Actors Whose Careers Were Ruined By Twilight
For Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight vampire drama series-turned-box office phenomenon was exactly the kind of fandemonium-filled franchise they needed for international fame, endorsement deals, and an endless array of new acting gigs. For some co-stars, such as Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning, it was probably just a quick paycheck in between their more prestigious projects (no harm, no foul), but for other residents of fictional Forks, Wash., this five-film saga was a career-killer.
Taylor Lautner
Before Taylor Lautner embodied werewolf Jacob Black in Twilight, he seemed to be a star on the rise, having scored one of the title roles in Robert Rodriguez's kiddie actioner The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D (2005), followed by a starring part in the TV series My Own Worst Enemy (2008). But once the martial artist-turned-thespian's abs became a regular staple of the Twilight franchise, his once-promising career sputtered out before it had even really begun.
As one-third of Twilight's supernatural love triangle, expectations loomed large for Lautner's potential as a mainstream movie star. He got his chance to prove his true luster with the lead in the 2011 suspense film Abduction (2011), but that movie's dismal box office numbers (just $28 million domestic on a $35 million budget) put a dent in his reportedly ambitious asking price. He picked up a few supporting roles in back-to-back Adam Sandler movies Grown Ups 2 (2013) and The Ridiculous 6 (2015), but his biggest feats since retiring from the wolfpack has been nabbing a regular role in Fox's campy horror-comedy series Scream Queens (2015) and finally joining Instagram in 2016. Yikes.
Nikki Reed
Once upon a time, Nikki Reed was definitely one to watch. The girl co-wrote and starred in her own critically acclaimed semi-autobiographical film Thirteen (2003) at just 15 years old. Thanks to subsequent recurring roles in the then-popular TV series The O.C. (2003-07) and a continued working relationship with director Catherine Hardwicke (who directed Thirteen and re-teamed with Reed for Lords of Dogtown (2005) and, eventually, Twilight), Reed was making a real name for herself. But since playing the bloodthirsty vampire Rosalie Hale in Twilight, Reed has barely had a movie make it past the straight-to-DVD bin. Her biggest claim to current fame is a small role as Betsy Ross in Fox's Sleepy Hollow (2013-), which she will reportedly not return to for Season 4. Doh! (The good news is she's had plenty of time to work on her charitable endeavors and handbag line).
Rachelle Lefevre
Being dumped mid-franchise is not the kind of thing an actress wants on her resume, but that's what happened to this Montreal native when she was publicly fired from the Twilight franchise's third installment, Eclipse, and replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard. The reason: scheduling conflicts (albeit of the self-induced variety.) Lefevre took a small role in the indie film Barney's Version (2010), which caused a shooting schedule overlap. That decision was questionable, considering Eclipse would have marked her biggest moment in the franchise, especially after one of her only monologs in New Moon was relegated to DVD deleted scenes.
After her chapter in Twilight closed unexpectedly early, Lefevre was able to score a few notable TV shows, including ABC's doctor drama Off the Map (2011), which was canceled after a single season, and Under the Dome (2013-15), but she has struggled to hit any kind of steady stride.
Kellan Lutz
For a guy who once claimed he was sure he'd win an Oscar and was reportedly almost cut from the the final installments to The Twilight Saga over his salary demands, Kellan Lutz's career seems remarkably worse for the wear since he got vamped in the series. Before Twilight, he was doing fairly well with parts in the prestigious TV mini-series Generation Kill (2008) and a recurring role in The Comeback (2005-), but most of his post-Breaking Dawn prospects have been ho-hum at best, and at worst, absolutely terrible. Case in point: his starring vehicle, The Legend of Hercules (2014), brought in just $61 million worldwide on a $70 million budget. Even his attempt to become a game show host in Fox's Bullseye fizzled.
But there's still hope: at the time of this writing, Lutz was rumored to be in the running to star in the upcoming He-Man and the Masters of the Universe movie. The film's director, McG, told IGN in August 2016 that Lutz will "be considered very, very carefully. We're just not there yet."
Ashley Greene
Ashley Greene was best known for a blink-and-you'd-miss-it part in Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd before becoming Bella Swan's BFF Alice Cullen (a consolation prize of sorts, as she had originally auditioned for Bella). Though Greene's career wasn't exactly flourishing before she landed a role in the unexpected blockbuster franchise, it's been middling along ever since. Her potential star-maker TV series Pan Am (2011-12) was axed in its first season, followed by another small screen disappointment with Rogue (2013-) and a series of movies that were dead on arrival (count Butter (2011), The Apparition (2012), and CBGB (2013) among her dramatically under-performing post-Twilight pics).
Greene's career could stir up some much-needed attention with James Franco's In Dubious Battle (2016), a historical drama about the California labor movement of the 1930s based on a John Steinbeck novel, though the film may do little more than help her rub some elbows and walk a few carpets. Variety called the movie "scrupulous and watchable," though The Hollywood Reporter said most of "the enormous cast doesn't really have all that much to do."
Xavier Samuel
Although Xavier Samuel is still very much spinning his wheels and hoping to get some traction, the Australian hunk was largely expected to be one of the Saga's breakthrough stars for his memorable turn as the villainous vampire Riley Biers, who recruited an army of newborns in an effort to defeat the Cullens. He was a notorious favorite of director David Slade on the project and began to land some hopeful projects Stateside after the saga wrapped. Samuel secured a role in Roland Emmerich's Anonymous (2011), a lead in the horror drama Bait (2012), and a small part in 2014's Fury, but he's hardly a household name. In fact, he probably enjoyed more popularity and esteem on the home front with his fan-favored pre-Eclipse pic Newcastle (2008) and his eerily spectacular horror indie The Loved Ones (2009).
Alex Rice
This First Nation actress enjoyed a solid supporting cast member career before becoming one of the few non-magical La Push tribespeople, but she's unfortunately done almost nothing since Breaking Dawn – Part 2. She's attached to Brian Young's Spirit Water film, but little is known about that project at the time of this writing, which doesn't bode well for Rice's return to the red carpet.
Jamie Campbell Bower
At one point, Jamie Campbell Bower seemed like he might become the next big thing, scoring secondary roles in Twilight and the Harry Potter franchise and nabbing the part of Jace Wayland in the adaptation of Cassandra Clare's fantasy novel sensation The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013). The latter's box office draw was a major disappointment, earning just $90.5 million worldwide on a $60 million budget, and the would-be film franchise, and Bower's career, stopped in its tracks. While he's been active with his London-based band Counterfeit, Bower's acting work has virtually ceased since Twilight. (Maybe it was that terrible white wig?)