Twilight had to trim numerous steamy scenes due to Kristen Stewart’s insistence on sticking to the PG rating.
Believe it or not, those who have read the Twilight Saga find that the books are not as steamy as the movies portray. The movies took a step ahead to show that aspect of Edward and Bella’s relationship, and although many fans didn’t complain, there was something that didn’t sit right with Kristen Stewart, who was very particular and consistent with the guidelines that maintained a PG-13 rating.
This Twilight S-x Scene Had to Be Reshot Because of Kristen Stewart
Being primarily marketed towards a younger demographic, mostly teens and tweens, the novels were crafted by Stephenie Meyer with the intention of not delving much into explicit content while keeping it tasteful. However, as the movies progressed, they did not hesitate to dig into aspects that sometimes made it difficult to maintain a PG-13 rating.
Meyer’s original vision keeps a balance between engaging storytelling and appropriate content for her target audience, while the films, staying true to the essence of the novels, push the boundaries further in certain scenes.
Although the first movie was relatively tame in comparison, the second and third installments ramped up the steaminess significantly. And as the narrative progresses, the intensity only increases. However, the director Bill Condon revealed to Celebuzz (via Daily Mail),
“There are MPAA guidelines on thrusting intercourse, — [Kristen] got very into it.”
Cordon further elaborated about it to MTV, stating,
“It’s almost clinical the kind of strict guidelines [the MPAA] has about anything that appears to be — how do I put it delicately?That appears to be, let’s call it thrusting. In fact, you know, it was so much more about romance than it was about hot-and-heavy action, so it was a very kind of simple adjustment to make.”
Although the stage for the anticipated s-x scene was initially set in earlier parts, Kristen Stewart’s vigilance assured that potentially R-rated elements were carefully removed, which wasn’t much of a hassle, avoiding any expected difficulties. The director, who also prioritized the emotional aspect of the scene, applauded Stewart for her diligence.
Why Kristen Stewart Was So Thorough Regarding the PG-13 Rating?
Although the films were dedicated to showing the intimate relationship between the two characters, Kristen Stewart was determined to maintain a PG-13 rating and avoid going overboard. She did everything in her power to maintain this standard while making sure that long-time fans of the novels remained connected to the story as well.
Additionally, she just like the rest of the team of the saga aimed to depict the love scenes in a way that stayed true to the essence of Twilight. In an interview with Glamor UK, the actress revealed that at times she also found herself in disbelief, particularly regarding the steamy feather-strewn scene between Bella and Edward. As she stated,
“It was so weird, it didn’t even feel like we were doing a ‘Twilight’ movie,–I was like, ‘Bella! What are you doing? Wow! What is happening here?!’ It was very surreal. We [originally] got rated R. They recut it”
Besides that, a considerable amount of thought and effort was poured into these scenes. They were always prioritized as the first ones to be shot to ensure they were executed flawlessly. This allowed the cast and crew to focus intensely on capturing the essence of these key moments and making sure they resonated authentically with the audience.
