Kristen Stewart recalls Twilight days with Robert Pattinson

Kristen Stewart has looked back on her early days filming the Twilight franchise with a mix of humour, embarrassment and affection, admitting that she and former co-star Robert Pattinson took the romantic vampire story far more seriously than they probably needed to.

During an appearance on In Your Dreams With Owen Thiele, released on August 14, the 36-year-old actress and filmmaker reflected on playing Bella Swan in the first Twilight film, which was released in 2008. Stewart joked about her younger self, describing herself as a “pretentious little loser” while remembering how intensely she approached the role at the time.

Stewart was only 17 when production began, and she explained that both she and Pattinson had a very serious, teenage approach to the material. Rather than simply playing their characters naturally, they wanted to make the story feel meaningful and authentic.

According to Stewart, she and Pattinson often felt that they needed to elevate the material and make every moment feel extremely important. Looking back now, however, she finds that attitude amusing and recognises just how young they were.

The actress also recalled feeling frustrated because she wanted the relationship between Bella and Edward to feel completely genuine. At the time, she worried that the circumstances surrounding the production made that difficult. Years later, she realised that the sincerity she and Pattinson brought to the performances was actually one of the things that made the films connect with audiences.

Despite the passage of more than a decade, Stewart said she does not mind continuing to discuss Twilight. She has also expressed openness to returning to the franchise if the right opportunity ever came along.

Pattinson has similarly spoken positively about his experience with the series. In an April 2026 interview with Vogue, the actor said he would not change his performance in the original film. He explained that the cast and filmmakers approached the story with complete seriousness, without deliberately making fun of its unusual premise.

Pattinson noted that everyone involved treated the vampire romance as something genuine, even though the concept itself was fantastical. He suggested that the earnestness of the performances was an important part of what made the movie distinctive.

Stewart and Pattinson’s professional relationship eventually developed into a real-life romance. The pair began dating in 2009 after meeting during the production of Twilight and remained together for several years before separating in 2013.

Their relationship faced intense public attention, particularly in 2012 when Stewart was photographed with Rupert Sanders, the married director of Snow White and the Huntsman. Stewart later publicly apologised for what she described as a brief indiscretion.

Both stars have since moved on with their personal lives. Stewart married writer and director Dylan Meyer in April 2025, while Pattinson became engaged to Suki Waterhouse in December 2023 after several years together. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in March 2024.

Although their Twilight era is now more than a decade behind them, Stewart and Pattinson’s memories of the franchise continue to attract attention, particularly as both actors have come to appreciate the sincerity they brought to their iconic roles.