In the wake of Kristen Stewart's cheating scandal, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2 director, Bill Condon, is asking fans to remember the difference between Stewart and her character Bella Swan.
"The fact is, these are actors playing parts, and maybe it's not such a bad thing that people be reminded of that," Condon, 56, tells the fall movie preview issue of Entertainment Weekly.
On July 24, Twi-hards were devastated to learn Stewart, 22, had a fling with her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders, 41, as revealed in exclusive photos in Us Weekly. The actress publicly acknowledged her relationship with Robert Pattinson, 26, for the first time in a public apology the following day.
"Both of these actors gave heart and soul to the Twilight movies, not only during shooting, but also by navigating so graciously the whole life-in-a-fishbowl aspect of the phenomenon," Condon explained of the couple, who became superstars overnight after the first film premiered in November 2008. "Above all they have always shown great respect for the fans who made these movies such a success. Now it's time that some of that respect be returned to them."
Since the scandal broke, both Stewart and Pattinson have been staying out of the spotlight — with Pattinson hiding out at his pal Reese Witherspoon's home. But promotions for the final Twilight Saga film will begin soon as The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2 hits theaters Nov. 16.
Pattinson will give his first interviews since Stewart's cheating scandal next week. He is set to appear on Jon Stewart's the Daily Show on Monday Aug. 13 to promote his new film, Cosmopolis. Two days later, the actor will give a live interview on ABC's Good Morning America.
