Lucy Hale missed out on a role in the Twilight saga, but that did not stop the future star from auditioning again—and missing out a second time. Blockbuster history is littered with bizarre near-misses when it comes to potential casting decisions. Alicia Silverstone was almost a Bond girl, Sting could have played The Terminator’s Kyle Reese, and Lucy Hale almost starred in Twilight.
However, what is interesting about Hale’s failure to gain a role in the 2008 Twilight movie adaptation is that it did not deter the actor from auditioning for Twilight’s sequel only a year later. Lucy Hale originally auditioned to play a member of Edward Cullen’s vampire coven but, when she missed out on the part of Alice Hale, the intrepid actor went on to audition again for the role of one of the villains - namely the role of Jane - in the New Moon movie. Hale also missed out on this part, but the actor’s undeniable tenacity was eventually rewarded with a starring role in Pretty Little Liars the next year.
Why Lucy Hale Auditioned For Twilight Twice
Lucy Hale’s interest in playing one of the Twilight saga’s Cullen family members was understandable since Twilight was predicted to be a huge hit and this role would have seen her appear in every movie of the four-film saga. However, when Ashley Greene got the role of Alice Hale in Twilight, Hale went on to audition for the part of Volturi’s villainous Jane in New Moon. She lost this part to Dakota Fanning, but it is once again easy to see why Hale went for the role despite missing out on Alice a year earlier. Jane was dramatically different from Alice Hale and the part has scene-stealing potential, as proven by Fanning’s memorable turn in the role.
Hale’s choice to go back after missing out on her first run at the Twilight saga proves just how popular the franchise was at the height of its success. While the series didn’t age terribly well, the Twilight outings were the most financially successful vampire movies ever made upon their release, which explains why Hale was so eager to get a piece of the action. Although she missed out on both roles, Hale went on to headline numerous blockbuster movies like Truth or Dare and starred in the hugely successful Pretty Little Liars on the small screen. Bizarrely, however, that was not the end of her connection to the Twilight movies.
Lucy Hale’s Weird Twilight Connection
While Hale didn’t end up appearing in either of the Twilight movies that she auditioned for, she did end up trying out for another role connected to the series. Hale had a "mortifying" audition for the El James adaptation 50 Shades of Grey, which was itself based on a book series that was originally a work of Twilight fan fiction. Hale also missed out on playing Anastasia Steele although, since 50 Shades of Grey earned even worse reviews than the notably critical reviews of the Twilight movies, this might not have been the worst thing for her screen career. However, it did mean that Hale ended up shooting her shot for not one, not two, but three movies related to the Twilight saga.