What do you look for in an actor who has no experience, and how do you identify “potential”?

I always look for something in the EYES – there’s an indefinable “it factor” that makes someone “watchable”. This is usually a perfect combination of intelligence, charisma and skill. Whether it’s looking at photos or watching taped auditions – I want to see something going on in the eyes. If there’s a spark – there’s “potential”.

Did a non-actor/unknown have a real chance at being cast in one of these roles, or was this just a publicity vehicle?

Yes – of course an unknown had a real chance. Seriously – we are all really busy – and would never just make extra work for ourselves… The Twilight Saga projects do not lack for publicity – so the Open Casting was not simply a publicity stunt. We genuinely were interested in finding new faces – just as we had discovered through our various open calls for the “Wolf Pack” in New Moon.

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