If phrases like “you’re my own personal brand of heroin,” “so the lion fell in love with the lamb,” or “you named my daughter after the Loch Ness monster” evoke a strong sense of emotion within you — chances are, you’re a Twihard Twilight fan!
The books-turned-movie-worldwide pop culture phenomenon turned curious readers and moviegoers into lifelong fans, and the Stephenie Meyer story seemed to connect people of all ages, circumstances, and backgrounds as we all watched Bella Swan move to a should-be sleepy town and uncover a fantasy world so incredible, you’d think it was all a fever dream if you didn’t have a front row seat to watch it unfold.
With Team Edward or Team Jacob shirts taking over your local Hot Topic amid the movie releases and friends picking sides so intently that you scoffed at your bestie who fell for the wrong supernatural being — Twilight wasn’t just something fans adored; it was something they lived. While the fire might have simmered across the entertainment industry over the last decade, the spark for the Twilight saga never went out in the hearts of those who grew up alongside the vampires and werewolves — and a renewed sense of interest is growing again with the announcement that a television series is on the horizon.
With talk of a rebirth in the supernatural realm, we’re looking back at the actors and actresses who made the movies not just successful but exciting, mesmerizing, and fantastic. From Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson to Ashley Greene and Anna Kendrick, here’s a look at what your favorite Twilight stars are up to now.
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart plays Bella Swan in the Twilight film franchise, and as the main character who begins to tiptoe into a life she could have never expected, a lot is riding on the line for her. She expected to move to Forks and make do with a simple existence in a quiet town. Upon her first day at a new school, she realized that was the furthest thing from reality she could have imagined. We saw Bella in the most beautiful and heart-wrenching moments, and Stewart brought her a game to each piece of her journey.
Stewart played a fantastic Bella, and she’s gone on to star in some significant roles since her time in the Twilight franchise. Playing Princess Diana, Stewart wowed audiences in Spencer in 2021, and it is absolutely one of our favorite movies she’s ever starred in. She’s also breathed life into Norah Price in Underwater, Sabina Wilson in Charlie’s Angels, Maureen in Personal Shopper, and Cole in Camp X-Ray. In 2021, Stewart announced her engagement to girlfriend Dylan Meyer, and she’s got three projects in post-production right now. Twilight wasn’t her first role, but it was undoubtedly her most prominent, and she’s had several high-profile jobs in entertainment since then.
Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson played the dreamy Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga. While it was a favorite fan role, it’s no surprise to anyone that Pattinson doesn’t precisely look back at his time as a sparking vampire as the most thrilling acting he’s ever done. In fact, if you did a quick Google search, you could find a plethora of videos of Pattinson making fun of his time as the vampire; but it was still a role that we all loved him in and one that progressed his career.
After he hung up his hat…er, vampire teeth — Pattinson went on to take on roles like Jacob in Water for Elephants, Tyler Hawkins in Remember Me, Neil in Tenent, Rev. Preston Teagardin in The Devil All the Time, and the infamous Bruce Wayne in The Batman. Pattinson has also done several modeling gigs and has been in a long-term relationship with Suki Waterhouse, though the pair are notoriously private about their romance.
Pattinson also has a few projects in post-production, and one of them sounds like the perfect movie for all you crime lovers out there. While he may have shut the coffin on his supernatural vampire days, Pattinson will always be the number one sparkling vamp in our hearts.
Taylor Lautner
Does it get much dreamier than Taylor Lautner? We think not. The actor played Jacob Black in the Twilight films, and as the werewolf best friend of Bella Swan, his role was one of the most important in the entire story. He wasn’t just a friend to the Swan family, he had a love for Bella that surpassed all understanding, and it was only later in their story together that it would all make perfect sense. He went through highs and lows throughout the story, but he always managed to see the bright side and became one of the most beloved characters in Twilight history.
Lautner has gone on to continue acting, taking on roles like Willy in Valentine’s Day, Nathan in Abduction, Dr. Cassidy Cascade in Scream Queens, and Troy Lambert in Home Team. Taylor also hosts a podcast with his wife, Taylor Lautner. That’s right, the pair share the same name, and it might be one of the cutest things we’ve heard of recently. They also share pets together and are living their best lives as a newly married couple.
Taylor’s focus might not still be on the entertainment industry as a full-time actor, but we will forever love seeing him pop up in a new role, and we’ve got plenty of old acting gigs to enjoy.
Ashley Greene
Ashley Greene played the loveable, quirky, and totally smitten Alice Cullen in the Twilight film franchise. Sister of Pattinson’s Edward, Alice was an integral part of the Cullen family — forever an optimist, Alice looked at life and decided to see the brighter side. Twihards know that each of the Cullen family members had a particular “skill” as a vampire, and Alice’s was our favorite — throughout the entire film franchise, fans took a special liking to the character, and it was due to Greene’s talent and dedication to the role.
Of course, Greene took on many other characters throughout her time in the entertainment industry, most recently as Chloe in Wrong Place alongside Bruce Willis, and also as Renata in Some Other Woman, Kelly in The Aparation, and Holly Hayes in the made-for-tv movie, The Charm Bracelet. Greene also took on a Twilight re-watch podcast, and if you’ve not yet listened to it, we recommend you do so asap. The episodes are full of behind-the-scenes facts, memories Greene had of filming the movies, and even some guest spots from other Twilight royalty.
Greene is also a mother, wife, and model — and she’s also the co-founder of Hummingway, a women’s care initiative for whole cycle wellness and body care.
