"Twilight" Director Catherine Hardwicke Got A Cupcake, Not a Career Boost After $69M Opening

Dan Lalonde
Jul 8
1 min read

What's your favorite supernatural teenager movie?

When Twilight debuted to a staggering $69 million in 2008, director Catherine Hardwicke expected recognition worthy of the franchise-launching feat. Instead, she says, the studio handed her a “mini cupcake.”

In a new interview with The Guardian, Hardwicke recalled walking into a room filled with celebrations, only to receive the symbolic pastry as her reward. “A guy would’ve gotten a car, a three-picture deal, or whatever he wanted,” she said. “It was an earth-shattering reality.”

Despite delivering one of the most successful openings ever for a female-directed film at the time, Hardwicke says it didn’t translate to more opportunities. She was replaced by Chris Weitz for the sequel, New Moon, and moved on to Red Riding Hood, which had a smaller budget and more limitations.

Hardwicke also revealed that executives doubted Robert Pattinson’s appeal as Edward Cullen. “They asked me if I could make him look good,” she said. “Did you see his cheekbones?”

In hindsight, Hardwicke’s experience highlights an industry still riddled with gender bias. While male directors often gain power and prestige after box-office wins, Hardwicke’s reward was sweet but small. Comment below with your thoughts.