Kristen Stewart Says She May Not Work in the U.S. Long-Term

Actor and filmmaker Kristen Stewart has said she may not continue working in the United States in the long term, citing creative restrictions and concerns about the current political climate.

In an interview with the U.K. newspaper The Times, Stewart, 35, said she does not feel she can work freely in the U.S. She added that while she does not want to cut ties completely, she would prefer to make films in Europe and then release them to American audiences.

Stewart currently splits her time between Los Angeles and New York.

She recently made her feature directorial debut with The Chronology of Water, which was shot in Latvia. Stewart said filming the project in the U.S. would have been “impossible.”

Her comments came as she discussed proposed film industry tariffs backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which she described as “terrifying.” Stewart said she believes reality is “breaking completely” under Trump, but added that artists should focus on creating the world they want to live in.

Stewart, who earned critical acclaim for her role in Spencer, said filmmaking remains central to how she understands the world, adding that she constantly thinks about how life experiences could be turned into movies.

In May 2025, Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that he planned to impose a 100 percent tariff on all films produced outside the United States. He argued that foreign incentives were harming the American film industry and called the situation a national security threat.

The following day, the White House said no final decision had been made. Spokesman Kush Desai said the administration was still exploring options to protect economic and national security while supporting Hollywood.

So far, no tariffs on foreign-made films have been implemented.