How the Twilight Cast Really Felt About Sparkly Vampire Makeup

Throughout the “Twilight” series, narrated from Bella’s perspective, she frequently notes how Edward’s skin feels cold, almost freezing. This description partly explains why the vampires in “Twilight” sparkle in the sunlight. Their skin is described as marble-like, without blood flow, which is so cold and resilient that it creates a sparkling effect when exposed to the sun.

While this might seem strange, it aligns within the world Stephenie Meyer has created, although it makes her vampires quite different from the traditional lore. Typically, vampires in folklore can only venture out at night because sunlight would destroy them. However, the “Twilight” vampires, designed to appeal to the series’ young female audience, don’t adhere to this traditional constraint. The idea is that readers and viewers might not want to see the love interest perish in the sunlight.

Kellan Lutz, who played Emmett Cullen, Robert Pattinson’s and Jackson Rathbone’s on-screen adopted brother, admitted he found the sparkling vampire concept pretty absurd. In a 2012 interview with Jeremy Kinser at Document Journal (via HuffPost), Lutz revealed his initial hesitations about joining the franchise, citing his mixed feelings about the script. He specifically mentioned his skepticism about the sparkling idea. “How scary would a glimmering vampire really be?” Lutz questioned. “It just doesn’t make sense.”