Kristen Stewart is no stranger to biopics, with “Seberg” in 2019 and “Spencer” in 2021. Now she has another to add to her upcoming projects, but this one has a meta twist. Variety reports (via Screen Daily) that Stewart will star as the writer and intellectual Susan Sontag in Kirsten Johnson‘s next film, the director’s follow-up to 2016’s “Cameraperson‘ and 2020’s “Dick Johnson Is Dead.”
Johnson will base “Sontag” off Ben Moser‘s 2019 biography “Sontag: Her Life,” with Johnson co-writing a script with Lisa Kron. One of the most influential public intellectuals of the late-20th century, Sontag was well-known for writing on topics as diverse as photography, human rights, and the AIDS crisis. Her most famous works include 1966’s “Against Interpretation,” 1977’s “On Photography,” and 1999’s “In America.” She died in New York City in 2004.
Stewart and Johnson kick off filming “Sontag” at the Berlinale this month, where Stewart serves as jury president for the festival. “We’re using Berlin as a moment to kick off the project and do documentary footage of Kristen as the head of the jury and talking to her about how she’s going to become Sontag,” said Gabrielle Tana, who co-founded Brouhaha Entertainment, the UK-Australia producer behind the project. “It will be a drama, but with a documentary aspect to it. Kirsten has a wonderful approach to storytelling, and this is reflective of that, so she will use documentary in it.”
“Sontag” continues Stewart’s foray into increasingly diverse roles of late. Other recent work for the actress beyond “Seberg” and “Spencer” include David Cronenberg‘s “Crimes Of The Future,” the 2020 deep-ocean creature feture “Underwater,” and the queer rom-com “Happiest Season.” Also upcoming for Stewart: “Love Me” with Steven Yeun, Rose Glass‘ “Love Lies Bleeding” with Dave Franco and Jena Malone, and a yet-to-be-titled film from Ben Foster. On top of that, Stewart also shoots her feature directorial debut soon: a swimming memoir called “The Chronology Of Water” with Imogen Poots.
As for Johnson, “Dick Johnson Is Dead” won the Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020. That comes after “Cameraperson,” Johnson’s 2016 debut, also premiered at Sundance to critical acclaim. So, safe to say that on announcement alone “Sontag” becomes a most-anticipated doc.
And if “Dick Johnson Is Dead” is any indication, expect “Sontag” to be anything but a conventional documentary. More news on this one soon.