5 Surprising Actors Robert Pattinson Competed With for Twilight Role

Although the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's vampire saga, Twilight, brought Robert Pattinson worldwide fame, the actor is known for his dislike of the series and his character, Edward Cullen, in particular. But there is no denying that it was Pattinson's acting skills that made Edward incredibly complex and enigmatic, yet vivid and believable, making him one of the most compelling male leads in pop culture history.

'There are very few actors who can look both dangerous and beautiful at the same time, and even fewer who I can picture in my head as Edward. Robert Pattinson is going to be amazing,' Meyer wrote in 2007.

It was truly perfect casting, but did you know that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of actors trying out for the role? The audition was definitely not easy and Pattinson had to compete against other talented actors, many of whom will surprise you.

5. Dave Franco

James Franco's brother, the talented and charismatic actor and filmmaker Dave Franco, may have landed the role of Edward in an alternate reality.

'I tested for Edward Cullen. I don't know how close I was. I read for [the director] Catherine Hardwicke, but who knows,' Dave Franco told MTV. 'I mean, maybe there were still hundreds of kids left reading for Catherine Hardwicke.'

4. Michael Welch

The actor who played Mike Newton, Michael Welch, originally auditioned for several roles, and the first was the role of Edward.

'I auditioned for pretty much every role before Mike. When we got to Mike, it really did seem to be the best fit,' he shared.

3. Jamie Campbell Bower

In addition to his chilling role as Vecna in Stranger Things, Bower is best known for his role as Caius Volturi in The Twilight Saga. But it was Edward that casting directors originally saw in him.

'They were like "the dedication Jamie brings to his roles, we would be interested in seeing him," and all of this and all of that.'

2. Jackson Rathbone

Now, it's hard to imagine Rathbone playing anyone other than Jasper Hale, but he was much closer than anyone else to landing the role of Edward instead of Pattinson. Still, he's happy that Robert was the one to play the part.

1. Henry Cavill

Probably the biggest surprise for many will be that Meyer's first choice for the role of Edward was none other than Henry Cavill. However, he was too old for Edward, and Meyer wrote that 'the most disappointing thing for me is losing my perfect Edward.'

Source: MTV, Happy Sad Confused, Stephenie Meyer.