Character: Bella Swan

Played by Kristen Stewart (Panic Room, Into the Wild)

As the Twilight saga begins, 17-year-old Isabella Swan moves from sunny Phoenix to rainy Forks, Washington to live with her father, Charlie. School-smart and mature beyond her years, Bella does her best to blend in with the kids at Forks High; because she’s clumsy and shy, Bella can’t see her own beauty and strength -- though her classmates clearly do.

When Bella locks eyes one day with the impossibly handsome Edward Cullen, her life changes forever and she realizes she’s falling for a vampire, literally putting her life at risk just to be near him. As a series of events put Bella in harm’s way, the super-powered Edward becomes the protector of her fragile human life -- though their increasing closeness tests Edward's ability to control his thirst for her sweet-smelling blood.