It’s hard to imagine The Twilight Saga without Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. Starring in the fantasy romance film series based on Stephanie Meyer’s best-selling novels, they swiftly became household names. When the first film in the series went into production, several actors were lined up for the role. However, the film’s director, Catherine Hardwicke, has shared that she was quite intrigued by Stewart after she saw him in Sean Penn’s 2007 film Into the Wild.
As she sat down with Josh Horowitz in a recent episode of Happy Sad and Confused podcast on the 15th Anniversary of Twilight, the director recalled how she went on to cast the Panic Room actress as Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga.
How Did Catherine Hardwicke Cast Kristen Stewart in Twilight?
During her recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke recalled the casting process of the lead cast of the film series. Talking about Kristen Stewart, who played the role of Bella Swan in the franchise, Hardwicke shared that she was aware of her work.
However, the movie that made her realize that she was perfect for the role was Sean Penn‘s Into the Wild. The filmmaker shared that she went to one of the early screenings of the movie, and when she saw her alongside Emile Hirsch as a “yearning” teenager, she knew that Stewart was “perfect” for her Twilight adaptation.
After discussing the same with the studio, Hardwicke flew to Pittsburg to meet the actress who was filming Adventureland at the time. On the weekend, she held the audition for the Spencer star and did several scenes that assured the filmmaker that she was the one for the role.
“We played around, did a whole bunch of different scenes. Ran out in the park pigeons, you know, just crazy stuff, and I thought, ‘Yep, she’s perfect,'” she shared. The studio also agreed with her once they saw her audition and the scenes the director filmed with her.
Catherine Hardwicke Always Wanted Kristen Stewart in Twilight
Before Kristen Stewart landed the role of Bella Swan in the 2008 film, many other actors, including Brie Larson, Lily Collins, and Jennifer Lawrence, reportedly auditioned for the movie. Collins and Lawrence have even acknowledged auditioning for the role.
When asked if she recalls meeting any of these actresses, Catherine Hardwicke said that she did not conduct auditions with them, as she was fixated on casting Stewart in the movie. “I, very early on, had my eyes set on Kristen as soon as I saw Into the Wild,” she shared.
She further mentioned that the studio might have been seeing other actors, but she had already made up her mind to cast Stewart in the role after seeing her in the 2007 film. However, the filmmaker also emphasized the significance of her earlier work, stating that her status as a rising star was also crucial in the casting process.
By the time she starred in Twilight, Kristen Stewart was already an established actress known for various indie films, along with David Fincher’s Panic Room. The success of the 2008 film and its four sequels propelled Stewart into global stardom, and the franchise grossed over $3 billion at the box office.
The Twilight Saga is available on Peacock.
