The Real Reason Kristen Stewart Turned Down A Role In This Scream Sequel

Kristen Stewart is one of the most recognizable actresses in the world, thanks to the memorable performances she has put out in a variety of projects. Her first spotlight-grabbing turn came in 2002's "Panic Room," where she worked alongside Hollywood titans such as Jodie Foster and Forest Whitaker under the direction of director David Fincher. In the years to come, she'd increase her stock in the industry via the likes of "Speak" and "Into the Wild" before skyrocketing to worldwide fame as the lead of a franchise you may remember from the 2010s known as "Twilight."

The five-part series — known colloquially as "the Twilight Saga" — brought Stephenie Meyer's books to life on the big screen. The adaptation featured Stewart and Bella Swan, alongside Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen and Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black, and became a resounding success at the box office and with moviegoers. For as much flak as they get in hindsight, it's undeniable that the "Twilight" movies went a long way in making Stewart the star she is today and give her the chance to add such films as "Spencer" and "Charlie's Angels" to her filmography.

Despite finding consistent work for years now, Kristen Stewart hasn't jumped on every production that's come her way — either due to time constraints or by her own volition. One such job she passed on was one of the sequels to the 1996 horror classic "Scream." Here's how she would've factored into the movie why she ultimately let the gig go.

Arguably the most famous sequence from the original "Scream" movie comes from the very beginning of its runtime. Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) engages in an initially pleasant conversation with an unknown person over the phone before things take a dark turn. By the time their chat ends, someone in a black robe and the now-iconic ghost mask brutally kills her, thus setting the stage for the rest of the film. Instead of its meta intro, 2011's "Scream 4" nearly featured a direct homage to Barrymore's scene with Kristen Stewart effectively taking her place.

In a 2022 interview with Slant Magazine, Stewart shed some light on her near-casting and why she said no. "I was like, 'I can't do a Drew. I can't touch that,'" she revealed, admitting that trying to replicate Drew Barrymore's performance wasn't something she wanted to do. Be that as it may, Stewart is a fan of the "Scream" series and isn't opposed to signing the dotted line to join it in the future. "I would read the script," she said, expressing her adoration for "Scream" mainstay Neve Campbell and the first movie. "It's a total film nerd type of movie. It's not just a flasher flick. It's a beautiful movie. It's so hard to watch."

We may have missed out on a Kristen Stewart cameo in "Scream 4," but hopefully, now that a sixth film is on the way, she'll get a chance to appear in a role she's more comfortable playing.