Kristen Stewart Reflects on Jodie Foster's "Kind Act" Amid Rupert Sanders Cheating Scandal

Kristen Stewart remembers who had her back during her cheating scandal.

The actress recalled how Jodie Foster, who played her mom in the 2002 film Panic Room, came to her defense after the paparazzi snapped photos of her kissing her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders in July 2012. At the time, Stewart was dating her Twilight costar Robert Pattinson and Sanders was married to Liberty Ross.

"It was such a truly kind act," Stewart told Variety about Jodie's gesture, in an interview published Jan. 11. "I really needed Jodie to unpack that for other people before I could even understand."

Meanwhile, Foster maintained that "the whole thing was just stupid," telling the outlet, "When you're in your 20s, you do all sorts of stupid s--t. I felt for her. I wish for her that she had the space and the privacy to be able to explore herself so that she could be a full human being."

In a 2012 op-ed published amid the scandal, Foster defended "a kid actor's right to be a kid," addressing how amid public interest of celebrities, we "seldom consider the childhoods we unknowingly destroy in the process." She recalled how her mother would say, 'This too shall pass,' and how she hated that phrase.

"Now it just seems quaint, but oddly true. Eventually this all passes," Foster wrote in the Daily Beast. "The public horrors of today eventually blow away. And, yes, you are changed by the awful wake of reckoning they leave behind. You trust less. You calculate your steps. You survive. Hopefully in the process you don't lose your ability to throw your arms in the air again and spin in wild abandon. That is the ultimate F.U. and—finally—the most beautiful survival tool of all. Don't let them take that away from you."

After the kissing pics were published online, Stewart issued a public apology, saying in a statement, "I'm deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I've caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected. This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love him, I love him, I'm so sorry."

Sanders later said in his own statement, "I am utterly distraught about the pain I have caused my family. My beautiful wife and heavenly children are all I have in this world. I love them with all my heart. I am praying that we can get through this together." He and Ross have since divorced.

In May 2013, E! News confirmed that Stewart and Pattinson broke up after three years together. In 2014, the actor signaled that he was over the split, telling Esquire U.K., ""S-t happens, you know? It's just young people." He added, "it's normal! And honestly, who gives a s--t?"

Both he and Stewart have since moved on from the scandal. Stewart came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community in 2016 and confirmed her engagement to screenwriter Dylan Meyer in 2021. Pattinson is currently engaged to Suki Waterhouse, his partner of more than five years, who is pregnant with their first baby.

Look back at other former couples caught up in cheating scandals over the years:

Months after photos caught Stewart in the act with her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders, the Twilight co-stars called it quits in 2013. Since then, both actors have sunk their teeth into other relationships. 

Pattinson and singer FKA Twigs dated for three years until 2017 and a year later, he began seeing Suki Waterhouse. As of January 2024, they are engaged and expecting their first baby together.

Meanwhile, Stewart went on to date several women—
including Alicia Cargile, St. Vincent and Stella Maxwell—before getting engaged to Dylan Meyer in 2021.

As for Sanders, he and his then-wife, model Liberty Ross, divorced after 10 years and two kids in the aftermath of the scandal.

The Elektra actress and the Argo star announced that they were ending their 10-year marriage in June 2015. A month after the news, allegations that Affleck had an affair with their children's nanny surfaced, prompting the Oscar winner to publicly deny the claims.

Garner later clarified that she and Affleck broke up long before the rumors, telling Vanity Fair in 2016, "We had been separated for months before I ever heard about the nanny. She had nothing to do with our decision to divorce."

The Alias alum and the Oscar winner divorced in 2018 and continue to co-parent their three kids: daughters Violet and Seraphina and son Samuel.

In 2021, Affleck rekindled his '00s relationship with Jennifer Lopez and the two wed the following year. Meanwhile, Garner has been dating businessman John Miller on-and-off since 2018.

Shortly after announcing their split in November 2020, Samodanova accused her then-estranged husband Savchenko of cheating on her. Fans have speculated that Savchenko and his Dancing With the Stars partner Chrishell Stause were more than just friends, an allegation that both the dancer and the Selling Sunset star denied.

At the time, Savchenko responded to his wife's claims with a statement, saying, "My relationship with Chrishell was and remains strictly platonic. Our friendship during our season on DWTS was not the reason for our split. Elena and I have had longstanding issues in our marriage. This has been an ongoing situation between Elena and I paired with poor timing."

Savchenko and Samodanova—who share daughters Olivia and Zlata—finalized their divorce in October 2021.

In September 2022, Instagram model Sumner Stroh went public with claims that she had a year-long affair with the Maroon 5 singer and that he was trying to name his soon-to-arrive third child after her. Levine denied having an affair, but admitted to using "poor judgment" adding that he "crossed the line during a regrettable period of my life."

In the wake of the allegations, Prinsloo stood by her man, with a source close to the couple telling E! News that the Victoria's Secret Angel is "upset but she does believe him that there was no physical affair."

To the shock of many who witnessed her 2009 Academy Award speech dedicated to the West Coast Choppers founder, Bullock filed for divorce months later after James allegedly participated in an 11-month affair with a tattoo model. At the time, James and Bullock were simultaneously in the process of adopting a child, a boy named Louis.

