<P> Peter Facinelli was not originally cast as Carlisle Cullen . "(Hardwicke) liked me, but there was another actor that the studio was pushing for", Facinelli said . For unknown reasons, that actor was not able to play the part and Facinelli was selected in his place . The choice of Ashley Greene to portray Alice Cullen was the subject of fan criticism due to Greene being 7 inches (18 cm) taller than her character as described in the novel . Meyer had also stated that Rachael Leigh Cook resembled her vision of Alice . Nikki Reed had previously worked with Hardwicke on Thirteen, which they wrote together, and Lords of Dogtown . Reed commented, "I don't want to say it's a coincidence, because we do work well together, and we have a great history . I think we make good work, but it's more that the people that hire (Hardwicke) to direct a film of theirs (have) most likely seen her other work ." </P> <P> Kellan Lutz was in Africa shooting the HBO miniseries Generation Kill when the auditions for the character of Emmett Cullen were conducted . The role had already been cast by the time that production ended in December 2007, but the actor who had been selected "fell through"; Lutz subsequently auditioned and was flown to Oregon, where Hardwicke personally chose him . Rachelle Lefèvre was interested in pursuing a role in the film because Hardwicke was attached to the project as director; there was also "the potential to explore a character, hopefully, over three films"; and she wanted to portray a vampire . She "thought that vampires were basically the best metaphor for human anxiety and questions about being alive ." Christian Serratos initially auditioned for Jessica Stanley, but she "fell totally in love with Angela" after reading the novels and successfully took advantage of a later opportunity to audition for Angela Weber . The role of Jessica Stanley went to Anna Kendrick, who got the part after two mix - and - match auditions with various actors . </P> <P> On a bed in Catherine Hardwicke's house is where Pattinson kissed Stewart for the first time for the Twilight screen test . "That bed made Pattinson who he is right now," says Reed . That's also where Hardwicke auditioned Evan Rachel Wood, when she had her get into her bed with Nikki Reed for the film Thirteen . When asked about her lair, Hardwicke says, "MTV came and did an episode in my house filming the bed . It's legendary ." Principal photography took 44 days, after more than a week of rehearsals, and completed on May 2, 2008 . Similar to her directorial debut Thirteen, Hardwicke opted for an extensive use of hand - held cinematography to make the film "feel real". Meyer visited the production set three times and was consulted on different aspects of the story; she also has a brief cameo in the film . Cast members who portrayed vampires avoided sunlight to make their skin pale, though makeup was also applied for that effect, and wore contact lenses: "We did the golden color because the Cullens have those golden eyes . And then, when we're hungry, we have to pop the black ones in," Facinelli explained . They also participated in rehearsals with a dance choreographer and observed the physicality of different panthera to make their bodily movements more elegant . </P> <P> Scenes were filmed primarily in Portland, Oregon . Stunt work was done mainly by the cast . The fight sequence between Gigandet and Pattinson's characters in a ballet studio, which was filmed during the first week of production, involved a substantial amount of wire work because the vampires in the story have superhuman strength and speed . Gigandet incorporated mixed martial arts fighting moves in this sequence, which involved chicken and honey as substitutes for flesh . Bella, the protagonist, is unconscious during these events, and since the novel is told from her point of view, such action sequences are illustrative and unique to the film . Pattinson noted that maintaining one's center of gravity is difficult when doing wire work "because you have to really fight against it as well as letting it do what it needs to do ." Lefèvre found the experience disorienting since forward motion was out of her control . </P>

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