When Kristen Stewart Opened Up About Her Unique Educational Journey and Real-Life Regrets
Kristen Stewart's early entry into the world of acting set her on a path that diverged from the typical childhood experience. As her acting career soared, particularly after starring in the blockbuster Twilight series at the age of 18, Kristen found herself departing from traditional schooling at an early age. When it came time for her high school graduation, she was already immersed in filming the third installment of the Twilight saga, Eclipse. Ironically, this movie offered her an unexpected opportunity to experience the graduation ceremony she thought she might miss.
"I went to public school up until junior high. I know it’s a little late and I’m a little old, but I just finished high school—with honors," she revealed in an interview with MTV News. During the filming of Eclipse, Kristen decided to recreate a graduation ceremony right on set with her fellow cast and crew members. "So I took a mock picture with an extra," she recalled. "I literally asked the actor to come back and shake my hand and hand me the diploma while I was dressed in a cap and gown."
Leaving traditional school behind wasn't a difficult choice for Stewart when she was younger. She felt that her dual life as both an actor and a student was hindering her school experience. "I was happy to leave school at 14 and study on set because it took a load of work off my shoulders. The fame and the pressure was taken off because they had been failing me in school," she noted in a 2012 interview.
Stewart initially wanted to keep her acting career a secret, but when her peers discovered her double life, it made her high school years even more challenging. "I was never the type of girl to walk around talking about being an actress, so I didn’t get a whole lot of s*** until someone found out," she explained. "I was playing it down, but I definitely got, 'Oh, she’s such a b****.' I was like, 'You’ve never spoken to me, but you think I’m a b****? Great.'" Despite missing out on the typical high school experience, Stewart believed that the trade-off for a film career was worth it. "I so haven’t missed out. I’ve met hundreds of people. It’s like a hierarchy at school, and I was really glad not to be a part of that," she reflected.
However, as she matured, Stewart began to regret not pursuing further education during her college years. "The biggest struggle I’ve ever had has been about not going to school and working instead. I was worried about turning down specific individual experiences. Like each movie was, ‘F***, I have to do that movie,'" she confessed in an interview with Marie Claire.
