At 16, Kristen Stewart is not afraid of intense roles, including Jodie Foster's daughter in “Panic Room,” the protagonist in “Speak,” and a troubled teen in “The Messengers.” This month, “In the Land of Women” opens with Kristen playing a teen dealing with high school, peer pressure, and a difficult relationship with her mother. The film also stars Meg Ryan and Adam Brody.



In “In the Land of Women,” you are a painter, but what are your real-life hobbies?

I read a lot of books, and I'm a writer. That's what I'm mainly into. I just love putting the words together. I'm really in love with words. I play guitar; I love going to shows. I'm kind of a homebody.



What is your favorite book?

I actually have two. I just finished Cannery Row by John Steinbeck, which was really intense. The other is The Stranger by Albert Camus, that was heavy.

You've worked with Jodie Foster and now Meg Ryan. How were those experiences?

So different. I was little when I worked with Jodie, so I wasn't taking notes. Just being around someone like that for months when you're so young and such a sponge ... she probably affected the way I work.

Jodie doesn't take things too seriously, she just acts. I mean, of course, she thinks about it, but Meg takes things very seriously - in the best way. You can tell she really cares about her work a lot, and that's really important.



In terms of acting styles, was it very different working with Meg, Adam and Makenzie Vega?

They were all so different. Working with Adam and Makenzie was a lot of fun, but my scenes with Meg were intense. There was a lot of tension between us, a lot of distance. I liked working with her; I felt we were both very satisfied with what came out. After a scene with Meg it was like, “Oh, we nailed it.”



What is your relationship with your mother like? Will your new movie help mothers and daughters better understand each other?

I'm really lucky, because I have a picture-perfect relationship with my parents. But I definitely see my friends in Lucy and her mom's relationship, I feel like that dynamic is very typical. This movie will open people's eyes.



How do you choose roles?

It's always different. The movies I've been interested in have been because of the prospect of working with the filmmaker and a certain director. Sometimes I'll do a movie because there are one or two scenes I really want to do, something that's different. I think it's important to do movies that are worth watching, something that makes you think.



If you weren't acting, what would you do?

I would want to write screenplays. But, if I had to have a practical job, if acting fell through, I couldn't imagine working anywhere but on a movie set. I would want to work in props or the art department.



What advice would you give others interested in acting?

If there is anything you really want to do, you have to give it a shot. Otherwise you're going to hold onto it forever and just regret it. You should have no regret.

People always ask actors for advice and it's like wow, you're asking us? I don't know how enlightening we can be. We're just people.