Kristen Stewart isn’t mincing words anymore and this time, she’s speaking from a new seat at the table. As she steps into filmmaking as a director, the actor has opened up about what she calls Hollywood’s deeply flawed treatment of women on screen, arguing that actresses are still denied basic agency in an industry shaped largely by male ideas of power and authorship.

In a recent conversation with Variety, Stewart reflected on the contrast between her years as an actor and her current experience behind the camera while directing “The Chronology of Water”.

Addressing long-standing industry attitudes, she said, “Actresses get treated like shit, I’ve got to tell you. People think anyone could be an actress, but the first time I sat down to talk about my movie as a director, I thought, wow, this is a different experience. They are talking to me like I’m somebody with a brain.”