Since then, the Miss Congeniality star adopted a daughter she named Laila and began a romance with photographer Bryan Randall. He died in 2023 at age 57 after battling ALS.

James married Bonnie Rotten in 2022 and the two welcomed a son the following year.

Even after the couple decided to tough things out amid allegations that the NBA star cheated on the rapper, Azalea eventually called off their engagement in 2016 and admitted to catching Young on security camera footage with other women.

Since then, Young moved on, welcoming three kids with fiancée Keonna Green.

As for Azalea? She, too, became a parent. The "Fancy" hitmaker gave birth to son Onyx with Playboi Carti in 2020.

In 2005, Law publicly apologized to Miller after news broke that he had cheated with his children's caretaker. The pair split the following year, but rekindled their romance in 2009 only to separate again in 2011.

The actor has since gone on to father more children (he has six total) with different women.

Miller got engaged to Tom Sturridge and welcomed a daughter with him in 2012. However, the actress and Sturridge split in 2015.

In 2011, fans of the longtime couple were shocked to hear that the actor-turned-California governor confessed to fathering a son, Joseph Baena, with the family housekeeper while still married to Shriver. The journalist filed for divorce months after the scandal broke, and a judge signed off on the final judgement of their separation in 2021.

Despite their split, Schwarzenegger and Shriver have maintained friendly relations and their son, Patrick Schwarzenegger, has even formed a friendship with Joseph.

Seven years into his engagement with the actress, Udoka was suspended from his role as head coach of the Boston Celtics for the 2022-2023 season after ESPN, citing multiple sources, reported that he had an "intimate relationship with a female member of the franchise's staff."

In response, Udoka took responsibility for his actions and said in a statement, "I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down. I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team's decision."

 

The former Playboy playmate has said her husband's "naïve and gullible" nature led to an alleged cheating scandal in 2014. Though the pair initially tried to move on from it, Wilkinson—who shares son Hank and daughter Alijah with Baskett—filed for divorce in 2018. Their separation was legally finalized a year later.

Following years as the golf world's biggest star, Woods' personal life came to a screeching halt in 2009 when he confessed to cheating on his wife and mother of his two children with multiple women. He later sought treatment for sex addiction, his marriage to the Swedish model dissolved.

Woods went on to date pro skier Lindsey Vonn for three years before their split in 2015. Two years later, the golfer went public with Erica Herman during the President's Cup tournament.

As for Nordegren, she welcomed a son with NFL star Jordan Cameron in 2019. 

Only nine months into their marriage, the actor faced allegations he had cheated on the Black Eyed Peas singer. Duhamel called the reported one-night stands "absolutely ridiculous" and Fergie admitted to Oprah Winfrey in a 2013 interview that the setback only made their relationship stronger. The Hollywood couple, parents to son Axl, ultimately split in 2017 after 8 years of marriage.

 

Duhamel went on to date actress Eiza González before tying the knot with Audra Mari in 2022.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star split from her husband of nine years and the father of their two children in 2009, after he had an affair with singer Leann Rimes on the set of the Lifetime movie Northern Lights.

Though Glanville spent years feuding with her ex and his now-wife, the drama between them has since seemingly subsided. As Glanville explained in 2021, "I think we both grew up a lot because obviously, it was a decade of fighting."

Ned, an original member of The Try Guys, parted ways from the popular YouTube comedy group in September 2022 amid rumors that he had cheated on his wife Ariel with someone from his workplace. In a statement released shortly after his departure, the content creator admitted to having a "consensual workplace relationship" and issued an apology "for any pain that my action may have caused to the guys and the fans but most of all to Ariel."

Ariel, who shares two young sons with Ned, shared in a statement of her own, "Nothing is more important to me and Ned than our family and all we request right now is that you respect our privacy for the sake of our kids."

Fans of True Tori know the couple's roller coaster romance was brought to a head when her husband cheated on her in 2013 while working in Canada. Though the couple, who share five children together, initially moved past the scandal, they split in 2023.

Amid divorce proceedings and a custody battle over their children, Cook admitted to having an affair with his 18-year-old assistant. His divorce with Brinkley was finalized in 2008 after a contentious two-year legal battle.

Brinkley went on to date John Mellencamp, but split with the singer in 2016 after one year together.

As for Cook, he found himself in another cheating scandal in 2014 when his second wife, Suzanne Shaw, accused him of being a serial cheater and issued an apology to Brinkley for not heeding her advice. Cook and Shaw divorced, and the architect got engaged to Alba Jancou in 2019.

A year-long "improper physical relationship" between the former U.S. President and White House intern Monica Lewinsky nearly cost him his presidency. Hillary remained by her husband's side throughout the media firestorm that ensued and ran for U.S. President herself in 2016.

In 2009, the Late Show host revealed someone was threatening to blackmail him with information that would've revealed his many extramarital relations with female employees on his show. Letterman confirmed the allegations, and issued an apology to his longtime partner and staff. Letterman and Lasko have remained together, and have one son. 

After 20 years of marriage, the Real Housewives of New York cast member said goodbye after she caught her husband cheating on her. The reality TV star then turned lemons into pinot grigio, launching her own line of wine and getting involved with AOA Restaurant in the Big Apple.

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