Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart Reunite More Than 20 Years After Panic Room at Sundance Film Festival

The two actresses came together for a photo on Thursday during the Sundance Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala in Park City, Utah

Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart Opening Night Gala: Celebrating 40 Years, Presnted by Chase Sapphire, Sundance Film Festival
Kristen Stewart and Jodie Foster at Sundance 2024. PHOTO: STEPHEN LOVEKIN/SHUTTERSTOCK

Kristen Stewart and Jodie Foster just had the sweetest reunion!

Almost 22 years after appearing as mother and daughter in the 2002 thriller Panic Room — which was one of Stewart’s very first film roles — the actresses came together for a photo on Thursday at the Sundance Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala presented by Chase Sapphire in Park City, Utah.

Panic Room follows Meg Altman (Foster, 61) and her tween daughter Sarah (Stewart, 33), who are the victims of a home invasion and struggle to stay safe from the invaders (played by Forest Whitaker, Dwight Yoakam and Jared Leto) — while also dealing with the added challenge of Sarah’s diabetes, as her medication is in another room and unattainable as the two hide.

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When Panic Room hit theaters in 2002, it had the biggest opening weekend for the Easter holiday at the time, topping the box-office benchmark that had been set by The Matrix in 1999.

Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart Opening Night Gala: Celebrating 40 Years, Presnted by Chase Sapphire, Sundance Film Festival
Kristen Stewart and Jodie Foster reunite at 2024 Sundance Film Festival.STEPHEN LOVEKIN/SHUTTERSTOCK

Stewart and Foster previously reunited at the latter’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in May 2016, where Stewart said during a speech that the two-time Oscar winner has “always encompassed what I thought was sort of the prime example of where you want to be, and she’s been there for me.”

Kristen Stewart, Jodie Foster Panic Room - 2002

At the festival’s Opening Night Gala on Thursday, Stewart received the Visionary Award, recognizing her work as an “uncompromising artist, [her] contributions to the field of independent film, and her long history with the Sundance Film Festival,” per a previous press release.

Jesse Eisenberg showed up to present the honor to his pal. The duo have made three movies together: Adventureland (2009), American Ultra (2015) and Café Society (2016).

“He’s my boy!” Stewart told PEOPLE at the event of Eisenberg, 40, while adding she feels “lucky” to receive the honor at just 33 years old: “It’s really nice.”

While presenting Stewart with the award, Eisenberg said, “Kristen is one of these rare performers where she is so committed, so authentic, so feeling, that you almost want to make sure she’s okay at the end of the day.”

“And it’s this kind of painstaking feeling that she brings to everything, which is such a gift for audiences because it gives us a real peek into the breath of our collective experiences,” added the Social Network star.

Jodie Foster and Alexandra Hedison Sundance 01 18 24

Foster’s presence at the festival served multiple purposes, as she presented Maite Alberdi with the Vanguard Award and also attended the world premiere of wife Alexandra “Alex” Hedison’s short film ALOK, which Foster executive produced.

According to the Sundance website, Hedison’s film is “a compelling portrait of Alok Vaid-Menon, acclaimed nonbinary author, poet, comedian, and public speaker.”

Asked whether Foster did anything special to wish her good luck as ALOK premiered at the festival, Hedison, 54, told PEOPLE on Thursday, “Well, first of all, she flew in from New York. She’s on a major press tour, so she flew here at 4 in the morning to get to the festival, so that was amazing.”

“And I mean, she’s just so incredibly supportive and so happy for me and loves this festival,” the director added. “It’s just amazing she’s here.”

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