Michelle Trachtenberg missed out on Twilight role

Michelle Trachtenberg has revealed she lost out on the role of Bella Swan in the hit Twilight movie franchise because of scheduling complications.

The Gossip Girl star was first approached by a casting agent in the first Twilight film's early production stages but because she was already locked into her contract with TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she had to pass on the part, which eventually went to then-newcomer Kristen Stewart.

She tells UsMagazine.com, "I was actually supposed to star in that (Twilight), but I was on Buffy at the time... I've known (director) Catherine Hardwicke since the movie Thirteen... I guess schedules never worked out."

Michelle Trachtenberg understands why she was considered to star in yet another vampire franchise: "There's only so few pale girls in Hollywood."