Dave Franco has revealed a surprising secret about his Hollywood journey. While the star is currently making headlines for his upcoming Now You See Me 3, he previously mentioned auditioning for the Twilight films. During an August 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, while promoting his body horror movie, Together, with his wife Alison Brie, Franco confessed to applying for the role of Edward Cullen.
Brie said,
You auditioned for the role of Edward Cullen in Twilight, but didn’t get it. Sorry.
Franco responded,
No. No. I was not ready to be the lead of a film like that and was not ready for the kind of attention that would have come.
The same vampire role that made Robert Pattinson a global heartthrob once went to Dave Franco, well, almost. During a lie detector test, Franco admitted he wasn’t ready for that kind of fame or pressure back then, while Brie teased him for missing the chance. It seems that Franco was very self-aware of when not to chase the spotlight.
Robert Pattinson Criticized His Role Despite Twilight’s Commercial Success
Well, Dave Franco isn’t wrong about realizing too soon that the Twilight films would become one of the biggest movie hits of the decade. Released in 2008, based on Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novels, the films told the story of a shy girl named Bella, who falls in love with a vampire, Edward.
![Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga [Credit Summit Entertainment]](https://fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/06105217/Robert-Pattinson-as-Edward-Cullen-in-the-Twilight-saga-Credit-Summit-Entertainment.jpg?width=800&height=500&quality=85&sharpen=true&format=webp&aspect_ratio=800%3A500&crop=center)
Starring Kristen Stewart as the lead actress and Robert Pattinson as the brooding vampire, the movie churned out four other films that made more than $3.3B worldwide (via The Numbers). Turns out, fans really loved the romance and mystery, even when Pattinson didn’t always appreciate his role.
Despite the success, the actor has never minced his words when it came to Twilight. As per People, in several interviews, the Harry Potter star has admitted that he found the story “weird” and even “strange” for the way people reacted to it. During a 2019 interview, Robert Pattinson said he couldn’t understand why fans were so obsessed with Edward, calling his character a “weirdo.”
Pattinson joked that if Edward were real, he would probably be “an axe murderer or something”. Not to mention, he even questioned the logic of the story. Clearly, the actor never felt as romantic about his vampire role as the audience did. Still, his mysterious charm and intense acting helped make Edward Cullen one of the most unforgettable movie characters of the 2000s.
Would Dave Franco’s Twilight Have Resonated With the Audience?
Now, even though Robert Pattinson seems to be the biggest critic of the iconic film series, he is the one who helped shape the franchise and turn it into a global success. So when Dave Franco mentioned that he had auditioned for the role of Edward Cullen, it made us wonder how Twilight would be, had Franco landed the role.
Don’t get us wrong, the actor has built a great career with his charming, funny, and down-to-earth roles. But imagining him as Edward Cullen feels strange. In 2008, when Twilight was being made, Franco was still finding his place in Hollywood. So perhaps, he might have made Edward a bit too lighthearted, taking away the dark and serious tone that made fans fall in love with the vampire romance.
The table contains basic details on the Twilight films:
| Movies | Directed By | Rotten Tomatoes Score | Box Office Collection |
| Twilight (2008) | Catherine Hardwicke | 48% | $402.2 million |
| The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) | Chris Weitz | 28% | $687.5 million |
| The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) | David Slade | 46% | $706.1 million |
| The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) | Bill Condon | 26% | $682.1 million |
| The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012) | Bill Condon | 49% | $829.7 million |
Robert Pattinson, on the other hand, brought a mysterious sadness to Edward that fit perfectly with the story’s mood. His quiet intensity, deep stares, and emotional delivery made Bella and Edward’s love story feel real and dramatic. So, it’s hard to imagine anyone else making teenage fans across the world swoon the same way he did.
Do you think Dave Franco would have made a great Edward Cullen? Let us know in the comments.