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  • Nikki Reed arrives at the T-Mobile Sidekick LX launch event at Paramount Studios
  • ‘Twilight’ stars Nikki Reed and Kellan Lutz vamp it up during the Express Celebrates TXT L8TR Campaign in West Hollywood on July 29, 2009
  • Nikki Reed and ‘Twilight’s’ Taylor Lautner attends Stars For a Cause At The HFPA Salute To Young Hollywood Party held at Nobu in LA
  • Taylor Lautner and Nikki Reed at the ‘Twilight’ premiere
  • ‘Twilight’ star Nikki Reed
  • Nikki Reed as Rosalie Hale in ‘Twilight’

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  • Nikki Reed arrives at the T-Mobile Sidekick LX launch event at Paramount Studios
  • Getty Images

    ‘Twilight’ stars Nikki Reed and Kellan Lutz vamp it up during the Express Celebrates TXT L8TR Campaign in West Hollywood on July 29, 2009

  • Getty Images

    Nikki Reed and ‘Twilight’s’ Taylor Lautner attends Stars For a Cause At The HFPA Salute To Young Hollywood Party held at Nobu in LA
  • Getty Premium

    Taylor Lautner and Nikki Reed at the ‘Twilight’ premiere
  • Getty Premium

    ‘Twilight’ star Nikki Reed
  • Summit Entertainment

    Nikki Reed as Rosalie Hale in ‘Twilight’
 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: November 10, 2009 5:12 PM EST
LAST UPDATED: November 10, 2009 5:23 PM EST

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

Before Nikki Reed landed the role of Rosalie Hale in “The Twilight Saga,” the actress had a major advantage over her competition – “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke dated her father.

“I have a long history with Catherine Hardwicke, who directed the first film,” Nikki told Billy Bush on Monday during an interview for Access Hollywood and “The Billy Bush Show.” “I didn’t actually audition, but I did meet with everybody involved. I knew about the project long before everybody else… I got a phone call like I think eight or nine months before we started shooting about ‘Twilight,’ this little tiny book that a select audience enjoyed. It wasn’t this big monster machine franchise at the time.”

In addition to previously working with Catherine on 2003’s “Thirteen,” Nikki’s father had dated the director.

“I’ve known her,” Nikki explained. “She dated my father when I was young a brief period of time.”

“She was almost your stepmother,” Billy said.

“That’s an interesting word to use,” Nikki told Billy. “I don’t think I ever felt like she was my stepmother but…yeah.”

Nikki said didn’t feel awkward when Catherine was replaced by Chris Weitz to direct “New Moon.”

“It wasn’t as dramatic as the media made it out to be,” she said. “She was never signed on to all three, or four.”

Copyright 2009 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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