It’s the 20th day of June! Today may not seem out of the ordinary; but for some, it’s a date etched in fictional folklore. According to Twilight series author Stephenie Meyer, today marks the 123rd birthday of Edward Anthony Masen Cullen — the brooding vampire with a century-old soul and a teenage jawline, who has captivated readers and movie-goers alike since 2005.
Reportedly born in Chicago on June 20, 1901, Edward lived a short human life — or so the story goes — until the 1918 Spanish Flu claimed his parents… and nearly him, as well. That is, until a kind doctor with a secret of his own stepped into his life — or maybe “death” come to think of it.
Dr. Carlisle Cullen, a vampire with a conscience, saved young Edward’s life by transforming him into something both less — and more — than human. From that moment on, Edward Cullen became ageless, immortal, and eternally age 17.
Though born in fiction, Edward’s backstory is grounded in real events — the 1918 flu pandemic, the rise of industrial America, the death of innocence on the eve of the Great War. He carries with him the dignity of another era — and the melodrama of a thousand immortal sighs.
He would go on — at least in print — to fall in love with a quiet, awkward teenager named Bella Swan. And whether you adored it or rolled your eyes, Twilight became an undeniable pop culture phenomenon. Over 160 million books sold. Five major motion pictures made. A pop-cultural avalanche that revived vampire fiction and launched a thousand fan clubs.
It was a generational experience: Team Edward or Team Jacob — it was the 2000s’ version of Beatles vs. Stones.
And so, on this June 20th, we mark the fictional birthday of a not-so-fictional icon. Whether you see him as a tragic romantic, a walking red flag, or just another sparkly vampire, Edward Cullen remains — somehow — unforgettable, which isn’t too bad for a 123-year-old.