Kristen Stewart says she learns about herself through acting

Los Angeles - Kristen Stewart "learns more" about herself through her work.

The Equals actress finds trying to understand her characters and their motives leads her to examine herself more deeply and gain a better understanding of herself.

She explained: "I see it as a means of looking more deeply into your own psychology when you're attempting to understand what makes your characters behave the way they do and who they really are.

"It's a process that helps me learn more about myself although I think just living every day and being with other people helps me do that too.

"I like to believe that I'm living as honestly and authentically as possible."

And the 25-year-old star has also found acting allows her to retreat from the "real world" and escape her own shyness and anxiety.

She admitted: "I've always been shy. I'm still that way even now, even after I've been in this business basically all my life and grew up knowing everything about the movies.

"Acting was always a refuge from the real world which allowed me to forget who I was and whatever I was anxious to do with my life."

Though she is passionate about her career now more than ever, Kristen didn't always want to be an actress.

She told Diva magazine: "I originally wanted to write and maybe work as a director, but then acting took over and that's become my main pursuit.

"I still love acting, maybe more than ever now that I'm doing the kind of work that I want to be doing."

Watch a clip of the movie here: