Robert Pattinson Was Not Attractive Enough for Twilight
Edward Cullen is described in the Twilight series as having a “hard square […] jaw,” “full lips,” “straight […] nose,” and “bronze hair.” Additionally, all the vampires were described as pale with “straight, perfect, angular [features].”
He was one of the protagonists in the novels so when a movie adaptation was in the works, many had high expectations about who would play the character.
Ultimately, Robert Pattinson bagged the role, but director Catherine Hardwicke admitted that the actor, who was 21 years old at the time, wasn’t handsome enough to play the part.
During a guest appearance on Watch-A-Long last week, the 68-year-old director revealed that Summit Entertainment wasn’t confident in casting Robert in the movie’s first installment. They understood how critical Edward’s character was to the film so they faced a lot of pressure in making the right casting choice.
Catherine shared, “When he came to my house, he had black bangs for hair and was kind of out of shape because he was hanging out at the pub all the time.”
According to her, Summit Entertainment asked if she could make Robert look good and if she was up to the challenge. Recalling the conversation, Catherine shared her response, “Did you see his cheekbones? We’re doing a makeover on the hair and everything, and he’s going to start working out, and he’s going to be gorgeous.”
Catherine shared her initial impression: “It works not just in person, but it works on screen. In person, I just got carried away, but you have to be sure—does it really translate [on-screen]?”
She continued, “I sent him to Summit, and he went over to meet them. But they didn’t believe it at first. He walked over there with a stained shirt… It was Rob.”
Of course, by now, we know how that story ended. Robert has since proven that he was the right man for the role. He starred alongside Kristen Stewart in the five movies that were released from 2008 to 2012.
Summit Entertainment acquired the rights to Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight book series after Paramount Pictures passed on it. The production company ended up distributing five successful blockbusters that were produced by Temple Hill.
The first installment of the movie shot its three leading stars—Kristen, Robert, and Taylor Lautner—to Hollywood fame. It was an undeniable success, earning more than $3.4 billion globally. Even more impressive, the movie found its fandom in pop culture which shocked the author.
In 2020, Stephenie shared with The Daily Telegraph that she couldn’t understand the hype behind her books. She only expected her family and friends to read her books out of pity.
Today, almost a decade after its release, the book and movie are still a hit, especially among young adults. It has opened plenty of opportunities for its leading actors and actresses.
Robert, who was deemed not attractive enough, has become a respected actor. He went on to star in other movies like Tenet and The Batman, and is now one of the highest-paid actors of his generation
