Kristen Stewart's Twilight Daughter Has Grown Up To Be Stunning
Fans of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight book series knew Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter was coming — Bella Swan would give birth to Edward Cullen's child, and it would happen in the film adaptations just as it did in the tomes. What fans didn't know, though, was who'd be playing the iconic couple's onscreen daughter. You might say that with that role, a star was born.
In 2011's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 and 2012's subsequent Part 2, a young actress by the name of Mackenzie Foy proved to be a perfect fit for the part of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson's fictional offspring, Renesmee.
Only 11 at the time of her Twilight debut, Foy caught the attention of Hollywood and more roles followed. From the innocent girl that Jacob imprinted on, to the lead in a highly-anticipated live-action retelling of a classic ballet, Foy has evolved into a stunning actress whose star is officially on the rise.
She was your typical tot with a "black eye and big belly" before becoming Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter
Prior to being discovered by Hollywood and becoming Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter, baby Mackenzie Foy was just like any other toddler — waddling around the yard at her family's home. The actress shared a sweet glimpse into her life pre-fame on Instagram, joking, "#TBT to when I was three!!! Yah black eye and big belly that's how I rolled." (As any mother of small children can attest, tiny humans have a special talent for giving themselves black eyes.)
Foy was clearly as cute as a button. Given she kicked off her career at that same age, it must not have been long after this photo that the precocious tot was spotted by talent scouts. However, at this point, her life appeared to be wrapped up in normal childhood entanglements like backyards, bathing suits, and buckets.
And while she's outgrown some of those childhood fancies, the solid foundation Foy's parents established must have stuck. Over the years, as her fame continued to expand, the actress has shared family time photos with her dad and with her mom — the latter of whom Foy adorably refers to as "the queen."
Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter was scouted at just three years old
Before Renesmee ever came into being onscreen, Foy caught her first career break by chance. According to USA Today, a talent scout spotted the then-three year old at a dance recital — thus kicking off Foy's career as a child model. In this capacity, she booked gigs with Ralph Lauren, Gap, Disney, and many more. Foy alluded to her modeling roots on Instagram in 2017, sharing a nostalgic portfolio pic of herself standing in a field of flowers. "#tbt to little me at a photoshoot for @garnethillpics," the now-actress captioned the (beautiful) shot.
It was those early modeling gigs that paved the way for Foy to break into the entertainment industry. At first, it was via various bit parts in commercials — think Barbie, Pantene, Blackberry, and Disney. In 2009, though, Foy landed her first episodic part in the TV series 'Til Death. Roles on the shows Flashforward and Hawaii Five-O followed in 2010 before Foy snagged the role of a lifetime in the Twilight franchise.
From supernatural to super scary
If you're the type who likes to have the wits scared out of you, 2013's horror film The Conjuring should be on your watch-list. Not only is it a stellar example of the possession genre, but it also features Foy in her first big role following the Twilight films. She plays Cindy, one of several daughters in a rural farmhouse with a decidedly unwanted (and supernatural) guest.
Making the film even more interesting is the fact that Foy and the rest of the cast and crew endured strange experiences on and around the set in North Carolina. "I don't want to make up fake stuff, but it has been really weird some of the stuff that I have been hearing," director James Wan told Collider. "Even Vera [Farmiga] has said from the moment she came to do this movie, she'd always wake up between the period from 3 to 4 in the morning." Spoiler alert: That hour bears a special — and terrifying — significance in the film.
Costars equal excellent BFFs
Fortunately for Foy, she made it out of The Conjuring without falling prey to any personal hauntings. And, apparently, filming such an intense movie makes for a great bonding experience between co-stars — Foy became fast friends with Joey King, who played one of her sisters in the movie. The two kept in touch, and King frequently pops up on Foy's Instagram feed.
Whether running into each other by accident, hanging out together at Teen Vogue's Young Hollywood party, or just generally being BFFs, Foy and King always seem to have a blast. Given how much the girls have in common, their friendship is a natural fit. Both hail from Los Angeles. They are only one year apart in age. They both appeared in commercials before finding fame. On film, they both appeared on R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour and lent their voices to the animated movie The Boxcar Children. Twinsies!
TaeKwon-Don't mess with Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter
Don't let Foy's delicate beauty fool you — this girl is fierce. She's been practicing martial arts since she was a child and has even earned her black belt. For those unfamiliar, the International TaeKwon-Do Federation explains that a black belt can only be achieved through at least six months to a year of intensive training.
During a 2014 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Foy chatted with the host about her favorite hobby. "Well, when I'm not working or doing school, I'm at TaeKwon-Do," she revealed before hilariously taking Fallon down using a self-defense move from the sport. Fallon isn't the only guy who has been impressed by her martial arts skills, though. On the Twilight set, co-star Taylor Lautner couldn't resist putting Foy's strength to the test. "We did talk about it... we did push-ups," Foy told Clevver in 2012 about discussing their shared passion for TaeKwon-Do, adding, "I don't remember who won, but I remember doing a lot." In other words, she totally beat Lautner, right?
Making (outer)space for strong female role models
In 2014, after playing Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter, Mackenzie Foy played the brainy daughter of Matthew McConaughey's character in the space adventure Interstellar
. The young star shared the screen with two other Hollywood heavy-hitters: Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway, both of whom Foy clearly holds in high regard. Of Hathaway, Foy told Vanity Fair, "Anne told me not to judge myself so hard when I see movies, and to see it as myself progressing. Which is incredible advice, and she's such an amazing person. I just love her so much."
