Josh Peck's Near Miss: Auditioning for Edward in 'Twilight'

Josh Peck and Robert Pattinson Matt Winkelmeyer;Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images(2)

The Twilight movie franchise had the potential to take a different direction altogether. Instead of introducing British actor Robert Pattinson as the luminous vampire Edward Cullen, it almost cast Josh Peck in the prominent lead role. During the episode aired on Monday, October 23, of his podcast titled "Good Guys," Peck, who is 36 years old, disclosed that he had indeed auditioned for the part and had advanced quite far in the selection process.

Guest Taylor Lautner, known for his role as Jacob in the Twilight movies, appeared on the episode. The Twilight movies were released between 2008 and 2012. During their conversation, Peck, who gained fame from the Nickelodeon show Drake & Josh, shared that he auditioned for the role of Edward. He remembered submitting his tape for the audition in 2006-2007. A month later, his manager informed him that he was one of the final four candidates for the role.

Peck expressed his astonishment at still being considered for the role of Edward, considering his weight. He humorously mentioned not having undergone a tummy tuck yet and believed it was unlikely for him to be shirtless, making it seem impossible. He jokingly added that he did not end up getting the role and found it unbelievable that someone like R Patz was chosen, questioning if the casting team had considered options like Chris Hemsworth or Stanley Tucci.

Peck has openly discussed his struggles with weight and substance addictions. In his 2022 book titled "Happy People Are Annoying," the actor from "How I Met Your Father" expressed that his predominant childhood recollection was his weight issue. According to Peck, his "first love," food, led him to nearly reach 300 pounds before he even reached adolescence. While he acknowledged having positive childhood memories and being aware of love and care, being overweight dominated his thoughts.

Peck attributed his decision to shed pounds to his portrayal of the character George Tooney in Mean Creek, a movie released in 2004. In the role, Peck found himself embodying a deeply troubled individual who was filled with imperfections and struggles, leading him to explore the complexities of humanity.

Peck earned critical acclaim for his performance and decided to make a change to further his acting career. Through diet and exercise, the actor lost 120 pounds over the course of a year and a half.