Twilight New Moon Director Regrets Turning Down Taylor Swift’s Cameo Request

Taylor Swift is a treasured artist whose presence in feature films is largely aspired by fans. Taylor Swift was widely anticipated in Twilight New Moon, but the reality fell short of expectations. Twilight New Moon director now regrets turning down Taylor Swift’s cameo request.

Screen Rant reported that Chris Weitz, the director of The Twilight Saga: New Moon, discusses his refusal to include a Taylor Swift cameo in the film. New Moon, the second film in the five-film Twilight vampire franchise, was released in 2009 and had the highest single-day domestic gross at the time of $72.7 million. Based on Stephanie Meyer’s 2006 novel of the same name, New Moon received mixed reviews from critics but was well received by fans of the series.

Following Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) breakup with Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), New Moon focused on her heartbreak. She finds solace in her friendship with childhood friend and werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), but when his company is taken away, she begins to seek thrills elsewhere. When Edward suspects Bella has committed suicide, he attempts to do the same.

The Volturi, the vampire authority, later discovers Bella and Edward’s relationship and decrees that she must become a vampire. While the cast’s core trio returned, New Moon also introduced new characters, including Twilight superfan Dakota Fanning as a terrifying Volturi member. She wasn’t the only fan of the franchise hoping for a role in New Moon.

In an interview with the unofficial podcast The Twilight Effect with Ashley Greene and Melanie Howe, New Moon director Weitz revealed that during the filming of New Moon, he and ‘Twi-Hard’ Taylor Swift shared an agent. He mentioned his agent’s request on Swift’s behalf that she appears in the film, even if only in a minor cameo. The director then explained why he eventually declined.

“The hardest thing for me was to be like, the moment that Taylor Swift walks onto the screen, for about five minutes, nobody is going to be able to process anything. I kick myself for it too, because – I was like, wow, I could’ve been hanging out with Taylor Swift. She must have been like, ‘Who is this jerk?’ But sometimes you make decisions thinking this is for the best of the film.”

Though Weitz expressed regret for not including Swift in New Moon, his reasons for the rejection demonstrate his commitment to providing viewers with an immersive experience. Given previous examples, the director’s logic makes sense. Swift was fresh off the success of her second studio album, Fearless, in 2009, and would have been difficult to ignore in any film, let alone one as solemn as New Moon.

Weitz’s denial of Swift’s cameo likely didn’t sting too much, as the singer-songwriter has gone on to increase her super-stardom in both music and film, starring in several films including David O. Russel’s upcoming period ‘whodunit,’ Amsterdam. Weitz’s regret for not casting Swift in New Moon is understandable given her continued success in both the music and film industries. However, the director’s decision was ultimately beneficial to the film. He set the stage for the fan-favorite film, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, by keeping the Twilight sequel grounded in its love story despite all of its supernatural elements.

Weitz’s dedication to staying true to the source material in his visual storytelling was evident, as fans of the franchise continue to praise New Moon despite what critics say. What is your thought on this matter? Let us know in the comments. For further updates stay tuned to Thirsty.

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