12 “Twilight” Facts That Will Spark Your Urge to Explore Forks Again

Whether you were Team Edward or Team Jacob, it’s almost impossible not to remember with nostalgia the excitement of going to the movies to see a new Twilight installment. And although it seems that the fans of this story faded with time, every day new anecdotes behind the production come out that make us want to return to the hidden world of Forks, with which we were unconditionally and irrevocably in love.

1. Taylor Lautner was about to be fired.

Team Jacob was about to get a surprise in the second installment of the saga. Although it’s hard to imagine Jacob Black being played by someone else, the producers doubted that Taylor could become the muscular werewolf they needed for New Moon. Michael Copon was even said to be one of the actors the director considered as a stand-in.

Fortunately, with training and a good diet, Taylor proved he could become the wolf the books promised us.

2. Ashley Greene wanted to be the leading lady.

Ashley played the vampire best friend, one we all wish we had. But before the roles were set, the young actress auditioned to play Bella Swan. Although she was bummed at the time that she didn’t get the lead, she was later called back to audition to play Alice.

“I’m glad I didn’t get that role. I just wasn’t ready for it,” the actress said. “I firmly believe that everything happens at the right time and the way it’s supposed to happen.”

3. Robert Pattinson thought the vampires in Twilight were weak.

Ever wonder why a vampire would want to become a “vegetarian”? Robert Pattinson did too. According to Peter Facinelli, best known for his role as Carlisle, Robert told him that he thought it was absurd that the vampires in this story didn’t feed on people. He even felt that it made them look weak.

Regarding this, Peter wrote him a letter speaking from Carlisle’s point of view, in which he said: “It may seem weak not to want to feed on people, but imagine a lion choosing not to hunt its prey. That would take a great deal of strength and courage.”

4. Kellan Lutz didn’t know the movie was based on a book.

Perhaps it would seem that reading the saga’s books is part of the preparation process of an actor. However, Kellan Lutz wasn’t even aware that Twilight was an adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s novel.

When Ashley Greene asked him if he had read the books, Kellan replied, “Haha, you’re kidding. There are no books.” So, she lent him the books.

5. Billy Burke did not even read the books.

Actor Billy Burke flatly refused to read the books because he thought it was best not to know where the plot was going. After reading the script, Billy noticed that Charlie Swan was utterly oblivious to what was happening around him, so he decided it was best not to have more information than his character. In addition, he also said that it was tough for him to sit down and read a book.

6. For Nikki Reed, playing Rosalie was intimidating.

In the novel, Rosalie is described as the most beautiful person in the world. Therefore, it is unsurprising that this label pressured the actress to have a specific image. Nikki Reed said that she was aware that everyone would have a different idea of Rosalie, as beauty is subjective, and that surely no one could fill those shoes.

Then, for Eclipse, she had to appear in scenes explaining Rosalie’s origins and the story of how she became a vampire. She said that really made her nervous, “I think Rosalie has a very dark and dramatic backstory, and Stephenie certainly gave me a lot to work with. But I know fans have expectations,” she said when the film was released.

7. Kellan Lutz turned down the role of Edward.

In the books, Emmett is said to be so muscular that he looks like a weightlifter, so choosing Kellan might seem pretty spot on. However, that wasn’t the original plan. In fact, he had been considered for the role of Edward, but he found him to be a moody and emotionally challenged character.

Instead, the actor claimed that, upon reading the script, he loved Emmett Cullen’s character. “I was really looking forward to playing a happy role or no role at all for a while,” he said.

8. Michael Welch was not planning to play Mike.

Another actor who ended up playing a completely different role than intended was Michael Welch. He first tried out to be a vampire as he auditioned for the role of Edward. Although considering that over 5,000 people tried out to be the heartthrob in the movie, perhaps it was to be expected that chance was not on his side.

He then tried out for the role of Eric Yorkie. Michael said that he actually auditioned for almost every character until he was finally offered the part of Mike Newton.

9. Peter Facinelli was not going to be part of the franchise.

Although Peter Facinelli played an endearing Carlisle, the initial plan was to hire an older actor for the role. After not landing the gig, the actor said he found a book, “50 Years of Vampire-Making In Hollywood,” and decided to send it to the director, saying, “I’m sorry it didn’t work out. I hope we can work together on something else. I hope this book inspires you to make a great vampire movie.”

The day the director received the gift, the actor who had been cast as Carlisle turned down the role, so she decided to give Peter a chance. That’s why he jokingly says he bought the part for $29.99.

10. Kristen Stewart didn’t think the film would be a success.

Although Kristen was already an experienced actress when she got the role of Bella Swan, she did not expect this character to be the one that would launch her to fame. The actress didn’t expect the movie to be a success nor that there would be a sequel after the first installment. When they shot Twilight, the production had a meager budget, classifying it as an independent film. That’s why the actress had low expectations.

11. Nikki Reed convinced producers to use Robert Pattinson’s music in the first film.

We saw Edward playing the iconic Bella’s Lullaby in the first movie, but not everybody knows Robert actually played the tune in that scene because he’s a great musician. During breaks between recordings, Robert would play his guitar and sing, so his partner, Nikki Reed, decided to secretly record it to show the producers, who fell in love with the songs. Because of that, they added some of them to the film’s soundtrack.

12. Jackson Rathbone had to learn to use his left hand.

For the unforgettable scene where the Cullens play baseball to the rhythm of Muse’s Supermassive Black Hole, where Bella meets Victoria for the first time, Jackson Rathbone had to learn to bat with his left hand. The actor claimed that he tried to do everything with that hand for a week to train himself. “It was impossible to write in spiral notebooks, the spring was in the way. [...] I gained a lot of respect for left-handers,” he said.

And you, were you Team Edward or Team Jacob? Tell us what you liked most about this love story.