Kristen Stewart delivered a powerful keynote address on Tuesday afternoon at the Academy and Chanel Women’s Luncheon in Los Angeles. The actress and director, whose feature film directorial debut, The Chronology of Water, is set for release next month, strongly criticized Hollywood for failing to uphold commitments made during the post-MeToo era.

Stewart, introduced by Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor, articulated her disappointment, stating:

“In a post-MeToo moment, it seemed possible that stories made by and for women were finally getting their due...all of our experiences without filter.”

She continued:

“But I can now attest to the bare-knuckle brawling that it takes every step of the way when the content is too dark, too taboo...frequently provokes disgust and rejection.”

Her remarks highlighted the ongoing struggles of women in Hollywood to tell authentic stories without censorship.

Adding a touch of humor, Stewart confessed,

“I am in a severe state of PMS today…But I relish being able to say that my nerves are close to the surface of my skin, and it is a great day for that.”

She emphasized the subtler forms of oppression in the industry:

“We can discuss wage gaps and taxes on tampons and measure [inequality] in lots of quantifiable ways, but the violence of silencing, it’s like we’re not even supposed to be angry. But I can eat this podium with a fork and fucking knife. I’m so angry.”

Among the influential attendees were Tessa Thompson, Sarah Paulson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Patty Jenkins, Alicia Silverstone, Riley Keough, Zoe Deutch, Joey King, Claire Foy, Odessa A’zion, Ruth E. Carter, Kate Hudson, Indya Moore, Embeth Davidtz, Diane Warren, Katy O’Brian, and Tig Notaro.

Stewart lamented the regression in the industry:

“The backsliding from a brief moment of progress is statistically devastating...We obviously need many more women’s luncheons in our lives. We need to become ladies who lunch all the fucking time.”

She urged collective pride and reclamation of agency:

“We are allowed to be proud of ourselves and maybe to allow each other to reclaim the gratitude we’ve all become talented at performing and really taste it from the inside out.”

Concluding her address, Stewart issued a defiant call to action:

“I am thankful to you. I am not grateful to a boys’ club business model that pretends to want to hang out with us while siphoning our resources and belittling our true perspectives. Let’s try and not be tokenized. Let’s start printing our own currency.”

Other highlights of the luncheon included:

• Kate Hudson recalling being inspired by Ann-Margret in Bye Bye Birdie.

• Felicity Jones sharing her story of self-advocacy at age 12 on The Worst Witch.

• Ruth E. Carter presenting the Gold Fellowship for Women to recipients Alina Simone and Marlén Viñayo.

Stewart’s seven-minute keynote underscored Hollywood’s enduring gender disparities while energizing the room with a blend of humor, defiance, and inspiration.