On her birthday, a celebration of Kristen Stewart's endearing awkwardness

Some of you might know her as Kristen Stewart. Others of you refer to her as K.Stew or “that chick who cheated on Robert Pattinson.” But regardless of what you call her, there’s one aspect of Stewart that everybody seems to be talking about, and it’s not her acting chops. The girl is socially awkward. That’s no secret. And sometimes, it does come off as though she doesn’t care about anything. Could her hair have looked a little nicer at the Oscars? Yes. Could she be a little more attentive in interviews? Yes. I understand the annoyance that many of you feel, but I also think her awkwardness is a good thing. And today’s her birthday, so hear me out…

Hollywood is full of famewhores who love nothing more than being in the spotlight (typically, your reality stars and your mediocre actors). But Kristen Stewart’s awkwardness says one thing to me: She’s not in Hollywood for the attention. If she were, she’d be a lot better at, you know, talking. She fidgets way too much when she’s being asked questions, because it’s not her thing. What she loves is the actual art of acting — a respectable trait.

Stewart might have been thrust into superstardom, but she’s always been clear acting is her priority. In front of the camera is really the only place she feels comfortable, and that, to me, is what makes her so endearing. Sure, she doesn’t give good award-show soundbites, but she’s still willing to get on stage — in Hollywood-approved high heels that make her trip — and attempt a speech even though she knows the result might humiliate her.

True, it’s frustrating that her awkward tendencies sometimes make their way onto the big screen — Bella Swan didn’t really have to run her fingers through her hair every two seconds (or breathe so loudly). To be fair, though, the character of Bella was written as an awkward, clumsy girl. That her performance captures that awkwardness, then transitions and evolves during Bella’s transformation, is a testament again to the thing she truly loves — the acting.

And it is acting. Twihards and haters alike might have trouble differentiating, but Stewart cheated on Pattinson, not Edward Cullen. That’s another discussion for another day, save to say that it’s just another thing that makes her more human. As someone who looks at Hollywood and sees seemingly perfect women like Sandra Bullock and Reese Witherspoon, it’s nice to see someone who isn’t good at being famous but carries on for the work. Just remember that if it’s hard for you to watch, it’s even harder for her to experience.

So here’s to you, Kristen Stewart. Happy 28th Birthday! Wherever you are, a shower probably wouldn’t hurt (and I love that about you).