Twilight Director Confirms What We Suspected About Robert Pattinson And Kristen Stewart's On-Set Connection
The "Twilight" saga, originally written by Stephanie Meyer and later turned into a blockbuster franchise, captured the hearts and minds of millions of fans around the world at the time of its release. The love story between vampire Edward Cullen and mere mortal Bella Swan became an irresistible fantasy for many teenagers who read the books and saw the films. Despite the huge cult following it created, the series has also attracted plenty of criticism over the years, as per The Atlantic. Critics have pointed out problematic dynamics between Edward and Bella, including the former's over-controlling and borderline abusive behavior and the latter's lack of agency. There's also the issue of racial prejudice that underlies many aspects of their world, including the emphasis on the vampires' perfect, white skin and how it's seen as beautiful and idyllic.
One of the most attractive qualities of the "Twilight" saga is the love triangle between Bella, Edward, and Jacob Black, one of the Quileute werewolves. Just like in any television show or film, the crucial part of portraying a romantic connection is making sure that the actors behind the characters have chemistry, as well. In an episode of "The Big Hit Show" podcast, posted on January 19, host Alex Pappademas revealed that it was not the easiest task to cast the male characters who would star opposite Kristen Stewart — especially for the part of Edward. Director Catherine Hardwicke chimed in to share why Robert Pattinson eventually landed the role.
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart weren't faking their chemistry
Director of the "Twilight" film series, Catherine Hardwicke, appeared on "The Big Hit Show" podcast on January 19. During the episode, she talked about Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart's first audition together to see if they had the necessary chemistry to pull off the relationship between Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. Apparently, the question of whether the duo had chemistry became moot after they jumped into a kissing scene while laying on a bed. Hardwicke described how Pattinson "fell off [the bed] and landed right there on this floor." The moment was so intense that the director's reaction was, "Dude, calm down." She was also concerned about any illegal activity occurring between the two actors since Stewart was underage at the time.
In an interview with The New Yorker in November 2021, the "Spencer" actor recalled swooning over her co-star the moment she saw him. She added that what she felt for Pattinson was "what anybody playing those parts needed to feel." The on-screen connection Pattinson and Stewart felt instantly for one another eventually expanded beyond the movie set and the two dated for four years, from 2009 to 2013, as per Page Six. In an interview with Howard Stern in November 2019, Stewart admitted that Pattinson was her "first love." Unfortunately, their relationship didn't last forever like Edward and Bella's and the duo broke up after Stewart cheated with "Snow White and the Huntsman" director Rupert Sanders.