List of Twilight characters
The following is a list of characters in the Twilight novel series by Stephenie Meyer, comprising the books Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, as well as The Twilight Saga film series adaptations.
Major characters
Bella Swan
Isabella Marie "Bella" Swan is the fictional protagonist of the Twilight series, written by Stephenie Meyer. The Twilight series is primarily narrated from Bella's point of view.In Twilight, Bella moves to her father's home in Forks, Washington, meets the mysterious Cullen family, and falls in love with Edward Cullen. However, she soon discovers that the family is a coven of vampires. Bella expresses a desire to become a vampire herself, against Edward's wishes. In the second novel, New Moon, Edward and the other Cullens leave Forks in an effort to keep Bella safe from the vampire world. Jacob Black, a member of the Quileute tribe who is also a shape shifter taking a wolf form, comforts the distraught and severely depressed Bella. She comes to care for Jacob, though less than she loves Edward. In Eclipse, Bella becomes engaged to Edward, and they marry in Breaking Dawn. Edward then transforms Bella into a vampire after she nearly dies giving birth to their daughter, Renesmee. Bella has the ability to shield her mind, which she had as a human. Once she is transformed into a vampire, her ability is enhanced to the point she can also expand her shield to protect others from mind control.
Kristen Stewart plays Bella in the Twilight film series.
Edward Cullen
Edward Cullen is Bella's primary love interest. As stated in the first and second novels, he was born on June 20, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois, and was frozen in his 17-year-old body while dying of Spanish influenza, when he was changed into a vampire by Dr. Carlisle Cullen. As shown in Twilight, Carlisle only did so because Edward's dying mother, Elizabeth, begged him to save Edward. A member of the Olympic Coven, Edward only drinks animal blood and has the special ability to read minds. He falls in love with Bella soon after she arrives in Forks. Edward knows that he could kill Bella easily, a fact that torments him so much that, in the book New Moon, he decided to leave Forks with his family so they wouldn't be able to hurt her. He returned because he realized he cannot live without her. Edward marries Bella in Breaking Dawn and they have a daughter, Renesmee.Robert Pattinson plays Edward in the Twilight film series.
Jacob Black
Jacob Black is Bella's best friend. He is a Quileute Native American and a werewolf. In Twilight, Jacob plays the minor role of a forgotten childhood friend of Bella's, and he develops a crush on her. In an attempt to learn more about Cullens, Bella flirts with Jacob, and he tells her tribe legends about "the cold ones", or vampires. After Edward leaves Bella in New Moon, she spends much of her time with Jacob. Though she only considers him a friend, Jacob falls in love with Bella. Although he spends most of his time in Eclipse trying to win Bella, in Breaking Dawn he imprints— an involuntary process in which a werewolf finds their soul mate— on Bella and Edward's daughter, Renesmee.Taylor Lautner plays Jacob in the Twilight film series.
Carlisle Cullen
Carlisle Cullen is Esme Cullen's husband and the adoptive father of Edward, Emmett, Alice, Rosalie, and Jasper. His first appearance was in Twilight. His physical age is 23, and he has blond hair. His natural compassion during his life as a human translated into his decision never to drink human blood or kill a human, which he has adhered to. Through the centuries, he has become a skilled doctor and surgeon, and he is completely indifferent to the scent of human blood.Cullen was born at some point during the 1640s in London to an Anglican priest. His father and other pastors hunted witches, werewolves, and vampires. Following his father, he discovered a coven of vampires. After an ancient vampire attacked him, he fled and silently endured the transformation. He was horrified by what he had become, and he attempted suicide. He realized that he could sate his thirst on the blood of animals, and he dedicated himself to becoming a doctor and helping humans.
For a few decades, Carlisle lived with the Volturi in Italy, but he left because of their incompatible feeding styles. He traveled to the New World. Treating patients suffering with Spanish Influenza, he met an ill woman who begged him to save her dying son, Edward. He transformed Edward into a vampire, and he became Edward's father figure and companion. In 1921, Carlisle moved to Ashland, Wisconsin, and he met Esme after she attempted suicide. He transformed Esme into a vampire, fell in love with her, and married her. In Rochester, New York, he found Rosalie Hale after her drunken fiancé and his friends nearly killed her. While hunting, Rosalie found Emmett and she carried him to Carlisle. Rosalie feared that she would be unable to resist her bloodlust, so she carried Emmett to Carlisle to be transformed.