Chastain — who plays the older version of Foy's character in the film — and Foy got to know each other on set while creating the character. "Just little things that we do with our hands, facial expressions, with like the pencil [behind the ear], always having a messy bun," Foy explained of the creative decisions the pair made. That time together translated into a lasting friendship. On Chastain's birthday in 2016, Foy posted a photo of the two on Instagram, writing, "You are such a beautiful person inside and out! I hope you had an amazing day!"
Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter hopped on the Imagine Dragons bandwagon
Who doesn't love Imagine Dragons? From "Radioactive" to "Thunder," the Las Vegas-based rock band keeps the hits coming. It's no wonder Foy considers herself a super-fan! So you can imagine the young star's sheer excitement when she found herself sharing a plane with the rockers in March 2015. In a post shared to Instagram, Foy gushed, "Arriving with my airplane buddies @imaginedragons in Cannes!!! #Iloveimaginedragons."
And Foy's fangirling wasn't just for show. The actress really does love the band, and she's got the concert pics to prove it. A few months after her plane ride with the guys, Foy snapped a shot waiting for the rock stars to start their set. Later in the evening, she shared a photo of the packed concert arena, saying, "@imaginedragons this is AWSOME!! [sic]"
Although time has passed, her love for the band hasn't. When asked by Kidzworld in 2016 what musical artists she's really into, Imagine Dragons made her short list (along with Adele and Taylor Swift).
Man's, er, Mackenzie's best friend
Joey King may come and go on Foy's social media, but there is one presence who remains constant: Foy's dog, Firefly! The pooch, which appears to be a hound or hound mix, could not be cuter — or a better friend to the young star. It's obvious they spend every spare moment together that Foy's burgeoning career allows.
They take selfies. They go on road trips (sometimes, much to Firefly's chagrin, to the vet). They channel the luck of the Irish with matching green apparel on St. Patrick's Day. Foy even coordinated her Halloween outfit to Firefly's, with the precious pair dressing up as an angel and devil, respectively.
The pair's closeness can't be denied, which is perhaps due to the fact that Foy has had Firefly since he was just a pup. In 2017, she shared a throwback photo on Instagram of her then-puppy, adding the caption, "Baby Fire is just too cute!!" These two have basically grown up together, and that kind of companionship is priceless.
Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter is a major fan of Gilmore Girls
In July 2016, Foy posted a photo to Instagram that sent fans into a frenzy. Foy stood alongside Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, captioning: "Soooo this happened!!!" Given the vague but clearly ecstatic caption, and the fact Foy looks eerily similar to the two women, rumors started circulating that she could soon become a Stars Hollow resident. Rory did announce she was pregnant at the end of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Can't you just see Foy cameo'ing as Rory's daughter in series' flash-forwards?
Alas, fans will have to put a pin in that idea. International Business Times' Megan Schaefer discovered a perfectly logical reason for the run-in. The women were all working on Netflix productions at the time — Graham and Bledel on the Gilmore Girls reboot, and Foy on The Little Prince. While doing press for her film, Foy wore the same elephant sweater, suggesting their paths simply crossed. So, long story short, the women likely won't turn up as family onscreen — but they are all part of the Netflix family.
Kristen Stewart reunited with her Twilight daughter in 2018
Bella and Renesmee — Twilight's inimitable mother and daughter duo — together again? Well, sort of. Because Hollywood is such a small world, Kristen Stewart and her former onscreen offspring, Foy, enjoyed a mini-reunion in March 2018. The backdrop for this blast for the past was the limited-edition Chanel Beauty House pop-up in LA, which the stars attended separately. And so, six years after the release of the final Twilight film, Kristen Stewart met up with her Twilight daughter for a nostalgic photo opp.
It's not surprising the two would be happy to see each other. Foy has spoken frequently over the years about the fondness she carries for her on-screen mom — who, per Foy's interview with Clevver in 2014, would take the starlet hiking during downtime. In 2012, Foy told MTV of her on-screen parents, "They're really, really sweet. They weren't so much a brother/sister, they're more... super sweet friends. It's like the friend that you tell everything to. Like, that kind of friend," she said, adding that both stars were "always kind."
Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter took a life-changing role in a timeless classic
The future holds big things for Mackenzie Foy, starting with the role of a lifetime — the lead in Walt Disney Pictures live-action retelling of Alexandre Dumas' classic 1892 story-turned ballet, The Nutcracker. Titled The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, the film is slated for release in November 2018. Foy stars as Clara, a little girl tasked with taking care of a very special Nutcracker Christmas doll.
As she did in her last blockbusters, Foy shares the Nutcracker screen with veteran stars of Hollywood. Keira Knightley brings the Sugar Plum Fairy to life, Morgan Freeman stars as Drosselmeyer, and Helen Mirren plays Mother Ginger. Suffice it to say that Kristen Stewart's Twilight daughter is pretty darn pumped about landing her part. When news of the casting broke in July 2016, the starlet took to Instagram to express her joy, saying, "I'm so excited and honored to be apart of this amazing film. A new adventure begins." She seems to be taking her research seriously, too. In December 2016, she shared a photo on Instagram of the Royal Opera House in London watching, well, The Nutcracker ballet, of course!