The Birth of a Coven: Edward
Ahoy hoy, my fellow Twilight nerds!
I figured it was time for another blog regarding 1935, and as I was wondering what to focus on (which is such a strange thought in and of itself; as there is so much we have done, and yet still so much left to do…) it hit me: write about the casting process! This is particularly exciting because if there is one thing I love to do — it’s talk about my incredible cast selected to play our beloved Cullen family.
Before we begin this chapter (and the others that will follow), I want to speak briefly about our casting philosophy. You may notice that many of our actors are not mirror images of the performers who portrayed these characters in the original films. That is entirely intentional. From the outset, my aim has been to cast according to the characters as they are described in the novels first, and only secondarily with the film portrayals in mind. There is, of course, one very deliberate exception. An actor who felt uncannily aligned in a way I simply could not ignore. I’ll let you decide who that might be.
So, let us begin with none other than Edward Cullen…
This was a role I was particularly stressed about casting. Why? Because it’s Edward-freaking-Cullen. Although 1935 places Emmett at centre-stage, Edward is still Edward. He’s the one we’re all going to be looking for, scrutinising every little detail to see if he matches up with the Edward we have obsessively studied in the Twilight books and films. Aside from the obvious fact that this actor needed to be… dazzling (see what I did there?), I needed a young actor with true range, capable of showing the multiple tortured layers of our dear Edward.
The search began the same way it (almost) always did: an open casting call on Backstage.com. I kept the casting notice restrained, taking care to avoid revealing too much of the plot, while ensuring it was clear that applicants were stepping into a Twilight fan production. The result? Hundreds of applicants. Hundreds of actors, each assuring me in their cover letter that they were the biggest Twilight fan, or that their friends had always told them they looked like Edward Cullen. I scrolled and scrolled, convinced that if our Edward was there, his would be the face that stood out amongst the hundreds. I was beginning to lose hope. And then — there he was. His cover letter was not only professional, but distinctly gentlemanly in its tone. Where others felt eager to impress, he felt composed. There was no attempt to command my attention, but a quiet confidence that did not need to shout. My fingers froze on my MacBook as I studied his headshot. My eyes lingered for a moment on his razor-sharp jawline, not altogether dissimilar to Robert Pattinson’s in its definition. His bronze hair framed his face with just enough softness to temper the severity of his features. But what held me, more than anything else, were his eyes. They carried a glare sharp enough to shatter the coldest of hearts, yet there was charm there too, as though he held a dark secret and was daring me to uncover it. Hell-o, Edward Cullen. His real name? Emmett Bouchard.
Emmett Bouchard as Edward Cullen
📸 @krauzerhaus
Putting aside the irony of our potential Edward being named Emmett — in an Emmett Cullen film, no less — and refusing to let myself hope too quickly (surely no one could be so similar to the fictional Edward Cullen in real life), I met with him over Zoom to introduce the project. What followed was an amazing conversation about Twilight, about our shared love of film, and about what acting truly means to each of us. I made the same request of him that I had made of every other applicant: that he take the time to read Midnight Sun. This was my one requirement. Not only does the book offer far more insight into the dynamics of the coven (how they speak to one another, how they respond under pressure etc), the entire novel is told from Edward’s perspective. For an actor stepping into Edward’s mind, there could simply be no better tool. Of course, what I had forgotten at that time was just how big the book is. I asked Emmett to let me know once he had finished reading, apparently forgetting the fact that Midnight Sun is roughly the size of a small brick. A few months passed before I heard from him again. When we finally met once more over Zoom for his audition, my first question was what he thought of the book. That’s when he reached off-screen and lifted the massive novel into view — and that’s when I realised exactly why it had taken him several weeks to finish the whole thing — oops.
But here’s what impressed me most: not only had he read it, and without complaint, he had annotated page after page, highlighting and adding colourful stickers throughout. He didn’t simply read the book. He studied it. His audition was, of course, brilliant, and it wasn’t long before I reached back out and offered him the role of Edward.
Emmett is everything you would hope for in an actor portraying Edward Cullen: professional, thoughtful, a natural introvert who describes himself as a “reader” of people. He is kind, observant, and deeply protective of those he cares about, all qualities that feel almost instinctive to Edward himself. How he found his way into acting is his own amusing story to tell, and it is almost offensive that he just so happens to be naturally brilliant at it.
But beyond his talent and professionalism, what defines him in this role is the depth of care he brings to Edward. We have had countless conversations about 1935 and Edward’s place within it, not just what he does, but what he feels. We have spoken about his fears, his forced restraint, about the burden of being the most self-aware creature in any room. We have dissected moments where Edward must say very little, and yet communicate everything with a simple look at his father, Carlisle. Every time we speak about him, I am reminded why I cast Emmett in the first place. He does not play Edward on the surface. He understands him on a very deep level.
And I have no doubt that when you finally see him on your screen, you will feel that too.
Lily x