Why Anna Kendrick Says Filming The First Twilight Film Was Like Surviving A ‘Hostage Situation'

Anna Kendrick in Twilight

The Twilight franchise was a pop culture sensation, starting first as a successful series of novels before being adapted for film. The four Twilight movies made Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart into megastars, but there was also a strong supporting cast including Anna Kendrick. Kendrick played Bella's high school friend Jessica in all four movies, but the Pitch Perfect actress recently revealed that filming the 2008 movie was pretty grueling. Or as she put it, a "hostage situation."

Anna Kendrick landed the role in Catherine Hardwicke's Twilight in one of her first big movie gigs. Kendrick's character Jessica was one of Bella's human friends, and was kept out of the vampire action throughout the entirety of the franchise. But that doesn't mean that filming was easy on her, particularly in regards to the weather. Kendrick recently opened up about that first Twilight flick, saying:

The first movie we filmed in Portland, Oregon, and I just remember being so cold and miserable. And I just remember my Converse being completely soaked through and feeling like, ‘You know, this is a really great group of people and I’m sure that we would be friends at a different time, but I want to murder everyone.’ Although, it was also kind of bonding. There was something about it, like if you go through some trauma event. Like you imagine people who survive a hostage situation, and you’re kind of bonded for life.

Well, that's one way to make friends. They say misery loves company, and it looks like the strain of Portland's cold, wet climate was something that bonded Anna Kendrick to her Twilight co-stars. And that bond would prove important, considering there was another 3 sequels to film over the next few years.

Anna Kendrick's comments to Vanity Fair help peel back the curtain on the production of Twilight. The movie filmed back in the spring of 2008, with the movie making a quick turn around to be released that November. As Kendrick explains, filming occurred in Portland, Oregon in hopes of emulating the setting of Forks, Washington.

Bella often complains about the Forks' weather in the first Twilight book, and it looks like that sentiment was shared by Anna Kendrick when playing Jessica in the movie adaptation. She was pretty miserable with the weather when filming the movie's various scenes outside. This includes the scene where Edward saves Bella from being hit by a car, a stunt which no doubt took a long time to film.

Anna Kendrick's star power steadily grew following Twilight's release, including her Oscar nominated role in Up in the Air. The Twilight franchise would continue to find ways to feature Kendrick as a result, including sequences like Jessica's graduation speech. The character should return to the pop culture collective once Stephanie Meyer releases the new book Midnight Sun, which tells Twilight's story from Edward's perspective.

Anna Kendrick's movie Trolls World Tour is available on demand now. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.