Robert Pattinson Almost Got Kicked Out Of Twilight For... Bad Looks

Summary

• In an interview with Josh Horowitz last year, Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke shared some behind-the-scenes tidbits, including casting challenges.
• Apparently, Robert Pattinson's first impression didn't exactly scream 'vampire heartthrob,' so the big studio bosses weren't sure if they should cast the young actor at all.
• But Hardwicke trusted her instincts and pushed the decisionmakers.
• Read how hilariously the director describes Pattinson's first audition.

Today, it is hard to separate Twilight, the book series and the movie saga. But back in the 2000s, when the first movie was still just an idea, the massive fan base of Stephenie Meyer's novels worried that the adaptation of the beloved books would go off the rails, and were very vocal about every creative decision regarding the films, especially the choice of on-screen faces for the beloved protagonists.

As a result, Summit Entertainment executives were especially cautious about casting the first film. In fact, they were hesitant to give Robert Pattinson the role of Edward Cullen because they didn't think he was attractive enough. Luckily, Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke was on hand to nudge them in the right direction.

Hilarious Behind-The-Scenes Story

There's no doubt that Hardwicke's unwavering vision for Twilight has made the vampire saga one of the most successful franchises of all time. And her greatest accomplishment is making Robert Pattinson the face of the franchise.

During last year's 15th anniversary interview with Josh Horowitz, the iconic director spilled some new beans about the casting process.

According to Hardwicke, when Pattinson came to her house for the famous first audition with Kristen Stewart, he didn't quite fit the mold of the brooding vampire heartthrob. With his unkempt hair and laid-back style, he seemed a far cry from the looks of Henry Cavill, who Meyer had in mind when writing her bestselling novels.

'When he came over 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.' the filmmaker said.

Studio Doubts

Still, the two leads hit it off, and the sparks that flew in the room convinced Hardwicke that Pattinson was the right man for the job. Now she had to convince the studio. The director sent them the audition tape and Robert Pattinson followed up with a personal visit, which was a disaster.

'They called me back and go, “Do you think you can make this guy look good?”' Hardwicke recalled. 'I said, “Yeah, I do. 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.” But they didn't believe it at first. He like walked over there with a stained shirt or something. It was Rob.'

This hilarious description does sound like the Robert Pattinson we know and love, to be honest. One minute he is Hollywood's biggest heartthrob, the next he is the subject of viral memes. It's a good thing Hardwicke saw his heartthrob side right away.

Source: Watchalong.