Anna Kendrick Reflects on Twilight’s Fame Frenzy: “I Wasn’t Mobbed Like Kristen and Rob”

In a recent interview, Anna Kendrick opened up about the wild ride of fame experienced by her Twilight co-stars, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, offering a fascinating perspective on the transient nature of celebrity. While Kendrick played Jessica Stanley, a supporting character in the iconic vampire saga, her experience with fame was starkly different from that of the film’s leads, and she’s now reflecting on the shifting tides of public adoration and ridicule.

The Twilight Phenomenon

The Twilight saga, based on Stephenie Meyer’s wildly successful book series, took the world by storm when it debuted in 2008. The saga culminated in the release of Breaking Dawn – Part 2 in 2012, and the films collectively grossed over $3 billion worldwide. For the lead actors, Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan) and Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), this meant being thrust into a global spotlight where they became two of the most famous faces in Hollywood.

Kendrick, who portrayed Jessica Stanley, was positioned as a “satellite figure” in the films. Her role as Bella’s quirky and supportive friend was significant but didn’t carry the same weight as the leads. In a January 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, Kendrick reflected on how, at the time, she was able to avoid the intense public scrutiny that Stewart and Pattinson faced. “I could still walk down the street and no one would recognize me for the most part,” she recalled, underscoring her more low-key experience compared to her famous co-stars.

The Shift in Public Perception

Kendrick’s reflections on the evolution of fame are particularly striking. She noted, “I remember thinking, ‘Oh, these people are going to be the most famous people in the world forever.’ And then, like, five years later, they’re the butt of every joke. It’s very wild to see that shift.” This comment speaks to the way public perceptions of celebrities can change rapidly, a theme that has been discussed in various reports over the years.

By around 2017-2018, just five years after the last Twilight film’s release, Stewart and Pattinson went from being the darlings of pop culture to becoming the targets of satire and ridicule. The Twilight franchise, once a cultural phenomenon, was increasingly seen as a relic of a past era, and both Stewart and Pattinson found themselves facing public backlash and media scrutiny.

The “Butt of Every Joke” Comment

Kendrick’s comment about her co-stars becoming “the butt of every joke” is a reflection of how Twilight, once the subject of intense fan fervor, became an easy target for parody. This shift in perception coincided with both Stewart and Pattinson’s personal lives becoming the subject of media frenzy. Stewart, in particular, was frequently scrutinized for her relationships and public persona, while Pattinson was often the butt of jokes due to his portrayal of the brooding Edward Cullen.

The phrase “the butt of every joke” encapsulates the rapid and often unforgiving turn in public opinion, a shift Kendrick found to be “very wild.” She expressed her surprise at how quickly fame could change, noting the volatility of public adoration. The industry and the public’s appetite for what’s “hot” and “cool” can be fickle, and Kendrick’s observation highlights the fleeting nature of celebrity status.

A Distant Memory

Kendrick has continued to reflect on her role in Twilight in lighthearted ways. In a 2018 social media post, she humorously stated, “Holy shit. I just remembered I was in Twilight,” suggesting that her experience with the franchise, while formative, hasn’t necessarily defined her career. On the Call Her Daddy podcast in 2024, Kendrick admitted that the Twilight films had been easy to forget as she aged, and that her supporting role as Jessica Stanley didn’t leave a lasting imprint on her public identity.

For Kendrick, the Twilight saga seems more like a chapter in her career rather than an all-encompassing legacy. While she has fond memories of filming, she acknowledges that her role didn’t subject her to the level of fame that her co-stars experienced. This detachment from the intense media frenzy that consumed Stewart and Pattinson allowed Kendrick to maintain a different relationship with the Twilight saga, perhaps one of ease and reflection, rather than the constant scrutiny of public life.

Conclusion

Anna Kendrick’s reflection on her co-stars’ fame offers a rare, grounded look at the volatile nature of celebrity. While Twilight certainly played a pivotal role in the careers of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, Kendrick’s perspective as a supporting figure provides insight into how fame can shift and how public opinion can dramatically change over time. For Kendrick, her time in the Twilight saga remains a notable part of her career, but it hasn’t defined her path in the way it did for her co-stars. As she continues to build her career, it’s clear that Kendrick’s relationship with fame, and with Twilight, is one of both reflection and detachment, leaving her free to chart her own course in the entertainment industry.