Jodie Foster Stands Up For Kristen Stewart, Slams Media 'Hunting Season' On Actress

Jodie Foster Kristen Stewart

10:38 am, August 15th, 2012

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(GettyImages.com)

Jodie Foster has had enough of the intense media scrutiny surrounding Kristen Stewart.

In a lengthy piece written for The Daily Beast, Foster, who co-starred with Stewart in 2002's Panic Room, slams the obsessive way the media and paparazzi have fixated on the Twilight star.

Foster begins, 'We've all seen the headlines at the check-out counter. 'Kristen Stewart Caught.' We've all thumbed the glossy pages here and there. 'Kris and Rob a couple?' We all catch the snaps. 'I like that dress. I hate the hair. Cute couple. Bad shoes.''

The Oscar winner acknowledges that building up young, famous people only to tear them down is nothing new, adding, 'But we seldom consider the childhoods we unknowingly destroy in the process.'

Foster points out that when she began acting 46 years ago, 'You could still manage to reach for a star-powered career and have the authenticity of a private life' ' something she doesn't think is the case today.

She writes, 'If I were a young actor or actress starting my career today in the new era of social media and its sanctioned hunting season, would I survive? Would I drown myself in drugs, sex, and parties? Would I be lost?'

RELATED ' The Truth About Kristen Stewart and SWATH Sequel

'If I were a young actor today I would quit before I started,' says Foster, adding that she doubts she could 'survive it emotionally.'

She adds, 'I would only hope that someone who loved me, really loved me, would put their arm around me and lead me away to safety.'

Foster recalls meeting a then-11-year-old, playful Stewart on the Panic Room set, and says, 'I grew to love that kid.'

But Foster sees the paparazzi's damaging influence on Stewart.

'A beautiful young woman strides down the sidewalk alone, head down, hands drawn into fists,' writes Foster. 'She's walking fast, darting around huge men with black cameras thrusting at her mouth and chest. 'Kristen, how do you feel?' 'Smile Kris!' 'Hey, hey, did you get her?' 'I got her. I got her!' The young woman doesn't cry. F**k no. She doesn't look up. She's learned. She keeps her head down, her shades on, fists in her pockets. Don't speak. Don't look. Don't cry.'

While 'public horrors' pass, says Foster, 'You are changed by the awful wake of reckoning they leave behind.'

'You trust less. You calculate your steps. You survive. Hopefully in the process you don't lose your ability to throw your arms in the air again and spin in wild abandon. That is the ultimate F.U. and ' finally ' the most beautiful survival tool of all. Don't let them take that away from you,' writes the Hollywood veteran.

What do you think of Foster's comments?

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• I'm sick of everyone sticking up for her'.does anybody not realize that she did this to herself?! And if you don't like the attention of the media, don't become an actor!

• She should have held her peace. This will only add more fuel to this inferno. The last thing Stewart needs is more media attention and more people weighing in. I'm sure Foster's intentions were good but I don't think she's helping any either.

• I'd say she's on the money..

• very well said. Thank you for defending KStew.

• Thank you jodie , About time somebody did!

• Thanks Jodie for help Kristen, Kristen you are not alone you have again fans ! (sorry for my bad englis)

• She is 100% correct, I don't agree with cheating but this is way out of hand the girl did not murder anyone this is disgusting. I think freedom of speech is great but this people are taking if too far. Also what about the married with children sick Rupert who also was a part of the equation! I don't see him being hunted by nasty people. WTH!!! Leave this girl alone she cheated on her boyfriend not you, just because they are star it does not mean you can do this.
  Jodie Foster is a class act and she is the only one in Hollywood who has the balls to stand up and say STOP!! Good for you Jodie!!!

• You totally missed the whole point of the letter. Reading Comprehension crash courses should be offered online.

• thank you Jodie.

• Who exactly is defending her? Apart from certain fans. No one has come to Kristen's defence. What she did was awful and not right but it was not towards you now was it?

• Thank you, Jodie. And Kristen, please stay strong. We love you.

• Shut up. What did she bring upon herself? She kissed another man, so she deserves to be hounded o death? It's pieces of garbage like yourself who promote hate around the world.
  How do you like how I referred to you, did you find it pleasing. If you re miffed by it, then imagine a million of those being thrown at you every hour and then you get an inkling of what Kristen has been dealing with daily for the past 4 years and more so now.

• Spot on Jodie~~My sentiments exactly. Signing up to be an actor doeds not give the world a right to judge their personal lives. They are artists, not your personal punching bag .

• I completely agree with Jodie Foster. Kristen made a stupid mistake, yes, but she has been crucified enough. She made the mistake, owned up to it, apologized'more that what most celebrities do in these type of situations. What else do you want from her? She's not the devil. Thank you Jodie.

• For someone who's sick of her you find time enough to read news abt her and comment here''haters much??
  Go fuck yourself!

• Good god Gossip Cop give it a rest already.

• By the way, I'm not condoning the cheating, I just think she's 'served her time' and been punished enough for this.

• Media stinks, but KS knows that. She still chose to cheat in public.

