Twilight Casting: Olivia Thirlby Almost Played Bella Swan

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It’s been 13 years since the final Twilight movie, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, wrapped up the series. But the beloved films almost featured a completely different group of actors.

At a recent Q&A session for Twilight hosted by ScreenRant at Motor City Comic Con, the casting process was discussed. While Kristen Stewart famously played Bella Swan, actress Olivia Thirlby was originally considered for the part.

Peter Facinelli was asked about the actresses who auditioned for the role of Bella alongside Kristen Stewart. He wondered if these actresses were already well-known names or if they were relatively unknown at the time.

Jackson Rathbone mentioned he worked with a couple of great actresses. He specifically highlighted Olivia Thirlby, describing her as a truly fantastic performer. She’s even spoken about their collaboration previously.

Ashley Greene: She was up for Alice too.

Peter Facinelli: Carlisle too. She actually passed on, Jasper. [Laughs]

Actress Thirlby has appeared in several well-known films, including Dredd, Juno, Oppenheimer, and The Darkest Hour. While she didn’t play Alice or Bella – roles that went to Kristen Stewart alongside Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen – she’s built a successful career with diverse roles.

Despite receiving a lot of criticism, the Twilight movies were hugely popular around the world. The five films earned more than $3.3 billion globally, with Breaking Dawn – Part 2 being the most successful, bringing in over $830 million. The series centers on Bella Swan, who falls in love with her enigmatic classmate, Edward Cullen, and discovers he’s a vampire.

Kristen Stewart is well-known for her roles in films like Spencer, Love Lies Bleeding, and Charlie’s Angels. She has several upcoming projects, including The Wrong Girls, Full Phil, Flesh of the Gods, and The Challenger. Beyond acting, Stewart also directed the critically acclaimed film The Chronology of Water, which currently holds a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Robert Pattinson became widely known after the Twilight series and has since starred in popular films like The Batman, Mickey 17, Tenet, The Devil All the Time, and Good Time. He continues to be a busy actor, with several projects on the way, including The Batman: Part II, Dune: Part Three, The Odyssey, and The Drama.

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2025-12-24 18:38