Kristen Stewart & Dakota Fanning J-14 ‘The Runaways’ Interview

J-14 sat down with the stars of The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, who just happened to star in another (totally different!) movie together about an iconic girl power band called The Runaways (open in select cities today, going wider in the next few weeks).

J-14: You play members of the real-life 1970s girl rock band The Runaways in this biopic — how did you get into your characters, especially the singing?

Dakota Fanning: [Singing] was something that I was a little bit nervous about and something I’ve always been self-conscious about, but was something I was excited to do. But I wanted to make sure that I could do it well and do the songs justice because they’re so iconic and so well-known. I was really excited that I was able to do it and that [the real life singer that I played] Cherie [Currie] supported me and was really helpful to me! Kristen Stewart: Luckily, I had Joan [Jett, who I play] on set every day. There’s a lot of stuff on the Internet that you can look at, a lot of photos, and a little bit of footage. We really did need Joan and Cherie there in order not to tell a completely superficial [story]. I would feel like a little doll walking around with black hair, it wouldn’t feel like I was actually playing Joan. It would feel like I was playing a character, so it’s just about throwing yourself into something that you don’t ncessarily know that you can do.

J-14: Kristen, Joan Jett says you two are really alike — do you agree?

Kristen: I think she thinks we’re like incredibly similar because I just played her in the movie. But it’s so funny because when we see each other now, I’m like pointing out the differences, like “See, I don’t normally do that!” I don’t normally spit. I feel like I can really understand her and feel really comfortable with her and clearly she understands me — thank goodness!

J-14: The director Floria Sigismondi says you both “emote” so well — how do you get into those especially emotional scenes?

Dakota: I don’t know if it’s because I started out when I was younger and acting was pretending to be someone else and just playing in a way, so I’ve kept that as I’ve gotten older. It’s not something I think about a lot — I think if you think about it too much, you kind of mess it up and interfere. I think if you just know a character so well and are really just moved by them and inspired by them, you just know what to do. I think that’s when you really know you love something and that you’re the right person to play that character — if you have that feeling.

Kristen: I feel the exact same way. And it’s a weird thing because I guess you would think that we would sit down and try to figure out the parts that were going to affect people. But that’s funny because you wouldn’t only be manipulating yourself, you’re manipulating the audience too. You have to do a lot of thinking initially and then throw it out.

J-14: Do you think fans from your other films will be surprised by your roles in this film?

Dakota: I hope people like it. I think people will think it’s a lot different for me.

Kristen: There are some people that do need to accept it from you though because there are so many people that are like, “Oh it’s so weird, Dakota’s so young.” Dakota’s the exact same age Cherie was — and there you go!

J-14: What were the first bands you fell in love with?

Kristen: If I go way, way back, the first band that I was obsessed with was The Beach Boys, which is really funny and sort of random. I mean, that’s kind of goofy. No, that is pretty cool. My parents raised me on Tom Petty and The Beatles, really like California classic rock — they’re both from L.A.

J-14: Now that you’ve played the part, any rock ‘n’ roll aspirations?

Dakota: Not in real life.

Kristen: I really love music. I love playing guitar but I would have to change a lot in the next few years if I’m ever releasing an album. It’s going to be a very, very transformative few years.

Source: J-14

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