In a surprising move, Summit Entertainment announced today that Bryce Dallas Howard would be replacing actress Rachelle Lefevre in the role of Victoria in the next Twilight installment, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Here’s a portion of their press release:
Summit Entertainment announced today that Bryce Dallas Howard will take over the role of “Victoria” in the studio’s upcoming production of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE. Actress, Rachelle Lefevre, who portrayed the character in TWILIGHT as well as the upcoming release of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON, will not continue in the role due to scheduling conflicts with another commitment the actor has made. THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE will start filming in Vancouver this coming August.
Well, Rachelle Lefevre sounds pissed. Here’s her release that was broadcast shortly after Summit’s:
“I was stunned by Summit’s decision to recast the role of Victoria for “Eclipse.” I was fully committed to the Twilight saga, and to the portrayal of Victoria. I turned down several other film opportunitiesand, in accordance with my contractual rights, accepted only roles that would involve very short shooting schedules. My commitment to Barney’s Version is only ten days.
Summit picked up my option for Eclipse. Although the production schedule for Eclipse is over three months long, Summit said they had a conflict during those ten days and would not accommodate me. Given the length of filming for Eclipse, never did I fathom I would lose the role over a 10 day overlap.
I was happy with my contract with Summit and was fully prepared to continue to honor it. Summit chose simply to recast the part.
I am greatly saddened that I will not get to complete my portrayal ofVictoria for the Twilight audience. This is a story, a theatrical journey and a character that I truly love and about which I am very passionate. I will be forever grateful to the fan support and loyalty I’ve received since being cast for this role, and I am hurt deeply by Summit’s surprising decision to move on without me. I wish the cast and crew of Eclipse only the very best.”
Times are tough and the economy is a mess. They’re probably saving a bundle by casting Bryce Dallas Howard — I can never get all her names in the right order — but better be careful or they’ll be facing a lawsuit from a scorned vampire.
how would they save money by using bryce dallas howard? howard is much more an established movie actress (including a writing & directing credit) than lefever, who prior to twilight, was nothing more than a once-in-a-while tv actress.
no kidding. they’re lucky to get her. in fact it’s an odd choice for her.
exactly what i was thinking…
That’s horrible! I hate it when they recast a part with a different actor or actress. It’s just poop.
Couldn’t agree more, this sucks!
She should sue. If she turned down other parts in the past to accommodate them and the franchise, she should sue for loss of wages. I’m not a litigious person but that’s just not cool what they did (of course I haven’t seen the movie so maybe she sucks, I don’t know).
You speak of this Bryce Dallas Howard as if we are supposed to know who she is. Maybe a mention of what she’s been in or where we might remember her from would be nice…
She was in Lady in the Water, The Village, and Terminator Salvation, Spiderman 3…..but you could just look her up for yourself.
Yea, I did look her up after reading this article. The point is that isn’t it the writer’s job to introduce us to the people he/she is talking about rather than assuming we know? It’s not like this girl is well known…
if you actually followed celebrity gossip and news, y ou would know who she is. ron howard’s daughter for one.
@She: She’s pretty much omly known as being Ron Howard’s daughter. There’s more about her at the Celebsession Blog
Actually, I didn’t know that she was Ron Howard’s daughter. I know her from her roles in The Village, Lady in the Water, and Spiderman 3. They weren’t small roles, either.
not to mention the recent Terminator movie or As You Like It.
Still have to see those…=)
That really sucks- I like RL and what she did with the character. I hate so much when movies change actors and try to act like its okay- like when they replaced the girl in the third (and most terrible) mummy movie. it sort of cheapens the experience.
How about on TV too – the second Becky on ‘Roseanne’ was the worst!
i actually didnt mind the second becky. she was less annoying lol and rachel weisz turned the role down. after the second one was released she said it was the last one she was going to do in an interview.
Now this is a smart idea. I propose they go ahead and replace the entire cast of morons they chose for the first and future films as they all suck, and I don’t mean blood. Basically, anyone that was in the kitchen scene should be immediately dismissed and replaced with most of the cast of the High School Musical series. In fact, maybe they should add some music and dance scenes as well.
lol…..so fucking funny and TRUE saw the new moon trailer last night before the ugly truth and it look atrocious…none of them can act they just stand around pouting/posing with no emotion at ALL….
i think summit screwed up big time with her recast. just a few weeks before they are supposed to start filming too. plus i think it always ruins sequels when they recast the actors.
Holy cow! I only read half of the Twilight book, I hated it, I haven’t seen any of the movies but I am so in love with Bryce Dallas Howard that I would totally go out of my way to see it. I don’t know what they did to deserve her but they are so luck. She is a great actress.
Why are Bryce Dallas Howard and Dakota Fanning slumming it in these low-budget craptacular Twilight movies? They are Oscar-caliber actors, and these movies are only worthy of mediocre talent like Mischa Barton or Lindsay Lohan.
Nothing against BDH, but recasts do suck. I always thought it was absurd in soap operas and even worse in movies.
Every time I see that picture of her, I think of Sissy Spacek in Carrie.
Bryce Dallas Howard really creeps me out for some reason. The original girl is absolutely gorgeous and I can’t believe they’d want to replace her. It can’t be because she’s a terrible actress because you can’t get much worse than Kristen Stewart or some of the other people in the cast. Very bad decision and I hope she sues them for lost wages.
wow. Rachelle was the only one who could act in Twilight. Everyone else was horrible, except Ashley, who was okay in her portrayal of Alice…. Hollywood is a tough place.
as usual wendie you don’t know what you’re yammering about.
