In the midst of some well-publicized dramas, Kristen Stewart still managed to possibly secure her dream role in Scott Cooper’s Lie Down in Darkness, yet the combination of both her personal life and such a demanding new role seemed to be the culprit when it was reported that Stewart had dropped out of Nick Cassavetes‘ snuff film thriller Cali. Earlier this month, it was widely reported that Stewart had left the production (at least in a performance capacity, as she was also set to produce the film), and that Amber Heard was being looked at to potentially take on her role. At the time, outlets even reported a vague bit about the film’s production company releasing a more formal statement, but weeks have passed without a peep – and that could possibly because Stewart has like, totally, like, not even, like left the production. Of course, that’s if we believe an exclusive report from Hollywood Life. An insider on the production tells the gossip site that the film will not re-cast Stewart’s role and is not being cancelled, saying “Cali is being put on hold until Kristen feels ready…No other actress will replace her as previously reported!” Well, okay!

Yesterday it was revealed that actress Kristen Stewart had flown the coop on director Nick Cassavetes. She was supposed to star in his upcoming thriller, Cali, but instead she’s decided that her time will be better spent doing a film called Lie Down in Darkness for Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart). That’s great for her, but what about Cassavetes and the guy she was supposed to be starring opposite, Alex Pettyfer? Don’t cry for them just yet, because it looks like they’ve wasted no time in replacing the Twilight vet. JoBlo has heard that a slightly older, slightly blonder actress, Amber Heard, has stepped in to take her place. Though you may not recognize Heard’s name right away, chances are you’ve seen her in several things and just never connected the name to the face. Recently she’s appeared in things like Zombieland, the Nic Cage masterpiece Drive Angry, and the Johnny Depp-as-Hunter-S.-Thompson disappointment The Rum Diary. Most pertinent to this story though, Heard already has experience working with Cassavetes, as she appeared in his 2006 drug drama Alpha Dog.

A report out of GossipCop (I know, I’m sorry) reveals that Kristen Stewart is apparently dropping out of her starring role in Nick Cassavetes’ Cali. Stewart’s role would have been as Mya, one half of a Southern California couple (with Alex Pettyer set to play her boyfriend) who sell a fake snuff film in order to make some quick cash and ditch out of town, only to be pulled back in by some baddies a year later. The outlet also reveals that Amber Heard has been asked to come on for the role, but there is no word on whether or not she will accept. While the “cops” over at the outlet couldn’t get an official comment from anyone involved (including Stewart’s reps, Heard’s rep, and production company Voltage Productions), they did reveal that Voltage told them that “an announcement would be made soon.” Stewart is also an executive producer on the project, so this doesn’t seem like a case of her cutting bait on a project she didn’t like anymore. Variety has also confirmed the news that Stewart is out. [GossipCop, via Gawker]

Gold stars to Alex Pettyfer‘s team, as the actor’s possible involvement with the Kristen Stewart-starring Cali has hit the web just as the Twilight star cops to a (totally bizarre) affair with her Snow White and the Huntsman director. You capitalize on that Google traffic, A-Petts! Variety reports (via ComingSoon) that the Magic Mike star is in final negotiations to star in the Nick Cassavetes film, described as a “gritty action” film based on Michael Diliberti‘s script. Cali centers on a “pair of San Fernando Valley lovebirds” (Stewart and the role that Pettyfer is in talks for) who decide to make some big cash by making and selling a fake snuff film that “kills off” Stewart’s character, Mya. That great plan is derailed years later when Stewart’s character is forced to return to her hometown in order to save her younger sister and is, in the process, compelled to reveal she’s not dead and the tape was a fake. This, of course, leads to all sorts of complications with a supposedly wacky cast of characters who, I’m just guessing here, are not too stoked to learn that the snuff film wasn’t actually a snuff film.