The Twilight franchise, books and films alike, became the next big thing in the midst of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter, grossing billions and earning a cult following worldwide.
Kristen Stewart was paid $2.5 million for the first Twilight film as part of retroactive bonuses awarded in a lawsuit. She got $6 million by the time New Moon came out, and earned $25 million for parts 1 and 2 of Breaking Dawn. It’s unclear exactly how much she earned for the third film Eclipse.
Take a deep dive with us into Kristen’s breakthrough in Twilight, and the lawsuit that earned her and some other members of the cast some massive bonuses.
A Worldwide Phenomenon
Born in on the 9th of April 1990 in Los Angeles, California, Stewart’s parents both worked in the entertainment industry behind-the-scenes.
She had never been that interested in the acting side of show biz, stating that “I never wanted to be the center of attention—I wasn’t that ‘I want to be famous, I want to be an actor’ kid. I never sought out acting, but I always practiced my autograph because I love pens. I’d write my name on everything”
Despite her doubts with acting, she started a career at 8 years old starring in a school play, which led to her film debut on The Thirteenth Year – a Disney Channel Original Movie that came out in 1999.
Several other roles later, and Stewart eventually got the gig of Bella in the Twilight series. The decision was announced by American film production company Summit Entertainment in 2007.
From there, she skyrocketed into superstardom, getting worldwide fame and recognition. There were certainly mixed reviews on her performances in each movie, though, with many critics questioning the casting choice.
USA Today gave it 2 stars out of 4, describing the acting as “wooden” and stating that Stewart and her costar Pattinson lacked any kind of chemistry.
“Her subtle acting does not serve her well in this overheated setting. As Bella, she seems to have two expressions: blank and slightly less blank.”
Even though there were different opinions on the film franchise, there’s no denying the incredibly massive impact it had on the film industry.
The franchise grossed more than $3.3 billion globally, with the second film New Moon breaking records with over $72 million on the first day it had been released.
A Major Lawsuit
In 2014, E! News revealed that Kristen Stewart received $2.5 million in retroactive bonuses due to a lawsuit between Summit Entertainment and Goldcrest Film Distribution.
Goldcrest was suing Summit for claims that their company was underpaid due to deceptive accounting practices.
New York Magazine uncovered in 2010 that Kristen would be paid a jaw-dropping $25 million for both Breaking Dawn films.
Not Big Fans Of Their Own Work
Both Stewart and her costar Pattinson were quick to reveal their disdain for the films, badmouthing their fans and speaking poorly of the entire franchise.
Stewart once revealed her true feelings on the films, not holding back:
“Anywhere we’d go for Twilight was a psychotic situation. The sound was deafening, and it’s thoughtless, as well…You get a slew of all these bull**** questions like, ‘What’s it like to kiss a vampire?’ and ‘How much do you love Robert?’ Then you’ll get one that’s actually real, but you’re like, ‘No, I can’t right now, I can’t even consider [it].”
Robert has never been shy about his dislike for the series and the character he portrayed, Edward. He’s made comments in the past such as:
“When I read it [Twilight] it seemed like it wasn’t supposed to be published.”
“If Edward was not a fictional character in reality, you know, he’s one of those guys who’d be, like, an axe murderer.”
Watch Robert reflect on his disapproval of the books and movies with snide remarks and negative reactions in the clip below: