Kristen Stewart on Alia Shawkat: 'You Barely Talked' on The Runaways

Two actors who first shared a set as teenagers — one playing a rock legend, the other barely permitted a word — are now collaborating as full creative equals. The reunion of Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat in the upcoming stoner comedy The Wrong Girls carries with it the particular warmth of a friendship forged, however silently, in the crucible of an earlier production.

A Reunion Rooted in Rock History

Back in 2010, Floria Sigismondi's The Runaways placed Stewart in the demanding role of Joan Jett, the proto-punk icon whose raw guitar work and magnetic stage presence helped define a generation of rock. Shawkat appeared alongside her in that film, though — as both actors recently made clear — the dynamic between them at the time was far less collaborative than it would eventually become. Speaking at a recent screening event for The Wrong Girls, Shawkat recalled that the two of them "were children" during production, a candid acknowledgment of just how formative and, frankly, constrained that earlier experience had been.

The anecdote that drew the most laughter came directly from Stewart herself. According to Deadline, Stewart turned to Shawkat during the Q&A and remarked plainly, "You barely talked on that movie" — a moment of affectionate recollection that pointed to the kind of power dynamics and social hesitance that can define a young actor's early years on a serious dramatic set. Shawkat, for her part, confirmed she "literally was not allowed to speak" in those days, framing her own reticence as a product of the environment as much as temperament.

The Creative Distance Between Then and Now

What makes that origin story particularly compelling is how sharply it contrasts with the creative latitude both actors now command. The Wrong Girls is written and directed by Dylan Meyer — Stewart's partner — and is being released through Neon, the distributor that has built a reputation for backing distinctive, filmmaker-driven work. The film is described as a stoner comedy, a genre that rewards naturalistic performance and genuine chemistry between its leads, qualities that are considerably easier to achieve between two people who share over a decade of history, however quiet its beginnings.

For Stewart, the project is another marker of the deliberately eclectic career she has been building in recent years. She has consistently gravitated toward independent and art-house productions that prioritize voice and vision over commercial formula, a trajectory that has earned her considerable critical recognition. Fans who have followed that arc — including those who caught her celebrated appearance at the Biarritz Film Festival — will find The Wrong Girls consistent with her continued commitment to working outside the studio mainstream.

August 14 and What to Expect

The film is set to open in theaters on August 14, and early buzz from screening events suggests it carries the loosely calibrated energy that distinguishes the best of the contemporary independent comedy scene. Stewart and Shawkat, by all accounts, have developed an on-screen rapport that feels genuinely lived-in — which, given what we now know about their shared history, makes a great deal of sense. The contrast between a set on which one actor "was not allowed to speak" and a project helmed by a director who is deeply invested in both performers' success could not be more pronounced.

It is also worth noting that Stewart's visibility in the indie space continues to intersect with a broader cultural moment for queer-adjacent and female-driven storytelling. Those already tracking her recent work — including her support for a queer slasher film at a recent premiere — will recognize The Wrong Girls as another step in that ongoing and coherent artistic conversation.

The arc from a nearly silent Alia Shawkat on the set of a rock biopic to two friends anchoring a Neon comedy together is, in its own modest way, a small but satisfying Hollywood story.

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