Jackson Rathbone
Jackson Rathbone took on the character Jasper Hale in the Twilight film saga, and he was everything from an almost doe-eyed bloodthirsty vampire and the mysterious character you found yourself dying to know more about to the character who grew up in front of our eyes and became a fan favorite piece of the Cullen family puzzle.
Jasper was Alice’s beau in the series, and he quickly became another favorite for fans — in fact, his fan base rivaled that of Edward Cullen. Rathbone has brought his charms to several other film roles as well, including Eddie Conway in Until We Meet Again, Jimmy in Dreaming Grand Avenue, Blue Scream in The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You), and Fritz Ziegler in Condor’s Nest. Rathbone also has several projects in the works and simultaneously juggles writing, acting, married life, and fatherhood.
Still as talented, charming, and easy on the eyes as he was a decade ago, Rathbone has carved out a life full of joy, creativity, and passion chasing, and though we’ve seen him through several films and projects, he’ll always be our Jasper.
Nikki Reed
Nikki Reed breathed life into the effervescent Rosalie Hale in Twilight, and her character was perhaps the most stoic and down-to-earth of all. If you weren’t familiar with her backstory, it would have been easy to write Rosalie off as someone cold and hard to get to know. Still, she kept people at arm’s length for a reason — the vampire life wasn’t one she ever hoped for, and while Rosalie was turned in an attempt to save her life, there were moments in which she wondered what kind of life she had left at all.
Reed brought Roaslie to life with charisma and vulnerability, much like she shared in her performances across other series and films in entertainment. Reed played Rachel Thompson in V-Wars, Betsy Ross in Sleepy Hollow, Debi in A Sunday Horse, and Georgie in About Scout. In addition to a lengthy acting career, Reed has given much of her life to her family, farm, and jewelry company in recent years — finding a new purpose in a sustainable lifestyle, the magic of family, and the importance of prioritizing what matters most.
Reed is married to actor Ian Somerhalder, and the two have one child together, with another on the way. You can read more about Bayou With Love here.
Kellan Lutz
Kellan Lutz took on the role of the handsome, snarky, and charming Emmett Cullen in the Twilight film saga, and he was undoubtedly the vampire who took to the change in lifestyle the easiest. Emmett enjoyed the life that came with the change and was forever grateful to his “father” for saving him. Lutz brought a complex character to life in Emmett, and if you weren’t paying close attention, you might have initially written him off as a jock type, but there was a lot under the surface too.
In addition to taking on the role of Emmett, Lutz has played many characters in film and tv projects, including Harry Turner in Extraction, King Tsunami in The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You), Hercules in The Legend of Hercules, Chris MacNess in The Comeback, and Troy in What Remains — to name just a few. Lutz also has a few projects in post-production.
If you’re paying close attention, you likely noticed that Lutz starred alongside Rathbone in The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You) — and while it might not have been a Twilight reunion, per se, we still enjoyed it.
Lutz is married and has two children and the most adorable Australian Shepherd with his wife, Brittany. The glimpses he shares into their lives are enough to warm your heart, and it’s very obvious that while he has a knack and passion for acting, being a husband and a father is most important to Lutz.
Anna Kendrick
If you asked Anna Kendrick what her most memorable moment on Twilight was, it might just be something she has to think hard about. Kendrick told her loyal followers back in 2018 that she totally forgot she’d even been in the films!
Kendrick’s admission might have been more of a lapse in thought than an actual act of forgetting, but fans never had trouble remembering Kendrick as Jessica in the Twilight franchise. Bella’s friend (or frenemy) was an integral part of the series and of the continuing storyline between Bella and Edward.
Kendrick was a light when Twilight often needed it, and it’s not surprising that she’s still a busy actress even a decade later, lending her talent to roles like Noelle Kringle in Noelle, Alice in Alice Darling, Stephanie Smothers in A Simple Favor, Beca in Pitch Perfect, and Cinderella in Into The Woods.
The talented actress is also a director and enjoys singing, as shown in Pitch Perfect. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, Kendrick is someone her fans look up to for more than just her talent — her vulnerability and strength make it easy to be a fan of Kendrick.
Peter Facinelli
Peter Facinelli is an actor, director, and producer who played the iconic Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the Twilight saga. Not only was he the family patriarch, but he also turned the Cullen clan into the vampires we grew to know and love.
Facinelli was a charming addition to the cast, and he brought a flair alongside him that the movies benefited from significantly. Twilight wasn’t Facinelli’s first role, and it certainly wasn’t his last — he’s an incredibly seasoned actor breathing life into characters like Danny Turner in The Ravine, Brad in 13 Minutes, Mr. Rickett in Heartthrob, and Dr. Fitch Cooper in Nurse Jackie, just to name a few.
In addition to the roles we mentioned, he’s also done a lot of work behind the scenes, and he’s also a dedicated father to a sweet boy with his fiancée Lily Anne.
Elizabeth Reaser
The matriarch of the Cullen family, Esme, was played by Elizabeth Reaser who is a powerhouse of an actress, someone terrific as a vampire and without supernatural ability. Reaser brought a unique type of spirit to Twilight, and it was refreshing to see the scenes she was a part of.
She brought the same talent to several other roles, like that of Shirley Crain in The Haunting of Hill House, Ellie Fitzgerald in Manhunt, Tammy Linnata in The Good Wife, Pam Bozanich in Law & Order True Crime, and Kathleen Willey in American Crime Story.
Reaser also has projects in post-production, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
