Taylor Swift has been a looming figure in pop culture for over a decade, and her image is unmistakable wherever she shows up. Apparently that was a problem when ‘Twilight’ was being filmed, as Swift herself wanted to be in the film, but wasn’t allowed.
Music superstar Taylor Swift is known for her hit songs and magnetic personality, as well as a few on-screen appearances in movies throughout the years. At one point, Swift had the opportunity to become a part of the Twilight universe with a minor role, but one of the directors wasn’t too keen on the idea.
Taylor Swift has been a hit singer for over a decade
Taylor Swift’s self-titled debut album came out in 2006, followed by her breakout sophomore album Fearless in 2008 — the same year the first Twilight movie starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson premiered in theaters.
Through the late 2000s and early 2010s, Swift established herself as an accomplished singer and songwriter, with mammoth sales to match and countless awards. To date, she’s earned 11 Grammy Awards and notched eight No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Taylor Swift wasn’t allowed to be in ‘Twilight’
At the turn of the last decade, Swift was quickly becoming the hottest name in music. But her popularity soon bled into the movie world. She herself played in Hannah Montana: The Movie and had her first scripted role in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in 2009. The Twilight sequel film The Twilight Saga: New Moon premiered that same year.
Swift was a huge fan at the time, and wanted to be involved in one of the movies in whatever way she could. Director Chris Weitz spoke about Swift almost being in the movie in an August 2022 appearance on the Twilight Effect podcast.
“Taylor Swift was a huge Twihard,” he said, going on to recount what happened after her management got in touch with him.
“He said like, ‘Taylor would like to be in this movie … she would be like, you know, someone at the cafeteria, or the diner, or whatever, but she just wants to be in this movie,’” Weitz remembered.
But despite Swift’s interest, Weitz felt that her presence would take away from the movie.
“The moment that Taylor Swift, like, walks onto the screen, for about five minutes, nobody is going to be able to process anything,” he said.
While his decision ended up keeping the focus on the cast, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t regretted his decision since. “I kick myself for it, too, because I was like, wow, I could have been hanging out with Taylor Swift. We could have been friends,” he lamented.
Swift’s next movie role was in the 2010 romantic comedy Valentine’s Day.
Other things Taylor Swift has acted in
In the years since the Twilight series, Swift has gone on to participate in other movies, as well as premiere several of her own concert and documentary music films, including Journey to Fearless, The 1989 World Tour Live, Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour, Miss Americana, and Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.
She voiced her first animated role in 2012’s The Lorax and had a part in the 2014 drama The Giver. And in 2019, Swift was one of the many music industry stars tapped for the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved musical Cats.
