Is this K-Stew’s first Oscar?

The Twilight star is set to say goodbye to shiny vampires and hello to golden statues…

While Kristen Stewart’s career may have been ignited with a series of oft-mocked supernatural vampire romance movies, her acting talent has never been in doubt. After fulfilling her contractual duty with five Twilight movies, Stewart’s subsequent career has been interesting for its occassionally low key, but always electrifying, choices. Camp X-Ray, the trailer of which was released in recent days, is yet another entry on the CV that looks set to attract a lot of critical attention. Stewart takes on the role of a young female guard at?Guantanamo Bay and the problematic and empathetic relationship she develops with a prisoner. It’s going to court controversy and the reviews out of Sundance said Stewart was pretty incredible as the conflicted woman.

Stars such as Shailene Woodley and Jennifer Lawrence seem to be trying to secure franchises and a roster of powerhouse Oscar-baiting roles, but Stewart has always been different. Her contempt of the fame games is well documented in difficult interview quotes and scowl shots on the red carpet. Her film choices have never reeked of studio puppeteering and just last week she told Elle, ?Never at any point have I sat down and plotted how I should proceed from here on. As soon as you start thinking about your career as a trajectory?like, as if you’re going to miss out on some wave or momentum?then you’re never doing anything for yourself anyway. Then you’re truly, actually, specifically working for the public. You’re turning yourself into a bag of chips.?

All this taking-her-craft-seriously doesn’t mean she’s still not top fodder for tabloids. Her relationship with Robert Pattinson ended as the internet exploded with articles detailing her private life and last week speculation dominated the set of Equals, a futuristic romance in which she stars opposite Nicholas Hoult, above, with reporters suggesting theirs is a more-than-colleagues relationship.

Next up sees the release of The Clouds of Sils Maria, where Stewart stars opposite Juliette Binoche in a charged thriller drama. Cannes audiences were stunned at Stewart’s perfomance. And now with Camp X-Ray also in the offing might we be seeing a lot of muted acceptance speeches from K-Stew next Spring?

Jeanne Sutton @jeannedesutun