Ashley Michele Greene (born February 21, 1987) appears in all five movies of the series as Alice Cullen. She originally auditioned for the role of Bella Swan, but later got a call that she had been offered the role of Alice Cullen. Author Stephenie Meyer said that Greene was the actor who came closest to her vision for their character. Meyer said, "I saw a picture of her and just thought, 'You found Alice! Oh my gosh!'"
Greene was born in Jacksonville, Florida, the daughter of Michele, who works in insurance, and Joe Greene, a U.S. Marine who now owns his own concrete business. She grew up in Middleburg and Jacksonville, and went to University Christian School before transferring to Wolfson High School when she was in tenth grade. She moved to Los Angeles, California, at the age of 17 to pursue an acting career. Greene has one sibling, an older brother named Joe, who still resides in Jacksonville with his parents.