Kristen Stewart opened up about the reasons behind her decision to come out publicly in 2017 during her hosting stint on Saturday Night Live. The discussion took place in a new interview airing on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis on February 2, nearly nine years after Stewart first acknowledged her sexuality on the show. The actress used the opportunity to express the importance of living openly amid societal pressures, emphasizing a desire to promote acceptance and discourage hiding one’s true self.
In the SNL monologue, Stewart famously declared she is “so gay, dude,” while directly addressing then-President Donald Trump. This public statement marked a turning point, not just personally but also culturally, as she challenged the constraints placed on LGBTQ+ individuals within the entertainment industry and beyond.
Challenges and Conversations About Visibility and Career
Stewart described how she faced clear pressures to conceal her relationships as part of maintaining her career, explaining that some people she trusted suggested hiding public affection for fear it would harm her success. She rejected this idea decisively, unwilling to live a “partial life” or support a system that marginalizes people.
“It was less about sharing the details of my relationship and more so acknowledging that there are people that don’t get full access to being alive because they’re hiding,”
Stewart said.
“I’ve experienced perspectives [and] I’ve had conversations with people I’ve known, loved and trusted and still do, who thought, ‘Your career would go better if you didn’t go outside holding your girlfriend’s hand.’ And I was like, ‘So you want me to live a partial life? And you want me to uphold, perpetuate and sustain a system that excludes people?’ And I just can’t do that,”
she added.
Before coming out, Stewart’s personal life was often the focus of media attention, notably during her relationship with Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson. The 2017 declaration was also a response to the public scrutiny she endured after then-President Trump posted about her and Pattinson on Twitter in 2012.
Maintaining Authenticity Amid Media Speculation
Discussing how her private life was already subject to public consumption before her coming out, Stewart mentioned not wanting to “commodify” those intimate details despite their widespread exposure. She resisted letting the media’s portrayal define her identity or her narrative.
“I didn’t want to be part of a comic book. But what I didn’t want to do was hide from the world we live in,”
Stewart shared.
“I want to define it, I want to make it a more open and accepting place. And so I thought it was necessary for me to— I was already holding my girlfriend’s hand in public.”
“None of my relationships have felt guarded because I didn’t want people to know me. I want people to know me,”
she emphasized.
“I felt like they did, so I didn’t really need to fill in the blanks. But at that point it felt like a statement that just might unlock other people’s doors.”
Kristen Stewart’s Marriage and Current Life
Stewart has been dating screenwriter and film producer Dylan Meyer since 2019, and the couple married in April 2025. At the Variety Creative Impact Awards in January 2025, Stewart described that year as
“the craziest year of my life,”
citing the excitement of marriage alongside both of them expanding their careers as directors.
“I was so carbonated over the last year. I need to get flat… I need to go fizz out,”
Stewart joked at the event.
Her relationship with Meyer appears strong and publicly embraced, reflecting the openness Stewart has long advocated. Their partnership marks a continuation of her commitment to living authentically in both her personal and professional spheres.
Where to Watch the Full Interview
Stewart’s detailed reflections on her coming out and personal journey will be featured in a full interview streamed on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, February 2. This conversation offers deeper insight into her experiences with identity and visibility in Hollywood, as well as her hopes for the future.
