Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke received 'mini cupcake' to celebrate film's massive success

Director Catherine Hardwicke has revealed that she was only rewarded with a mini cupcake after her 2008 movie Twilight became a huge commercial success.

The Thirteen filmmaker directed Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in the first film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's vampire romance book series. The film vastly exceeded expectations, ultimately taking more than $400 million (£290 million) at the box office from a $37 million (£27 million) budget.

In an interview with The Guardian, Hardwicke explained that a male director who had successfully launched a new franchise might be rewarded with "a car, or a three-picture deal, or (the chance) to do basically whatever you want," but that was not her experience.

"I walked into a room with all these gifts, and everybody was congratulating the studio, and they gave me a box," she recalled. "I opened it up, and it was a mini cupcake."

Hardwicke admitted that moment made her realise she would not be valued in the same way as a male director, no matter how successful she was.

"No, people aren't going to hire more women directors," she told the publication. "They're not going to give you the next job and let you do something great. It was an earth-shattering reality right away."

Hardwicke was replaced by Chris Weitz for the sequel, 2009's New Moon, while directors David Slade and Bill Condon helmed the subsequent films Eclipse and Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2.

Hardwicke went on to direct 2011's Red Riding Hood, starring Amanda Seyfried, and has since made films including Miss You Already, Miss Bala and Mafia Mamma.