Kristen Stewart explains how her role in the sci-fi romanceLove Mechallenged her to explore new territory as an actor. TheLove Lies Bleedingstar revealed back in 2021 that she was soon set to appear in a quirky post-apocalyptic movie about a love story between a satellite and a buoy. Having premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival,Stewart’sLove Meis set to release in theaters on July 05, 2025.
Speaking exclusively toScreenRantabout her romantic turn as the lonely bouy Me, and the attention-seeking influencer Deja inLove Me,Stewart discussed the unique challenge of creating characters who are very different from anything she’s played before:
It was fun. It was defining itself every day. The script is such a diving board, and it’s so astute in terms of how it offers itself to you. I hope that the movie does that as well, even though we’ve kind of peopled it.
Stewart then went deeper into what she found appealing in Me/Deja, and the questions the characters raised for her about identity:
But it just felt like anyone could have played that part, and so it felt like such an invitation to [say], “Well, okay, maybe it can be you.” You’re like, “Well, what does that mean? Who am I?” The whole movie is about trying to figure that out; reckoning with our sameness, our individuality, and finding ways to express that understanding. It changes all the time.
Stewart elaborated further on why she saw herLove Merole as a unique and interesting opportunity:
Really, in terms of character, I thought it was a nice, open-ended opportunity to allow that to become anything - which is kind of everything. You’re kind of playing everyone. You’re playing somebody who just wants to be seen.
What Stewart’s Remarks Mean For Love Me
Prepare To See A Different Side Of Stewart
Stewart has been adventurous in her recent acting choices, taking on challenging roles in a diverse array of movies, like the unconventional biopicSpencer, the futuristic Cronenberg movieCrimes of the Futureand the unconventional love story/thrillerLove Lies Bleeding. As previewed in the recently-releasedLove Metrailer, Stewart this time plays someone who, in her words, “just wants to be seen,”implying perhaps that Deja is not a very complex character, at least not compared to some others Stewart has played over the past few years.
Love Meco-stars Steven Yeun as Iam/Liam, Me/Deja’s satellite love interest.
But Deja lacking in complexity doesn’t necessarily mean the character isn’t interesting, and indeed Stewart found much to hook into when taking on the role. Identity is a major theme inLove Me, and Stewart was able to explore some very universal human dilemmas by playing a character who is in the process of forging a self. According to her, the movie is about “reckoning with our sameness, our individuality,” and she was attracted to the idea of playing an empty vessel who could have been played by “anyone.”
Our Take On Stewart Exploring New Acting Territory In Love Me
Critics Like Her Performance, But Not The Movie
Stewart may indeed have been pulled in byLove Meand its unusual approach to character, but critics have not been kind in their own assessment of the movie’s innovations.ScreenRanthad this to say after the film debuted at Sundancein 2024:
With such a talented cast and a fascinating concept, I really wanted to like Love Me, but for all its intrigue, Sam and Anthony Zuchero’s sci-fi romance is much too flimsy and shallow. Artificial intelligence is at the center of the story, but the film wants us to desperately buy into the idea that two entities — a water buoy designed in 2600 before humanity’s extinction and a satellite charged with holding vestiges of what human life was like — could fall in love and make a life for themselves.
Stewart had been on a strong critical run, as reflected in the Rotten Tomatoes ratings for her past few films, butLove Mebrought that to a screeching halt:
47%
94%
82%
95%
Crimes of the Future(2022)
80%
50%
83%
52%
72%
48%
60%
Audiences will soon get to judge for themselves whether Stewart made a good choice in signing on to play a lovelorn bouy and her influencer alter ego inLove Me. Perhaps the movie’s charms will work on moviegoers better than they did on reviewers. Or, maybe audiences will be as underwhelmed by the movie as critics were. Stewart’s performance in the filmwas praised by critics even if they found the movie unappealing overall, so her fans may indeed find something to enjoy, as theTwilightstar explores unfamiliar acting territory.
Love Me
Cast
Love Me is a romantic drama film written and directed by Sam and Andy Zuchero. Set in a postapocalyptic scenario, the film follows two individuals who meet online and fall in love. However, the nature of their relationship and the world causes them to evaluate what is real - including themselves.
