Shiloh Fernandez is Lookin' Good

Before that, he was one of the finalists for the role of Edward Cullen in “Twilight.” Fernandez lost the part to Robert Pattinson, but took his defeat as a challenge — and director Catherine Hardwicke took note.

“He has a dark, sexy, masculine vibe,” said Hardwicke, 55, who ultimately cast him not as the pale, bloodthirsty Cullen, but as Peter, the poor woodcutter who wins Red Riding Hood’s heart in her new film. “I kept following his career, and he followed me around until I put him in a movie.”

Fernandez doesn’t pretend that missing out on “Twilight” saved him from the daily torture of tabloid covers, paparazzi and obsessive fans. Still, he can’t imagine what life would be like now had things turned out differently in 2008, when he first auditioned for Hardwicke in her Venice Beach garage.

“I wrote her a letter during the ‘Twilight’ process to explain why I identified with that character, because of things that were happening in my life at the time,” he said. “She sent me a very nice Christmas card back, saying she was sure we’d get to do something together at some point.

“I don’t know how many times you actually get that second chance, but I think I’m better-suited now to play Peter than I was to play Edward. I wasn’t good enough then. I didn’t have the experience. Since then, I’ve matured, and I’ve been able to do that without that intense pressure, which Robert has handled so well. So when ‘Red Riding Hood’ came along, I was ready.”

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