Kristen Stewart's Next Role: Tragic Southern Beauty in 'Lie Down in Darkness'

Never mind the fact that she's dealing with a high-profile cheating scandal and reportedly hiding out at her parents' house, avoiding the wave of paparazzi. That's not stopping Kristen Stewart from signing on for her next starring role.

Stewart has just joined the film adaptation "Lie Down in the Darkness," based on the novel of the same name by William Styron. It is being described (via THR) as a "heavy drama" in the vein of Dostoyevsky, meaning the whole thing will likely involve a lot of family drama and generally be a bit depressing.

Stewart is attached to play Peyton, one of two daughters in a Southern family that includes a crippled sister, a loveless marriage, a detached mother and a drunken father who lusts after his own daughter. Sounds like a blast.

The movie is yet another step back to the indie scene for Stewart, where she got her start before her breakout in "Twilight." Stewart also stars in the upcoming "On the Road," another indie feature based on a novel, this time the classic by Jack Kerouac.

Meanwhile, while Stewart's duties toward "Twilight" are soon to end as "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" hits theaters this November, her big-budget roles will continue: "Snow White and the Huntsman" is moving forward with a sequel. That could be awkward as Stewart's director for the first film, Rupert Sanders, is the other half of the big cheating scandal. He is not yet signed on for the sequel, but is still in consideration.