Kristen Stewart Took a Massive Paycut to Film ‘On the Road’
Kristen Stewart has been a star entertainer since emerging in Hollywood in 2002’s Panic Room with Jodie Foster. In recent years, however, certain stellar performances have helped Stewart distinguish herself as a truly exceptional actor. The 31-year-old shows a dedication to the craft and building characters who are uncommon, to say the least.
In one instance, Stewart believed in a film so strongly that she took a substantial pay cut to participate in it. Let’s take a closer look at On the Road and how Stewart has maintained a high level of success throughout her career.
Kristen Stewart graciously cut her ‘On the Road’ salary
In 2012, Stewart acted in a film called On the Road. According to IMDb, it was based on the works of legendary novelist Jack Kerouac. The film follows the adventures of a writer named Sal Paradise. He’s joined by a man named Dean as well as Dean’s girlfriend, Marylou (played by Stewart). Audiences followed the trio across the country, meeting colorful characters along the way in the quintessential road-trip movie.
The film had a star-studded cast featuring Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams, Viggo Mortensen, and Elisabeth Moss. While it involved an accomplished list of actors, it was a smaller independent film unlike bigger budget movies Stewart worked on. According to BuzzFeed, the film saw its budget cut. In order to make it work, Stewart graciously volunteered to cut her salary to $200,000.
To put this number in greater perspective, this represented just 1% of the salary she received for her work on Twilight: Breaking Dawn.
Stewart’s incredible acting career
Stewart has an accomplished career with a long way to go before it’s done. Of course, most mainstream audiences know her from the Twilight series as main character Bella Swan. The franchise propelled her to superstardom. But outside of those big-budget crowd-pleasers, Stewart has quietly done great work in more artistic films.
Most recently, Stewart received an Academy Award nomination for her turn as Princess Diana in the critically acclaimed film Spencer. It was a tough ask. Stewart is instantly recognizable to most audiences, but she took on the chameleon-like task of portraying one of the world’s most recognizable royal figures.
Despite this decided disadvantage, critics lauded Stewart’s ability to disappear inside the role. She expertly brought Diana’s loneliness to the screen in a compelling way. The LA native’s other major roles include Snow White and the Huntsman, Charlie’s Angels, and American Ultra.
Kristen Stewart’s net worth and the source of her wealth
Stewart’s success onscreen has led to considerable financial success as well. Apparently, she could afford to take the pay cut in On the Road, as her rumored fortune is considerable. Stewart is estimated to be worth around $70 million.
Where did she make most of her money? Acting, of course. Stewart’s biggest payday was her role in the Twilight: Breaking Dawn films. The two-part conclusion to the franchise saw Stewart receive a percentage of the film’s gross (7.5% to be precise) on top of her $25 million salary.
One look at the film’s oversized box office is enough to conclude Stewart was paid handsomely for her role. And deservedly so; she anchored one of the world’s most popular movie franchises. With her dynamic performance in Spencer and her dominance in mainstream movies, it appears like Stewart’s enormous talent has both commercial and artistic appeal.