Yuck. Horrible choice. Summit once again comes through to do their fancy “lets replace this character” game. They make a bundle off this movie and keep doing this to people. They let Rachelle go because she missed their deadline. They didn’t try very hard to keep her. And like that, Summit has this Bryce chick ready to go, that’s what I call fast negotiations. Summit you have alot to learn.
She looks dopey.. like her dad when he played Opie!
i think that people even getting slightly mad is purposterous. she was barely in the first film, and all that is seen in the second, or supposed to be seen, is her hair on top of water, she is only supposed to be talked about, so why r people in an uproar if she is replace…..so another actress that looks similar, probably even more so with make up, and has similar hair, is going to show up at the very end of the movie and get her head ripped of by robert pattinson’s role of edward…….ooooooooooo, big deal…………people, seriously, get over it…..it is a very small role any ways, and u wont even be able to tel the difference with all the blur of the fast moving vamps, and the short amount of time she is seen on screen, and the make up….
plus, she was in the wrong anyways…..summit finds out, what, a week before their rehersals and shooting is suposed to take place? thats crap! she should have talked with them before even accepting the second job…..and so, what where they supposed to do? spend thousands of dollars to move scheduling around, move the release date and everything, for an actress who is probably only in like one scene? thats rediculous…….
they have backups and under studies for…..to be there i case the real actor or in this case, actress cant do the job…
that is what Bryce is……and the fact that everyone is mad that they replaced her so quickly is absurd….they had to, or they would have been behind on schedule……..thats why they have the understuddies and back ups…….
if your angry with summit over this insignificant, neccesary replacement, then too bad! dont watch the movies! just less people the rest of us have to worry about come november and come june…….if you dont like that…..then…well……oh well.
im not into twilight really but you do notice it. its a big difference. rl would have been better of playing her because it did kill it, not much but it did.
Bryce Dallas Howard, is, hands-down, the WORST actress on the face of the planet. She totally ruins every movie she’s in by her terrible acting. She has the emotional range of a hairbrush–even Keanu Reeves has more range. Get ready for the next Twilight to suck….
Sorry but just because Howard was more experience doesn’t mean they had the right to fire Rachelle,have you ever heard of new actors that’s how you know about them there new,I mean Robert Pattinson wasn’t that known except for Harry Potter,so what they should replace him? No he is Edward just like Rachelle was Victoria,I hate recast,and I’m sorry but I’ve seen Howard act,and she definitly can’t win best actress award,so just because she’s been in more movies than Rachelle doesn’t mean she’s the best actress,and actually I’ve seen Rachelle do other roles,they should have kept not only the original Victoria but also the first Twilight Saga Director,she did a perfect job,why couldn’t they keep her as the director for the other Twilights,she knew who to hire as actors,I’m sure Rachelle would still be on Eclipse not just that but she added more emotion and tease to Twilight,I wonder if its possible to redue both New Moon and Eclipse with her as the Director,the other Directors who did New Moon &Eclipse suck,I am no longer syked about the movies,but Twilight Saga will always be my favorite,I think I’ll definitly stick to the movie Saga and the books,at least the characters won’t be replaced in my imagination.Rachelle was who I saw when I read the books,not some fake curly red head who it looks like the Director tried too hard to make Howard look the role of Victoria,Rachelle will always be Victoria.
I hate and I mean I hate recast,listen the only reason you should replace someone is if the original person is dead,I mean I’m sorry but for the ones who say they think Bryce is perfect for the role because she’s more known to be in more roles,sorry but what does that have to do with firing Rachelle who was the perfect Victoria,she was Victoria,and I’ve seen Bryce in other roles and she definitly shouldn’t win a best actress award,I mean she didn’t even know how to play a blind woman,she sucked in lady in the water,both movies would have been good if they hadn’t chose her as the lead role,now she will ruin Twilight as Victoria,when I read the books, Rachelle is who I see as Victoria, not a woman who obviously has unnatural curly red hair on her,it looks like they tried too hard to make her look like Victoria,and not to mention Bryce is incredibly thin and Rachelle looks like she actually works out,I don’t think firing Rachelle was the only problem,then there is the original first Twilight Director she did a perfect job on Twilight Saga,the New Moon they say is worth 3 stars which is a OK,the new Director did a sucky job and now just imagine the director for Eclipse,they should have kept the original director,they screwed up Twilight,If only they could start over up to New Moon and bring back the director of Saga and I know she would bring back Rachelle she would keep every original cast member.
she doesnt look anything like our victoria – GUTTED , Rachelle were awesome and theyre just gna replace her!? i miss CATHERINE HARDWICK she did the best job and would keep all her cast members like she should (:
THIS IS FULL OF IT!!!
THEY COULD JUST MAKE THE MOVIE TEN DAYS LATE!!!
IM SURE NOONE WOULD MIND HAVING THE MOVIE TEN DAYS LATE, AND HAVING RACHELLE AS VICTORIA!!!
THIS IS A LOAD OF BULLS**T
she isnt right for the role, bryce isnt !!
Have you seen Bryce’s portrayal of Victoria yet or something?
I’m sorry for saying this, I know everyone seems a little angry. I’m glad they have a new director and I think they should recast everyone except Dakata Fanning. Victoria was one of the better actors on the movie though. The rest of the acting in both movies SUCK! Re-cast them ALL. Kristen Stuart should have never been cast as Bella. Ellen Paige would’ve been the perfect Bella