At 13 years old, she writes a cult film with the director of Twilight

📸 Source photo: ©Instagram @nikkireed

📌 Source: allocine

Do you think that Twilight is the very first collaboration between Nikki Reed (aka Rosalie Cullen) and director Catherine Hardwicke? Well… surprise! Their story began long before the sparkling vampires. At just 13 years old, Nikki co-wrote a film with Catherine, and this project became a real sensation for an entire generation of teens. Let’s rewind ⏪…

🌪️ Thirteen: the shocking teen film of the 2000s

Released in 2003, Thirteen is an intense drama that continues to resonate more than twenty years later.
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke (who would later direct Twilight), the film dives into the daily life of Tracy (played by Evan Rachel Wood), a serious and studious teenager… until she meets Evie (played by Nikki Reed).

👉 Together, they explore the excesses of adolescence: drugs, sexuality, petty theft, rebellion against authority… in short, all this whirlwind that marked those who grew up in the 2000s.

💫 Nikki Reed, screenwriter at only 13!

The craziest part? It’s that Nikki Reed was not just an actress in the film… she was also the co-screenwriter! Alongside Catherine Hardwicke, she put on paper some of her own teenage experiences.

And believe me, you can feel it on screen: this brutal authenticity, these dialogues that sound “real”… no wonder so many young people saw themselves in this story.

Moreover, Nikki told Rolling Stone that a girl approached her one day and said: “Thirteen is my favorite movie in the world, it made me want to write my first script.” Proof of the huge impact of the film!

👩‍👧 A decisive meeting with Catherine Hardwicke

What’s even more touching is the relationship between Nikki and Catherine Hardwicke. The director had known Nikki since she was five (she was friends with her mother and even dated her father). When she saw her again as a teenager, she was shocked by the change: the little girl in overalls had become a mini J-Lo, full of rebellion.

That’s when Catherine had a crazy idea: “We are going to write your story. You will play the lead role and I will direct. It will be your therapy.”
Result? A script written in just 6 days! 😱

🎥 A success that marked a generation

Despite the difficulties in securing funding – some producers were hesitant about such a raw subject – Thirteen finally came to life with a budget of 2 million dollars. Filmed in just 24 days, the movie grossed over 10 million at the box office and was critically acclaimed.

Even today, it remains a reference when discussing films about adolescence. And while Nikki Reed later admitted to having some regrets about how her family is portrayed on screen, one thing is certain: she inspired an entire generation to express themselves, to write, and to embrace their truth.

✨ So, did you know this crazy story about Nikki Reed and Catherine Hardwicke? If you grew up with Thirteen or Twilight, share your memories in the comments, I’m sure many of us were marked by these cult films!