Catherine Hardwicke Says Kristen Stewart Couldn't Pick an Outfit for “Twilight ”Kiss Scene, Ended Up Wearing Director's Shirt in Film

Kristen Stewart wanted to look conscionable correct arsenic Bella Swan successful Twilight — and nan film's director Catherine Hardwicke says that her wardrobe helped nan character fresh correct successful connected set.

Speaking astatine nan “Fix It successful Prep” sheet astatine nan Mediterrane Film Festival connected Wednesday, June 26, Hardwicke, 69, who directed nan first installment successful nan Twilight franchise, said astir really board often request to improvise to make their movie sets tally smoothly.

Reflecting connected really that rule applied to Twilight, Hardwicke recalled really she helped Stewart consciousness much assured connected surface during a kissing segment pinch her co-star Robert Pattinson by virtually giving her nan garment disconnected her back, per nan Hollywood Reporter.

“We had 10 different T-shirts for her,” Hardwicke said astatine nan event. “She didn’t for illustration immoderate of them. When we were shooting, she goes, ‘I for illustration your T-shirt.’ I’m, like, ‘OK,’ [and I gave her my shirt] and I sewage a different T-shirt. That’s what she wears successful nan movie, nan T-shirt I had.”

According to nan Cabinet of Curiosities director, Stewart's characteristic started disconnected wearing plentifulness of Earth-toned clothing successful nan film. By nan end, arsenic Bella grows person to Edward Cullen and his family, “she’s dressing for illustration nan Cullens” by wearing cool tones and leather jackets to springiness a much vampiric appearance.

According to Hardwicke, a fewer different iconic Twilight moments were spawned from improvisation — including really Pattinson hand-picked nan line: “Hold connected tight, spider monkey.”

The head besides reflected connected really she sewage nan occupation arsenic head of Twilight — and joked that nan original book was "terrible" and "was going successful a trashcan."

“They gave maine nan book and said, ‘Are you willing successful directing immoderate of these?’ ” she said, recalling really nan improvement for nan blockbuster process began.

“At nan time, each workplace successful Los Angeles turned down Twilight and it was successful turnaround. Nobody thought it would make 1 penny [because] it was a young female lead. I publication nan book and thought it was terrible. I went and publication nan book and I saw location were a batch of fans that were passionate astir it. So I said, ‘I want to return a meeting,’ ” she shared, noting that nan workplace yet accepted her petition to alteration nan book completely.

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Hardwicke and nan formed of Twilight have been candid successful nan past astir really nan movie came to be. In 2023, she said pinch Josh Horowitz for the Happy Sad Confused podcast for nan movie's 15th anniversary, recalling really she had to activity difficult to waste Pattinson to nan workplace arsenic nan romanticist lead.

Though she said location was “pretty overmuch nary contest” betwixt nan character and his counterparts because of his instant chemistry with Stewart, a "makeover" was basal for Pattinson.

“When he came complete to my location he had achromatic bangs — hairsbreadth dyed achromatic — kinda retired of style because he’s hanging retired astatine nan pub each nan time,” Hardwicke said, recalling her first belief of nan star. 

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She sent footage from his chemistry publication pinch Stewart to nan studio, and aft Pattinson went to meet nan squad astatine Summit, she said they called her and expressed interest astatine her choice. 

“They called maine backmost and go, ‘Do you deliberation you tin make this feline look good?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I do. Did you spot his cheekbones? Here’s a photograph. We’re doing a makeover connected nan hairsbreadth — everything, we’re doing everything. Makeover, he’s gonna commencement moving out, and he’s gonna beryllium gorgeous.’ But they didn’t judge it astatine first,” she recalled. “I mean, he walked complete location I deliberation pinch a stained shirt.”

The Edward Cullen hairstyle was a peculiar root of conflict, nan head said. She said she loved boys pinch agelong hairsbreadth and had a imagination of nan vampire pinch agelong locks, but Pattinson was vehemently against it. 

“We did hairsbreadth extensions connected him,” she said of an early move to create Edward’s look, earlier joking: “He hated them. He’s like, ‘No! No! Do not torture me!’”