Kristen Stewart and Garrett Hedlund on Why They Fought for 'On the Road'

On the Road is a film that has been years in the making.

Kristen Stewart was first in talks when she was about 17, while Garrett Hedlund was attached for about six years. So what was it about this film that made both stars hold on--in between high profile films like Twilight and Tron--for so long?

"I really had to dig pretty deep to find it in me to play a person like Marylou. It took a long time," Kristen, 22, told us Monday. "I couldn't say no--I would have done anything on the movie. It was easy to connect the dots after having gotten to know the person behind the character and what you would need to pull off a lifestyle like that. That didn't happen until deep in the rehearsal process."

"At first I was attracted to the spirit of it," Kristen continued. "I'm the type of person--I need to be pushed really hard to be able to let it all hang. I think Marylou is the type of person you can't help but be yourself around."

As for Garrett, 28, there are certain beatnik ideals he could relate to.

"Within this time there was such a sense of yearning for freedom and to get out...these guys were trying to explore all aspects of life when few were," Garrett told us. "The yearning for adventure--especially for me growing up in such a small town in the middle of nowhere--the desire to be away was incredible. The yearning to live, be on your own and journey. These guys were able to do that."

Garrett joked that this project tortured their agents and managers because they wouldn't give On the Road up:

"The torture wasn't for them having to accept the fact your ass would be out for everyone to see and with the internet will never go away, it was the fact for two, three years you are saying, 'No' to everything that comes across the table!"