Kristen Stewart Contemplates Leaving US Due to Trump's 'Terrifying' Impact on Hollywood

Kristen Stewart has said she is considering leaving the United States because of what she describes as President Donald Trump's 'terrifying' impact on the film industry. The actor said she feels unable to work freely under the current administration, and is weighing a move abroad.

In an interview with The Times UK, Stewart, who divides her time between Los Angeles and New York, said she is uncertain about her future in the US and has become increasingly vocal about her concerns. The Spencer star, who recently made her directorial debut with The Chronology of Water, said she would consider making films in Europe and 'then shove them down the throat of the American people'.

Tariffs on Foreign-Made Films

Trump imposed 100 per cent tariffs on foreign-made films in 2025, describing such productions as a 'national security threat'. The move has drawn criticism from industry figures, particularly because both big-budget and smaller-budget Hollywood films are regularly made inside and outside the US, and the policy creates complications for projects with international production elements.

Stewart said the policy would have made it impossible for her to make The Chronology of Water, which stars Imogen Poots and was filmed in Latvia. The film marks a significant career shift for Stewart, who has built a reputation as both a commercially successful actor and an independent film darling.

'I can't work freely,' Stewart told The Times. 'But I don't want to give up completely. I'd like to make movies in Europe and then shove them down the throat of the American people.'

'Reality is breaking completely under Trump,' said Stewart. 'But we should take a page out of his book and create the reality we want to live in.'

Other Celebrities Who Left the US

Stewart's comments follow similar ones made by celebrities who have also chosen to leave the US as a result of Trump receiving a second presidential term. Celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Rosie O'Donnell, Robin Wright, and James Cameron. Stewart herself has also drawn the ire of Trump in 2012 when news broke out that she cheated on then-boyfriend Robert Pattinson with her 'Snow White and the Huntsman' director Rupert Sanders.

Stewart's comments follow similar remarks from celebrities who have chosen to leave the US after Trump's second presidential term began. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Rosie O'Donnell, Robin Wright, and James Cameron have all reportedly relocated, citing concerns about the political climate and the direction of the country.

Stewart herself drew Trump's attention in 2012 when news broke that she had cheated on then-boyfriend Robert Pattinson with her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders. 'She cheated on him like a dog & will do it again – just watch. He can do much better!' Trump said at the time, despite having left his first wife Ivana Trump for his second wife Marla Maples.

'Actresses Get Treated Like S-'

Stewart was promoting The Chronology of Water during the interview and was asked what she noticed when working as an actress compared to directing. She said the difference in how people treated her was stark, and that it highlighted persistent gender biases in the industry.

'Actresses get treated like s-, I've got to tell you,' Stewart said. 'People think anyone can be an actress, but the first time I sat down to talk about my movie as a director, I thought, "Wow, this is a different experience, they're talking to me like I'm somebody with a brain."'

She also criticised what she described as an industry myth about directors having 'otherworldly abilities', which she said is not true and is 'perpetuated by men'. Stewart argued that the perception creates a hierarchy that undervalues actors, particularly women.

'Not to sound like I'm complaining all the time, but it's worse for female actors than male ones – they get treated like puppets, but they are not. Imogen put her whole body and soul into this movie,' the Twilight star said.