'Twilight' Stars, Then and Now

Nov. 12, 2012— -- intro: It's time to say goodbye to Edward, Bella and Jacob.

The final installment of the "Twilight" franchise, "Breaking Dawn - Part 2," opens nationwide Friday. In the four years since the first film premiered, the stars' looks haven't changed much. But Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner have grown from relative unknowns to international superstars since they sprang into the public eye in 2008 and spawned legions of die-hard fans.

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Ahead of the final "Twilight" film, check out how the three major players have changed before audiences' eyes:

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quicklist: 1title: Robert Pattinsontext: Just saying the name "Robert Pattinson" is enough to make girls around the world swoon, but before the first "Twilight" premiered in 2008, Pattinson, then 22, was relatively new to the film industry. He had a few small film credits until 2005, when he starred as Cedric Diggory in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." Pattinson didn't think he had a chance at scoring the role of Edward Cullen in "Twilight."

"I was literally embarrassed walking into the audition," he told Vanity Fair in 2008. "I had no idea how to play Edward at all. I thought that even going into the audition was completely pointless, because they were just going to cast a model or something. I felt it was kind of arrogant of me to even go in."

But Pattinson became Cullen and the rest is history, though he has broken out of the Twi-hard bubble for leading roles in more serious films including "Cosmopolis," "Water for Elephants" and "Remember Me."

And he's gotten involved in his fair share of controversies. After his onscreen love and offscreen girlfriend admitted to having an affair with her married "Snow White and the Huntsman" director Rupert Sanders, Pattinson went into hiding. But the actor, who has admitted that he doesn't have a publicist because he's "cheap," has rarely discussed his relationship with Stewart.

"I've never been interested in trying to sell my personal life and that's really the only reason people bring it up," Pattinson told Good Morning America one month after the affair. "The reason you go on to TV is to promote movies. That's the only way to do it."media: 17679962

quicklist: 2title: Kristen Stewarttext: Stewart had acted alongside industry heavyweights like Jodie Foster and Dennis Quaid before taking on the role of Bella Swan at age 17. She almost didn't -- she hated "Twilight" when she first read a synopsis of the film.

"I didn't want to be a part of something that presents this really ideological idea of love to so many young people," she told the Los Angeles Times in 2008. "I don't know who wrote that synopsis, but that is not the story. Once I read the script, I begged for an audition. The script showed completely different sides to the characters. It fleshed them out. You see that the power balance between Edward and Bella is actually really skewed and more interesting."

"Twilight" shot Stewart to international fame, not to mention fortune. She reportedly raked in $12.5 million per film for the final two "Twilight" installments. Combined with her "Snow White and the Huntsman" paycheck, Stewart earned $34.5 million from May 2011 to May 2012, according to Forbes. She ranked 43rd on the magazine's Celebrity 100 list and was the youngest woman on it by 16 years. But she doesn't just do big budget films -- Stewart's also dabbled in the indie film scene with "Welcome to the Rileys" and "The Runaways," in which she portrayed Joan Jett.

Fans became obsessed with Stewart's relationship with Pattinson, but when their romance came crashing down after her affair, many wondered if she would be able to bounce back.

"I'm deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I've caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected," she said in a statement to People after photos of her with Rupert Sanders appeared in Us Weekly. "This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob. I love him, I love him, I'm so sorry."

The couple have appeared to reconcile, even doing a joint interview with Entertainment Tonight earlier this month, but some have suggested it's just a publicity stunt for the final film.media: 17680016

quicklist: 3title: Taylor Lautnertext: Lautner was 16, and the youngest of the "Twilight" stars, when he took on the role of Jacob. Before becoming a teen idol, he was a child star with film credits including "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" and "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D."

He's become famous for his plethora of shirtless scenes, but Lautner isn't all muscles and good looks. After finishing high school, he entered community college, but due to "Twilight's" fame, he was unable to finish, he told David Letterman. One day, he might return, he said, "as long as I'm not working."

Lautner's schedule doesn't appear to be freeing up any time soon. He recently wrapped "Grown Ups 2" in which he plays a frat boy and he is signed on for "Tracers," which is set to premiere in 2014.

He's has also been busy dating. The actor has been linked to Selena Gomez, Lily Collins and most recently, his former high school girlfriend, Sara Hicks. Lautner had a very public relationship with Taylor Swift in 2009 but the pair split after just three months. Now 21, Lautner said in an interview in the December issue of Cosmopolitan that he keeps a good relationship with all of his exes, including Swift.media: 17679864

quicklist: 4title: Ashley Greenetext: Before stepping into the Twilight world as Alice Cullen at age 21, Greene was hostessing at the Los Angeles bar and restaurant Belmont. She had no idea the fan base "Twilight" had until after she got scored an audition.

Although her film career hasn't blossomed out of the Twilight series, Greene has become a fashion and style icon. She's graced the covers of Marie Claire, Elle, Cosmopolitan and Maxim. She modeled for DKNY and posed nude in body paint in Sports Illustrated's 2010 swimsuit issue.

The 25-year-old also made headlines in 2010 when she briefly dated Joe Jonas. But Greene doesn't exactly love her newfound "Twilight" fame.

"'Twilight' has ruined me," she told Marie Claire. "When this is all over, flying internationally is going to be very hard for me. It is just not worth it to buy a first-class ticket, because of the cost."media: 17679799

quicklist: 5title: Nikki Reed text: Before Reed starred as Rosalie in "Twilight," she was known as a "bad girl" for the 2003 drama "Thirteen," which she co-wrote and based off her own life.

Although Reed has't found quite the same level of success as her fellow "Twilight" co-stars, she has found love. Reed got engaged to "American Idol" season 10 contestant Paul McDonald after meeting him at the premiere of "Little Red Riding Hood" and dating for two months. The couple wed in Oct. 2011.

"Being married is amazing, but we are both still getting used to saying and hearing the words 'husband' and 'wife,' " Reed told People magazine last fall. "It's a little weird at first, but it's special and I'm really proud to be known as his wife and as Mrs. McDonald."

The actress is adamant that she won't be having children any time soon. Her schedule indicates as much -- she's appearing in at least three films next year, including "Empire State" alongside Miley Cyrus' fiance Liam Hemsworth. media: 17679707