Rupert Sanders on Kristen Stewart: She's Very Beautiful

Wonderwall, Thursday, July 26, 2012, 2:28pm (PDT)

By Chris Gardner

• "She's got this rebellious, primal, edgy thing going on."

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  So said Rupert Sanders about his "Snow White and the Huntsman" star Kristen Stewart when Wonderwall sat down with the director in May to discuss his feature film debut. And while the married father of two was offering his professional opinion of the 22-year-old actress he picked to topline the action epic "Snow White and the Huntsman," it seemed clear that his affections for Stewart extended beyond her skills onscreen. The two even seemed a bit flirty in between junket interviews at Arundel Castle in England. On a break, Stewart walked into a tent where Sanders was being interviewed to pass a ladybug that had been sitting on her fingers for several hours onto Sanders' jacket for "good luck."

  "She's obviously very beautiful. … And she's just a ballsy, defiant girl," Sanders gushed to Wonderwall. “And [Kristen] has these amazing eyes, which we haven't really seen because they've been behind contact lenses in her most famous role."

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  That role would be Bella in the "Twilight" franchise, a part that made Stewart an international sensation and brought her together with co-star turned live-in love Robert Pattinson. The future of their relationship -- not to mention Sanders' marriage to model-actress Liberty Ross -- remains unclear following the scandal that erupted this week when photos surfaced in Us Weekly of the actress and her director in a heated make-out session.

  Also falling in the unknown category is the future of another collaboration between Sanders and Stewart -- on film, at least. It was announced this summer that a sequel is being written to "Snow White and the Huntsman," and the expectation is that Sanders would return as director and Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Sam Claflin would reprise their roles.

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  But in the wake of Smooch-Gate, Hollywood insiders speculate that Sanders might be a lot more expendable than his leading lady.