We all know that adapting literature to film is no easy task. The possibilities are endless and you can experiment to get the best results; however, it’s very difficult to please everyone. As for the characters, it’s always hard to meet the expectations and descriptions of the authors. Of course, the Twilight saga, written by Stephenie Meyer, is no exception. In the books, the main character, Bella Swan, narrates the story, and it’s through her eyes that we get to know the rest of the characters. Even though the movies generally did a very good job at adapting the story, there are a few details that make some of the characters look slightly different from the ones that readers met through the books.
Bright Side wants to show you the most striking examples of the differences in appearance between the characters in the book and in the movie.
I expected someone with the more of a quirky beauty. The book did make her sound very pretty in her own way. I was very disappointed in the casting I really was. Kristen Stewart is actually a very good actress, but she was not who I wanted to play Bella.
The main character of the saga, Bella Swan, is described in the books as a lonely young woman with no taste for fashion. Still, she is said to be attractive, but in a rather strange, mysterious way. Her hair is straight and sleek, her eyes are widely spaced apart, and her lips are too thick for her thin jawline. Generally speaking, it cannot be denied that Kristen Stewart looks strikingly close to Bella, at least if we stick to the description made in the books. Still, it’s also true that Stewart’s face is more “balanced” than the character’s face in the books, which is also what makes her beautiful. Also, in the first film, her hair is not straight, it’s wavy.
In the book, the other main character, Edward Cullen, is described as a creature of unspeakable beauty, and on several occasions, Bella compares him to the Greek demigod, Adonis. When talking about his skin in the book, Bella says that it looks and feels like marble: extremely white, hard as a rock, and cold as ice. His hair, in Bella’s words, is always messy and bronze-colored, and his features are perfect and angular. Actually, the decision to have Robert Pattinson play the vampire was a wise one since the actor’s physical similarities to the character are so striking. The only significant difference is in terms of clothing since, in the books, Edward Cullen is known for always wearing a light-colored leather jacket, which is not really the case in the movies.
In the book, Bella and Edward’s daughter is a baby of breathtaking beauty. She has her father’s features and hair color but with her grandfather Charlie’s curls. She’s got brown eyes, which she inherited from Bella. Her skin is warm but strong like a vampire’s and glows when exposed to the sun. The girl grows very quickly, far more than any regular baby. It’s actually because of this very reason that when producers were looking for an actress to play the role in the movie, they realized they’d have to use special effects if they wanted the character to resemble its description. The result was a strange mixture between the face of the real actress and an artificial face that gives her an unnatural appearance. This being said, she clearly did not look very similar to the character in the book.
In Stephenie Meyer’s books, the werewolf, Jacob Black, is described as a very attractive Native American of the Quileute tribe. He’s supposed to have reddish skin. Throughout the books, as his character evolves, so does his physique. Not only does his body develop to leave behind that sort of childish look that initially distinguished him from the rest of the characters, but he also becomes a 6-foot-tall man of enormous strength. When Bella meets him for the first time, she can’t help but notice that he has long, shiny hair tied with a garter at the nape of his neck.
Bella’s father, Charlie Swan, is a very introverted, somewhat taciturn, kind-hearted man. He is the chief of police of the town of Forks and enjoys the peace and quiet of the community. Overall, the way this character was portrayed in the movie actually displays his personality pretty well. However, in terms of physical appearance, there are 2 main features that are different from the book. The first one is that in the book, there’s no mention of Charlie having a mustache, and the second is that his hair should be curly, and in the movies, it’s straight.
He was way too young. Even the book said 23 my brain said 35. And more handsome than any movie character she had ever seen this is a definite no. This was actually the one that kind of ruined the movie for me, I just couldn't buy into it.
Esme’s husband and father of the Cullen family is a vampire who has made a firm commitment not to feed on human blood. As for his physical appearance, according to the book’s description, he looks as if he were 23 years old, even though he isn’t, and he has blonde hair. Bella says that he is more handsome than any movie actor she had ever seen, yet he conveys a certain world-weary appearance. Actor Peter Facinelli managed to bring Carlisle to the big screen thanks to his great acting skills. However, it’s also true that he looks considerably older than he should, based on the book’s description. Also, there are no obvious signs of weariness in his look or his expressions.
She fit and did a good job
The mother of the Cullen family, Esme, like everyone else, is very beautiful and attractive, only, unlike her children and her husband, her face and body features are less sharp because her transformation occurred so soon after she gave birth. Bella describes her as slender but with a rounded figure, with beautiful caramel-colored hair, dimples, and a heart-shaped face. In the film, Esme does in fact have that sort of “calm beauty.” However, the face of the actress who plays that role has a more square-shaped face. Maybe that’s what takes away some of the “innocent silent film actress” vibes that Bella describes when talking about the first time she saw her.
She also was an excellent choice.
Alice, the step-daughter of the Cullens and Edward’s sister, is known for having the ability to foresee the future. She has an outgoing, optimistic personality and loves Bella like a sister. In the books, she is described as petite and graceful, very beautiful, and has messy, black, pixie-cut hair. In the movies, if you recall, she actually is very similar to Bella’s description from the books. There’s just an important detail missing in the movies: the actress who plays the role of Alice has dark brown hair with reddish undertones, but it should actually be just plain black.
Rosalie Hale, the stepdaughter to the Cullens and wife to Emmett, is supposed to look like an 18-year-old, even though she’s not. Much like the rest of her foster family, she is exceptionally beautiful, tall, slender, and with wavy blonde hair. In the book, it’s also said that she has a very intimidating presence, maybe because of her extraordinary beauty. Actress Nikki Reed played the role of Rosalie in the movies. In terms of physical traits, clearly, Reed and Rosalie are strikingly similar. However, Reed isn’t that intimidating.
I absolutely love Dakota fanning but again I just didn't buy her and as this character because of reading the book I expected her to look much younger than innocent.
Jane, Alec’s sister, is part of the Volturi guard. She has a somewhat strange superpower: she’s able to create pain in the minds of others. She’s described as being petite with short brown hair, thick lips, and has an almost angelic expression on her face. Jane is played by Dakota Fanning in the film adaptation, but when you think about it, her characterization is not very close to the book’s description since on the big screen, it’s pretty clear that Jane is a woman, and her haircut does not match the one from the book.
Aro, Jane and Alec’s master, is one of the leaders of the Volturi clan and possesses the power of telepathy. He is a cheerful and warm-hearted vampire. You could even say that he has a touch of optimism. His transformation occurred in his early twenties, so he looks fairly young still. Michael Sheen, the actor who plays him, has a very similar appearance to that of his character, according to the book. However, the vampire’s eyes in the book are described as being of a milky red hue, which is not clearly seen in the movie, plus, he looks older than he should.
After reading this, can you think of any other characters from the saga that are different in the movies than in the books? Let us know in the comments. Maybe you had a different actor or actress in mind to play that character!
I know I went overboard with my comments and I apologize in advance LOL. But I read those books twice before that movie was made and I loved them I had so many expectations and I was just so disappointed with the casting. I wish they had went with a bunch of young unknowns and let them really went into the role and they all look like they had way too much white makeup on,
