“Twilight” actress Dakota Fanning is reflecting on how massive and intense the franchise’s fandom became.
In a recent interview, she revealed that lead actors Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner initially thought they “did some little vampire movie,” only to be left shocked by how colossal it grew.
Speaking about her experience, she explained that her lower-pressure role allowed her to enjoy the “super intense” fandom, adding that she never auditioned for the lead role.
Dakota Fanning reflected on how her smaller role in the “Twilight” franchise allowed her to enjoy everything that came with it, including its super “intense” fandom, unlike the franchise’s lead stars.
Speaking during an episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, the actress looked back on playing Jane, a high-ranking member of the villainous Volturi vampire coven, across three installments of the hit film series.
She revealed that having a recurring supporting role gave her a front-row seat to the madness without the burden of carrying the films on her shoulders.
“I got like, kind of just all the good parts of it. ‘Cause I was just a little character that was popped in, popped out, popped in, popped out,” she told host Josh Horowitz.
The former child star acknowledged that she “didn’t really have any of the pressure” that came with leading the movies, adding that she “just got the kind of fun experience” and that the setup was “ideal” for her.
‘Twilight’ Stars Thought They Made ‘Some Little Vampire Movie’
Much of the pressure and intense media circus fell on the shoulders of the lead trio: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner.
Fanning, who joined the series in 2009’s “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” while balancing her acting career with a regular high school schedule, recalled how truly “obsessed” the public was with the story at the time.
Yet, when the original trio signed on for the first film, none of them had any idea what was coming or how massive it would become.
“They had no idea. They just had no clue it was going to be that,” the actress said of Pattinson, Stewart, and Lautner. “They thought they did some little vampire movie.”
She added, “Then going to that Comic-Con and being like, hit with the wave of the fans was super intense.”
How ‘Twilight’ Gifted Dakota Fanning Her Closest Friend
The “Twilight” films were a global box office juggernaut, raking in more than $3.3 billion across five installments. Fanning told the host that it was a huge phenomenon at the time, noting that it dominated conversations among her high school classmates, who were completely obsessed with it.
Elsewhere during her appearance on the show, the “Man on Fire” actress spoke about how the franchise gifted her one of her most enduring friendships in Stewart.
While Fanning clarified that she never auditioned for Stewart’s lead role of Bella Swan because she was “just a bit young for it” at the time, playing Jane gave her the opportunity to form a lasting bond with the star.
“Getting to play Jane was amazing,” Fanning said, “and it’s where I met Kristen, who you know is one of my closest friends.”
Kristen Stewart Correctly Recalls Picturesque Scene Of The Movie
A new “Twilight” animated series is reportedly in the works at Netflix, based on Stephenie Meyer’s 2020 companion novel, “Midnight Sun.”
Meanwhile, fan favorite Stewart recently revisited a dramatic behind-the-scenes memory from the set of the franchise.
While promoting her project “The Wrong Girls” alongside co-star Alia Shawkat, she was asked to identify the filming locations of specific scenes from her past films.
When presented with a photo of a beach locale, Stewart correctly identified it as Brazil. The setting served as the backdrop for Bella’s honeymoon with Pattinson’s character, Edward Cullen, in 2011’s “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.”
The Actress Recalled Massive Storm That Hampered Production
Stewart went on to describe how a massive storm struck the set during filming, leaving the cast and crew stranded.
“Everyone got stuck in this house actually and couldn’t leave,” she recalled. “Yes, the whole crew was truly, like rubbing two peanuts together and like being really infuriated and pissed that like production couldn’t get them out of there.”
The actress noted that she was offered an early evacuation, humorously comparing the situation to how women and children were prioritized on lifeboats in Titanic.
“And there was like, one little boat and they were like, ‘We can get the cast out just for the night,’” Stewart explained. “And I was like, ‘This is the Titanic.’”
She added, “I’m like, ‘I’m not gonna get on that, right?’ … They’re like playing violins, and I’m like, ‘I love you guys so much. I consider myself like a blue-collar actress. So, I’m like, super with you, but I’m out of here.’”
