Why I Am Relieved Kristen Stewart Won't Be 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'

By Jo Piazza Posted Jul 24th 2010 02:04PM

Pop-ed: An unofficial shortlist surfaced this week listing Sony Pictures' top choices for who should nab the starring role in their adaptation of Stieg Larsson's bestseller 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.'

The names on the list (Ellen Page, Carey Mulligan, Mia Wasikowska, Rooney Mara and Emily Browning) were less newsworthy than one that wasn't -- Kristen Stewart.

Some diehard K-Stew fans are up in arms (E!'s Ted Casablanca is one of them), but fans of both Stewart and Larsson's series should rejoice that the overexposed actress will probably be sitting this one out.

This role calls for a relative unknown, not someone who is on the cover of every magazine and has dolls made in her likeness. The complicated hacker Lisbeth Salander lives under the radar and the role should be filled by an actress who is similarly obscure. Any actress who brings too much personal baggage to this role will just take away from Larsson's brilliant characterization of Salander and distract the audience from the plot.

This isn't an observation that is limited to Stewart. I similarly don't want to see the adorable girl from 'Juno' (Page), Wasikowska ('Alice in Wonderland') or Shia LeBeouf's girlfriend (Mulligan) playing Lisbeth. Mulligan actually quashed rumors that she would get the role on Thursday, telling E! that she already knew it was not going to her.

I understand that some K-Stew fans are up in arms that she is no longer in consideration for the role. When I first heard her name mentioned in conjunction with the thriller, I thought the only real motivation to cast her would be to bring in the millions upon millions of 'Twilight' fans who continue to barrage the box office for each of the films in that franchise.

What K-Stew fans need to realize is that bad things happen to Lisbeth Salander. She is beset by unspeakable acts of violence in the film. The Swedish version, which starred actress Noomi Rapace (who was pitch perfect), didn't pull any punches when it came to these violent scenes. To be sure, the American version will be less graphic to suit the prudishness of American audiences, but the movie would be incomplete if it didn't address the rape and sexual abuse heaped on the Salander character. Frankly, I don't think fans of Bella Swann want to see her endure what this character must go through.

And at the end of the day, Kristen's superstar status will eclipse this movie. Rather than focus on the dark and twisted tale director David Fincher is sure to weave from Larsson's book, all eyes would be on K-Stew, her relationship status, her hair, her fashion. Kristen Stewart certainly deserves a role where she can transition into an adult actress. It's just a relief that that role won't be Lisbeth Salander.

Follow Jo on Twitter

Tags: kristen stewart, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, twilight

Comments

(79)

Sunday 25 July

By me4fern

Vote down Vote up Report this

she is such a sour puss. poor me that i am sooooooo popular :(

By ayearley

wtf. ks can do anything she wants.

By MASTER

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Give the kid a break. Check the age, then consider again. These are just kids doing what they are told to do. Re kristan..better to be remembered as a character type at all..than to not be remembered at all. Cut these kids some slack. They are already having to deal with too many crap scripts...
I'm so sick of repeats. What has happened to writers..??
Where's the imagination. I'm sick of the same ole format(s)
The Vampire thing is just the sex hook to keep people watching the same old crap. Grow up kids. It's just fantasy. It never actually existed except in the movies. Like it or not...reality must be dealt with as one grows up.

By L

She has very heavy eyelids like she is sleepy or on dope. Not nice looking at all!

By Little mans

I have read all 3 books. I could not put them down and dreaded when I can came to the end of he Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest. I have tried to imagine what Salander looked like. I don't know if I will see the movie due to the fact that I don't want to take away from the book the excitement I got. If the movie played up to the book then please say so.

By tag

Kristen Stewart should only play in the twilight movies. Everytime you see her on the red carpet or in the news she never looks happy. This may have something to do with Robert but know knows. And really she isnt that hot

By Sharon

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I loved this book and firstly, hope that the movie will do the book justice, think The Lovely Bones.
Secondly, I don't Kristen Stewart is a good enough actress for this role, I hated her one dimensional character in the Twilight franchise. She needs to get some depth to her acting to be able to tackle any serious grown-up role, let alone of the title character here. Good Luck casting the part and I look forward to seeing the film.

By meanstr

Stewart carried the Vampire Movies ,If she was not in them they would never got further then the first one.She would of carried this movie right to the top,now it will be just another so so thing ,that most won't even bother with.

By MP

You can not be serious. Kristen Stewart lucked into the poorly acted Twilight movies. The one and ONLY reason kids like these actors is that they loved the books already and carried that emotion over to these terribly awkward often painful to watch no-talents.

Monday 26 July

By mmfan

i know shes a big name but i think that natalie portman is perfect for this role. she could get down and dirty and has the talent that this role deserves. she could make the audience forget her fame because of her huge talent. also think that David Duchovny would make a great blomkist

By Elsa

I am a also A HUGE HUGE HUGE Stieg Larsson fan and read all three books. I bought the movie after watching it at my indie cinema here in town and will get all of them as they are released, (sometimes you cannot find either one of the books). However, I now also have the three books!!! THE ACTRESS Rapace is so AWESOME, WHY WOULD WE WANT SOMEONE ELSE????? Not this girl, please!

By Yalizze

Why the hell do we have to have an American version???? No American director could top the European version. THAT IS SO STUPID, RICICULOUS AND CRAZY!!!! WE DO NOT WANT IT, PERIOD!!

By bsti

She needs to get off the codein or darvon or whatever she's taking. It's that prescription drug look that's going very bad! Someone needs to talk with her about it and get her some help.

By Lindsay

I am crossing my fingers that Emily Browning gets it. She seems absolutely perfect for the role.

By manmean99

She is the worst actress ever. Thank God she won't be in this because she would ruin it. All of you loser Twilight fans can stick it, KS sucks as bad as those cruddy movies you love. Dopes!!!

By JEEZ!!skdl

WOW I AM SO GLAD SHE IS NOT GONNA BE IN THAT MOVIE!
HER HORRIBLE ACTING WOULD RUIN IT!!!

SHE DOESN'T EVER DESERVE THE CHANCE TO ACT ALONG SIDES A GREAT ACTOR LIKE JOHNNY DEPP

HELL NO!

Saturday 31 July

By Leelou

Ok, now I am not a Twilight fan nor an huge Kristen fan. I also dont agree with actors getting roles just based on popularity. I originally though Heath Ledger was getting too much praise for the Joker just because he had died....until I saw the movie and I totally changed my mind. He deserved the praise. Hell, I am not even a Batman fan and that movie made me one. Now in saying all that and getting to my point...I read Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and saw the film. This is one time I kinda agree with the fans. I do believe Kristen will be a great Lizbeth. I think she will be better then the other women on the list. She has that moody dark look and can play it perfectly. I am not as harsh of a critic on actors as some and maybe thats where I get my opinion from. I just can really see her playing this character with justice and this is from a non Twilight fanbase.

Sunday 12 December

By Tammy

oooo

Casting Kristen Stewart in any movie is an insult to many young and talented young girls. Reason she is here is only because of her parents influence.
There are many people who are really talented and cannot make it because they do not have the contacts.

Reason I am writing this is because i finally read the twilight saga books, which was with me for the past 2 years. I sort of liked it even though the books have some flaws. Then i decided to see the movies on DVD's. The first one is just OK though the director could have made it better by adding few more scenes. Kristen’s acting looked dull but people didn't notice it because of Rob. Focus naturally went from Kristen to Rob and she was just in the background. But the director somehow managed to retain the chemistry between the two.

Page 4 of 4