because, despite all of her plaudits, Stone remains Emily a self-deprecating, anxious girl from the Arizona suburbs who regularly worries the whole thing's about to fall apart, and would never use the word plaudits.