Carlisle and his family moved to Hoquiam, Washington and arranged a treaty with the Quileute Native American tribe. The Quileutes would not attack the Cullen family if they agreed not to attack any humans or trespass on Quileute land. The Cullens lived in relative peace until they needed to move on, so as not to lead to rumors about their stagnant ages. Alice and Jasper independently found Carlisle and joined his family. Throughout the Twilight saga, Carlisle works as a doctor, acts as the coven leader, and offers medical advice when Bella is pregnant in Breaking Dawn.
In its 2009 Fictional Top 15 wealthiest fictional characters, Forbes magazine placed Carlisle in 1st place. Using 370 years of compound interest, he amassed a fortune of $34.5 billion.
Peter Facinelli plays Carlisle in the Twilight film series.
Esme Cullen
Esme Cullen is Carlisle Cullen's wife and the adoptive mother of Edward, Emmett and Alice Cullen, as well as Rosalie and Jasper Hale. She enjoys restoring old houses and her physical age is 26. She has no special power, but has a strong ability to love passionately. Esme is described as having caramel-colored hair; she also has a heart-shaped face with dimples, and her figure is slender, but rounded and soft. Esme was born in 1895 in Columbus, Ohio, where she was treated at the age of 16 by Carlisle after breaking her leg when climbing a tree. She married Charles Evenson, but he abused her. After finding out she was pregnant, she ran away and gave birth to a son, who subsequently died a few days later. Grief-stricken by his death, Esme attempted to kill herself by jumping off a cliff. Presumed dead, she was brought to a morgue. Carlisle, who remembered treating her years before, was able to hear her faint heartbeat and transformed her into a vampire. Esme fell in love with and married Carlisle soon after. She loves her adoptive children, including Bella, as if they were her own and has the most affection for Edward, but she still grieves that she is unable to bear children.Esme is present throughout the entire Twilight series, revealing her past to Bella during the Cullens' baseball game in Twilight. Esme treats Bella as her own daughter, comforting her after several traumatic events. In the film adaptation of Eclipse, Esme participated in a battle against the newborn vampires but in the book series, it is stated by Sam in Breaking Dawn that she is not a fighter. In Breaking Dawn, it is revealed that Esme owns a South American island named "Isle Esme" that Carlisle purchased for her, and where Edward and Bella spend their honeymoon.
Elizabeth Reaser plays Esme in the Twilight film series.
Alice Cullen
Alice Cullen is the adopted daughter of Carlisle and Esme Cullen, adoptive sister of Edward and Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale, and the partner of Jasper Hale. Alice is petite and pixie-like, with a graceful gait and hair that is short, spiky, and black. Her special ability is to see the future, an enhanced version of her ability to have premonitions as a human. Her ability is limited; she is only able to see the outcome of a decision once it is made. Due to this, decisions made in the spur of the moment can not be foreseen. Alice can see futures involving humans and vampires, but is unable to see those involving half-breeds, such as Renesmee and the werewolves. Alice is bubbly and optimistic, and she loves and cares for Bella like a sister. She is also close to her brother Edward, and enjoys shopping, make-overs, and throwing parties. Alice's early history is vague, as she remembers nothing about her human life and woke up alone as a vampire. It is eventually revealed that she was born around 1901 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and was committed to an asylum because she had premonitions. Alice was transformed by an old vampire who worked at the asylum to protect her from James, a tracker vampire who was hunting her. After some research, Alice found her grave and discovered that the date on her tombstone matches the date of her admission to the asylum. Through her research she additionally discovered that she had a younger sister named Cynthia, and that Cynthia's daughter, Alice's niece, is still alive in Biloxi.Alice enjoys playing "Newcomb's paradox-chess" against her telepathic brother Edward. Throughout Twilight, Alice uses her ability to see the future and help Bella when she is in danger. The two soon become friends, loving each other like sisters. In New Moon, Alice foresees Bella jumping off a cliff and assumes she is trying to commit suicide, though Bella actually was cliff diving. After discovering the truth, Alice accompanies Bella to Italy to prevent Edward from killing himself. They are successful, but are taken to see the Volturi, who police the vampire world. Through Alice's premonitions, Aro is able to see that Bella will eventually become a vampire and invites her, Alice, and Edward to stay with them; it is later mentioned that Aro especially covets Alice's gift. In Eclipse, Alice, who proves to be an adept fighter, joins the fight to destroy a group of rampaging newborn vampires, created by Victoria in an effort to take revenge on Edward. Alice acts as Bella's maid of honor at her wedding in Breaking Dawn and helps care for Renesmee until leaving to search out a crossbreed after the Volturi plan to destroy Renesmee, believing her to be an immortal child. Alice is successful and the Volturi, convinced there is no threat, leave.
Ashley Greene plays Alice in the Twilight film series.
Paloma Kwiatkowski plays the young Mary Alice Brandon in the short film The Mary Alice Brandon File.