• Amen Jodie! And what I find totally bizarre is that ALL the media is centered on Kristen, the 22 yr old SHY, quiet, introverted young girl we all see desperately grabbing onto Robs arm, or suit coat, stuttering and searching for just the right words ' while making public appearances, SHE'S the one everyone is pissed off at ' that SHE ruined everything, but yet the MARRIED FATHER OF TWO'.gets very little press out of all this mess. Is it just me, or does this SMACK of a CASTING COUCH scenario?? Do you HONESTLY think that Kristen Stewart set out to SEDUCE that guy? Chances are, he knew she was interested in an upcoming part and he probably said Hey, come on over and I'll help you get an audition (wink wink).or something to that effect. I personally just don't see Kristen as the Femme Fatal that she's being painted as. And I actually do hope that Rob and Kristen are, in time, able to work thru this. Kristen is only 22, and not TOTALLY to blame in this whole mess. Why don't the tabs try following the wandering weenie and ruin HIS life, like they are hers'??? Just sayin''

• As Rob said, you get into acting to make movies, not sell your private life. People need to realize acting is a job, not a free for all on your entire life. They're not condoning what she did, but pussed in how the media is crucifying her over this. The people have become rabid dogs foaming at the mouth for a millimeter of information about celebs and because if this, the gossip rags and shows keep fueling the fire even to the point of publishing blatant lies. People just need to leave their nose out of everyone's business and this world would be a better place.

• Jodie, thank you for having the courage of your convictions to stand up for this girl and say enough is enough. Maybe now other celebrities will start to stand up with you and say time to get out of our personal lives. Time to get some 'balls' and screw the fan reaction. This has gone on too long.

• You make your bed, you have to lie in it. Deal with it Kristen. Was she asleep for the past 5 years? What did she think would happen when you suck face in broad daylight KNOWINGLY being photographed? WTF people.

• Kristen did it to herself, willingly. She knew the man was a married father. She was not kidnapped. Should we blame Robert for this? Why should he pay. If she wanted to ruin someone's movie, why didn't she ruin her own? Why would she put Rob in this awkward situation? Classy,no. Stupid, yes.

• But pissed in how******

• Great article, and Jodie is right. But now I feel as though Kristen's parents knowing this business, her father as a producer and her mother doing scripts should have known better than to pimp out their kid. A 9 year old doesn't dictate their parents. You want your kids to be happy, but when you see child stars you see where they end up. Her parents should have made sure she finished school, done projects in between and maybe she should have gone off to college, as other celebrities, rather than drop out of middle school.

• 'I would only hope that someone who loved me, really loved me, would put their arm around me and lead me away to safety.'

  She's been vilified enough. It's time to let her work her business out in private, and hopefully come out stronger.

• Kissed? Let us not kid ourselves. But I don't think she deserves the hate either.

• Jodie needs to stop defending the likes of Mel Gibson and Kristen Stewart. We get it all your friends transgressions get a free pass from Jodie. This is the real world Ms. Foster we don't condone Mel Gibson's actions and we don't condone Kristen Stewart's actions. If you meet up with your married lover on the street- you brought it to the public. If you get arrested by the police and go into an anti semetic rant you pay the price. If you leave misogynistic threatening rants on a telephone call to your mistress you pay the price.

  Jodie may like to pretend that nothing has a consequence that her friends deserve chances the rest of the public would not be entitled to'but that is her own warped sense of the famous getting a free pass.

• Thank you Jodie for speaking up. The matters of paparazzi and tabloids have haunted Hollywood for decades, and yet people still think it is the price to pay for the lifestyle they choose?
  You choose to read trashy tabloids, you choose to believe and help spreading lies, you choose to support the madness that feeds to the sick businesses.
  The actors/actresses, they choose a career, not choose to put their life on sale. There are BIG differences there.
  As fans you can make your choice too.
  Not buying trashy tabs. Not feeding the frenzy. Not give ways for them to sell lies.
  Want to support your fave actors/actresses? Go see their movies. Period.

• We all would have left the girl alone if she had gotten a hotel room and didn't drag her affair with her married director into the street.

• Everybody can agree what Kristen did was wrong. We all know that. We've all pointed fingers. However, I have to say Jodie's letter shed light on the love and appreciation she has for Kristen. She knows her, we don't. I think it says a lot about a person (a mature adult) who speaks out so honestly about something she knows she will likely get flak for. The past few days have been enlightening. How? Basically it has shown us we know absolutely nothing! And I love it! Rob has shown us we know nothing. Now, Jodie shows us we know nothing about Kristen or her life. We should all keep that in mind. :)

• When I read this letter in the morning it make me cry for never had the change to witness the care free and joyful person she describes. Did Kristen did this to her self yes was it wrong yes, does she deserves how the media and people (Not Fans) have been saying and treating her NO. STOP patronizing move on ALREADY.

• Jodie has more of clue as to what the real world is than you. Who the fuck are you to say Jodie needs to quit defending Kristen, Mel and anyone else she has defended. It's not your place to judge Kristen or think you know the outcome of all of this. You're a coward. A nameless, faceless anon who sits behind a computer thinking you know it all. You don't know shit.

• See what the problem there? IF she did have an affair she may just do that
  For a girl in love with her bf, who wears ratty gym clothes, and as much as being set up, she was just caved in in the wrong time at the wrong place.
  Clearly somebody called a papz to catch them, very much the wife who knows her cheating husband well.
  She made a mistake, while being set up for the whole world to watch just because she is A-List actress, and her pics sell high.
  If you spend your time less on gossip sites, you will see the fans now have evidences of the conspiracies behind these.

• Kristen was part of the 'It Couple' and the media was constantly following them. She knew that , but still decided to meet and kiss Rupert in public. The media doesn't care about Rupert. It has always been about Kristen and Rob. She destroyed the 'It couple' and that is why the media attention will not go away for probably a long time. She made her decision and will now have to live with it.