The Greatest Showman #1014 - One After Another

Kristen Stewart and Rupert Sanders both betrayed their stable relationships. What's even more unsettling is that in Snow White and the Huntsman, the two worked together, and Rupert's wife, Liberty Ross, played the biological mother of Snow White—played by Kristen Stewart. In other words, the affair unfolded right under Liberty's nose.

When the scandal broke, it caused an uproar that sent shockwaves through Hollywood. The story immediately gained traction, dominating headlines and fueling gossip.

In the last six months, US Weekly had already made waves. First, they published a definitive statement from Gavin Hunter that cleared Renly's name amidst a scandal, surpassing Entertainment Weekly in influence. Now, they were reporting the explosive Snow White scandal, and their clout had only grown stronger.

Gossip and scandals are Hollywood's favorite currency.

Take, for example, the collapse of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's marriage. For over 15 years, rumors of Angelina Jolie's involvement in the breakdown have fueled media fire. Even after Brad and Angelina's marriage ended in 2016, the story remained in the public consciousness.

Journalists soon reported that it was Brad, not Angelina, who had instigated the affair. He had convinced the public that his marriage was crumbling because Jennifer didn't want children. When news of his infidelity broke, Brad managed to spin the narrative, portraying himself as a good man, nostalgic for his family, while shifting blame onto Jennifer and Angelina.

At the time, Angelina was seen as a rebellious figure. Her past was marred by controversy, from her troubled relationship with her father to her bold public actions, including her notorious blood-drinking incident with Billy Bob Thornton. No one believed her at the time, and Brad's career continued unharmed.

In contrast, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson's relationship was known for its stability. Neither of them had been involved in any scandals. They were the epitome of a young Hollywood power couple, and their fans saw them as the next big thing.

That's why when the affair with Rupert Sanders was exposed, it came as a shock to everyone, even industry reporters. No one had seen it coming.

Kristen publicly apologized to Robert, hoping to salvage their relationship. However, her public plea angered many, as it seemed like an attempt to manipulate the situation and gain sympathy. Rupert also issued a public apology, but Liberty filed for divorce without hesitation. Later reports revealed that Rupert tried to reconcile with his wife, but when that failed, he pursued Kristen, only to be rejected.

Robert, as the victim, remained mostly silent during interviews. He expressed that the matter was personal and asked the public not to focus on it. After months of reconciliation, Robert and Kristen briefly got back together, only to break up again after the promotion for Twilight: Breaking Dawn (Part 2) had wrapped. The reunion was reportedly orchestrated by Summit Entertainment to avoid damaging the movie's box office performance.

This whole scandal exposed the importance of a good publicist. Kristen's career took a hit after her PR mishandled the situation, but she later reinvented herself by focusing on independent films and publicly coming out. Her image as the "Twilight" girl was left behind as she found a new, more mature direction.

In contrast, Robert emerged unscathed from the scandal. With the help of a savvy publicist, he moved away from his "Twilight" image and began to focus on serious acting. In 2017, his performance in Good Times garnered widespread critical acclaim, marking his evolution into a respected actor in Hollywood.

As for Rupert, he lost the director's role for Snow White and the Huntsman's sequel and was largely absent from the industry for four years. He made a brief comeback with Ghost in the Shell, but the film flopped, and his career never fully recovered.

Despite the scandal, Snow White and the Huntsman became one of the most talked-about films of the summer. Its publicity overshadowed other big releases like Edge of Tomorrow and The Amazing Spider-Man. The question lingered: would the affair boost or hurt the movie's box office?

Ultimately, it was difficult to predict. The controversy certainly drew attention, but whether it was positive or negative remained unclear. Regardless, the movie's buzz helped fuel a surprisingly strong summer box office season, following a lackluster start to the year.

Before Snow White and the Huntsman's release, Men in Black 3, starring Will Smith, had been highly anticipated, but its performance was disappointing. Despite a $225 million production budget, it grossed only $54 million on its opening weekend, underperforming significantly compared to its predecessors.

This was a clear sign that Hollywood's golden age of star power might be coming to an end. Will Smith, along with Johnny Depp, had seen their marketability decline, while Robert Downey Jr. continued to shine, thanks to his role in the Iron Man franchise.

Was it time for the younger generation of actors to take over? That question would soon be answered.

In June, Snow White and the Huntsman premiered at the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, attracting over 400 reporters and 1,000 spectators. The premiere was star-studded, with over 40 celebrities in attendance, including Avengers stars Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, and Tom Hiddleston, supporting Chris Hemsworth.

Despite the attention, the focus of the night was primarily on Kristen Stewart. Robert Pattinson's absence loomed large, with his name mentioned repeatedly throughout the evening. Even Charlize Theron couldn't steal the spotlight from Kristen.

The premiere garnered significant attention, especially with multiple blockbuster films set to release in the coming weeks. Industry insiders were optimistic about the film's box office prospects, hoping to avoid direct competition.

The reviews, however, were mixed. Critics gave the film a modest 57/100 score, with Rotten Tomatoes showing only a 48% freshness rating. Audience reviews were similarly lukewarm, with a 5.6/10 average score. While the movie wasn't a total failure, it didn't achieve the level of success many had hoped for.

It was clear that Snow White and the Huntsman would be part of the ongoing battle for dominance among the new generation of Hollywood stars. Whether Kristen Stewart and her castmates could continue to lead the charge would depend on how the film fared in the box office and what followed in its wake.