Despite being derided by critics upon release, the Twilight movies improved the careers of their stars immensely as proven by a look at their big-screen successes since the series wrapped. Released in 2008, Twilight was a huge hit with audiences but fell flat with critics when the movie arrived in cinemas. The tale of eternally teenage vampire Edward Cullen and his conflicted small-town girl love interest Bella Swan, Twilight was exactly the sort of hit that fans adored and critics loved to mock.
Based on a series of best-selling paranormal teen romance novels of the same name by author Stephenie Meyer, Twilight was directed by Catherine Hardwicke of Thirteen fame. The helmer didn’t return for the hit’s sequels, which led to an even worse critical reception for the second, weaker Twilight outing New Moon. The critical fortunes of the series did improve with the third Twilight movie, 2010’s Eclipse, and remained relatively solid throughout the two-part ending Breaking Dawn.
However, while the later sequels were comparatively less lambasted than the first two films in the Twilight franchise, the series never received stellar write-ups. That said, part of the reason that the later Twilight movies fared better with critics than the original Twilight was that reviewers claimed that the stars of the series improved as actors as they grew into adulthood. As if to prove this point, many of the actors who got their start in Twilight, and a couple of established stars who got a major profile boost from the franchise, have since become major multiplex staples.
Robert Pattinson
Twilight how Robert Pattinson wanted to play intense Edward Cullen
As heartthrob Edward Cullen, Robert Pattinson became a world-famous superstar while still in his teens. However, what Twilight’s future Batman star did not earn from the series was glowing reviews for his acting prowess. It may be hard to believe, now that Pattinson has completed his transformation from blockbuster leading man to indie darling and back again, but the Devil All The Time scene-stealer was far from the eclectic, eccentric leading man he is known as now. However, Pattinson soon parlayed his mainstream fame into edgy, unusual roles, which in turn improved his critical standing and led to him earning the coveted role of Bruce Wayne.
Kristen Stewart
Much like Robert Pattinson, Twilight seemed like a career kiss of death for its leading lady Kristen Stewart. When the series arrived in cinemas it was rare to find a review that did not mock her performance as listless, leaden, or charisma-free. However, Stewart has since managed to cast off Bella Swan with acclaimed performances in Personal Shopper and Seberg. Meanwhile, her action comedy Charlie’s Angels may have underperformed, but Underwater earned solid reviews as did her recent holiday rom-com Happiest Season, meaning the star can boast both mainstream and indie appeal.
Michael Sheen
Michael Sheen as Volturi elder Aro in The Twilight Saga: New Moon
A mainstay in British theatre, Michael Sheen may have seemed like an unlikely inclusion in the cast of Twilight when he first appeared in the second film of the series, 2009’s New Moon. However, his campy Volturi villain soon became one of the highlights of that lesser outing and led to a string of high-profile blockbuster roles in the years since. Sheen has appeared in Alice In Wonderland, Tron: Legacy, Passengers, Nocturnal Animals, and Apostle in the years since his first Twilight appearance.
Bryce Dallas Howard
As the villainous Victoria, Bryce Dallas Howard left an impression on audiences in the third Twilight outing Eclipse. In the years since her profile has grown considerably thanks to a starring role in the Jurassic World trilogy. That said, Howard did already have a pretty impressive screen pedigree pre-Twilight, having appeared in blockbusters like Spider-man 3 and Terminator: Salvation.
Rami Malek
Perhaps the most impressive career trajectory of any Twilight star belongs to Rami Malek, who appeared in a minor role in the final film of the series Breaking Dawn Part II. Malek’s briefly-glimpsed vampire character can manipulate the elements, a strange superpower that is criminally under-utilized in the finished film (as is the actor himself). However, in the years since playing Twilight’s Benjamin, Malek has become a bonafide movie star in his own right, earning an Oscar for his performance as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. Since then, Malek’s star has only risen further, with the actor soon starring as Bond villain Safin in the upcoming No Time To Die.
Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick appeared as Bella’s bitchy friend Jessica throughout the Twilight series. In the years that followed she gained a string of high-profile starring roles in Into The Woods, the animated blockbuster Trolls, and the Pitch Perfect franchise. Most recently, she has been seen in the small screen series Dummy and Love Life.
Elizabeth Reaser
As Twilight’s clan mother Esme Cullen, Elizabeth Reaser had few chances to make much of an impression on viewers during the cinematic saga. However, the actor has had a great run on TV since the movies wrapped, appearing in the critically-acclaimed likes of The Haunting of Hill House and The Handmaid’s Tale. That said, Reaser also had a solid small-screen career pre-Twilight, so the franchise’s bump of her profile is less dramatic than some of the stars here.
Jamie Campbell Bower
Jamie Campbell Bower had a minor villainous role in the later Twilight movies as one of the preening Volturi, but the part was still evidently enough to impress some important casting directors. Since then, the actor has racked up impressive credits like The Crimes of Grindlewald and a Stranger Things season 4 role, even if the former of these parts is pretty minor (despite technically being the title role). However, Bower did also star in the poorly-received The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, so the Twilight bump is not necessarily bulletproof when it comes to critical success.
Mackenzie Foy
As Bella and Edward’s awkwardly-named offspring Renesmee, Mackenzie Foy had one of the most famously thankless roles in the Twilight saga. The child actor did a commendable job of playing the part-vampire child, particularly considering her earlier incarnation was played by an unintentionally hilarious CGI baby. Foy has since starred in the Kate Winslet-voiced 2020 live-action version of Black Beauty, a Disney+ hit that proves this Twilight actor has a bright future ahead of her.
