Fan Site Exclusives

Twilight Source and co fan sites, like Twilight Series Theories, have gotten exclusive interviews with the cast... to date there are interviews with the humans, michael sheen, kristen stewart, and Edi Gathegi, alex maraz, and the cullens (hales)

here they are

The first interview is with “The Humans” – Mike Welch, Anna Kendrick, Justin Chon, and Christian Serratos:

Q: In New Moon you have a kind of love triangle going on. I’m curious to see how that ended up playing out for you.

M: There are a couple of different love triangles there. There’s obviously the one between Bella and Jacob and Edward that Mike is trying to squeeze into. More of a love rectangle. And I guess there’s the one between Mike and Jessica and Bella. You know, Jessica likes Mike. Mike likes Bella. Everybody likes Bella. And it sort of doesn’t turn out great for Mike or Jessica. A lot of this is very indicative of high school heart ache in general, but it’s sort of heightened with these supernatural characters.

Q: Both of you have a background in theatre. I wanted to know how that has helped you with your roles for Twilight and New Moon?

A: Well on a logistical note, there was a scene when Jessica and Bella go to the movies, when we were shooting that outside there were like hundreds of girls standing and watching as we shot it. It was just a nice tool to have experience in front of a live audience. It seems like a silly comparison, but honestly it helped to kind of block out the fact that all these fans were watching us and to try to just focus on the scene and ignore the fact that they’re all kind of videotaping us from the side lines.

Q: What was your favorite scene to shoot?

Mike: My favorite scene by far was the kind of three way date that happened between Mike and Bella and Jacob. That horribly awkward moment when Mike asks Bella out to the movies and she tries to turn it into a group thing and then it ends up being the worst case scenario which is that that three way thing. You know, I’m sure it was certainly not a lot of fun for Mike to go through. I mean, I can relate, as I’m sure a lot of us can, but it was a lot of fun to do.

Anna: And I would have to say that there is a scene where Jessica and Bella go to the movies. That was fun because Jessica really likes to talk about herself and Bella is really depressed. She’s not saying much. We were just kind of trying to do it all in one take, and Chris told me to just keep talking until we came to a natural stop. So I stopped and just kind of monologued as flighty, silly Jessica which was a blast.

Q; Does having different directors and different visions for different movies cause any confusion for how you should play your character?

Mike: I think that the directors that we’ve had are very different in terms of style and process, but there seems to be a singular vision in terms of our characters. Everyone seems to be pretty unanimous about it, and that basically is that we are there to add levity to the franchise and to just represent normalcy in Bella’s life. Represent just kind of a real high school experience to give the story some grounding so that people are able to believe the more supernatural fantasy elements.

Q: You talked about the monologueing. Can you give us some examples of add libbing that you were able to do?

Anna: Well, I don’t want to give anything away. Honestly, we were doing these takes where I just had to keep talking to fill space. So I am wondering what exactly it was that I ended up saying just as much as anybody. So I’m looking forward to seeing it and finding out because I have almost no idea what I ended up saying.

Q: You guys are both so great about adding that comedic element into the movies. You both seem to be able to say a thousand words with your facial expressions. So I was just curious who were your comedic inspirations as actors?

Mike: Well, for me the whole reason I became an actor was because of Jim Carrey. I probably watched Ave Ventura Pet Detective a thousand times as a kid. Man, other than that, a lot of comedic inspiration and actors… guys like… I’m just going to stick with Jim Carrey for now because he sort of jump started the whole thing for me.

Anna: I would have to say Parker Posey has been a favorite of mine for a long time and all the players involved in Christopher Guest films. But then at the same time more traditional ladies of comedy, you know, the Tina Fey and Kristen Wiigs of the world are very inspirational, I think, as far as women in comedy go.

Q: New Moon is defiantly a darker film, but can we expect the same humor that we got form your characters in Twilight?

Anna: I hope so. I hope that we add some humor, that certainly was the goal. The films do get darker but the scripts seem to include a little bit for the humans to do, as Mike said, to kind of add a realism and a grounding point for a franchise that is set in a fantasy world.

Mike: Yeah. What’s a lot of fun for me is that the high school kids really are very isolated from the rest of the story, so even if the overall tone does get more intense as we go along, our role really doesn’t change in that respect.

Q: This question is for Anna. Melissa Rosenburg, the screen writer, said that she wrote your role kind of as a combination of Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory. I was wondering if you keep that in mind or do you just kind of stick with Jessica’s mind set.

Anna: I have heard that and I know that she wrote some elements in to incorporate both characters. I know that they are both kind of the alpha female mean girls of the novels. One thing about my playing this role was that I felt like the only real way for me to play a girl who, in spite all accounts, should really be tall, thin, and blonde, was just kind of make it really desperate and needy and just a girl who is constantly trying to be liked, and comes of a little pathetic doing it. So I know that elements of both of those characters are incorporated into the script. I think the humans have a little more leeway in terms of how we play our characters. It really only made sense to play it a little awkward and a little desperate. But really, underneath it all, that’s really what those girls are. It made sense for me. That may be what it is on paper, but there’s only so much I can do to make it kind of mean girl-y.

Q: What’s the most rewarding things that you’ve been able to do with the fame that you’ve achieved from Twilight. If it’s charitable or something with a fan. What’s the most memorable experience due to your fame from Twilight.

Mike: One of the things that I – well really it was a mutual decision that my family and I made really early on is to be committed to some kind of charity work as a way of just keeping me grounded and keeping a good perspective while working in the entertainment industry. So I have been working with an organization called “Kids With a Cause” for a number of years and we’ve done a lot of really great work. It’s sort of in transition right now. With this franchise – with Twilight specifically I was able to raise a decent amount of money for “Kids With a Cause” that went to help feed a lot of kids. We go down to orphanages in Mexico quite often and bring a lot of supplies and things that they may need. You know, generally it’s not really charity if you talk about it, but it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience. And that aspect of it – I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Q: You guys portray the nice people in the series, does it feel ostracizing to not be included in the fight scenes or action sequences?

J: Well, I love being on the lighter side of things. I think it is definitely needed in the film. It can’t just be dark moods, love triangles and stuff like that. I think that it is refreshing to us to act in those type of scenes too. I very much enjoy it.

C: It would be fun to get to do some of the training, but it’s still nice to have this brighter, lighter role where I can bring some comedy to it.

Q: What do you think the fans will be most surprised by in New Moon?

J: They will be very surprised when they see how amazing Taylor looks without his shirt on.
*J & C laughs*

C: Each film is definitely growing, and getting slightly darker as each movie/book goes on. So I think it’s going to be the same but better… a little edgier.

Q: We’ve heard a lot about Chris Weitz, and we’d like to know what you took away from working with him?

J: What i took away is how important it is to be meticulous and thorough in pre-production and planning for a movie because once we got on set he had done all the work in terms of setting things up. So all we had to do was come in and just play. So, it was really relieving and it just shows because I am just an actor but with working with different directors, he really was on the ball with this stuff.

C: The thing about Chris was that he was on point. We got there, and he had already had a phone call with each of us. He was really into getting to know each of us. He was probably one of the best directors I have worked with, but he wasn’t like a ‘director’ director. He was like this friend that just happened to be amazing at directing! He knew what he was doing and he had a vision. He made sure we incorporated what we wanted to, but still got across what he wanted to, and it has created this awesome flick.

Q: At the end of Twilight we see that Eric and Angela are a couple at the prom. Do they stay together in New Moon, and if so, how would you describe their relationship? Are they quirky, silly, or cute?

J: Yeah, they stay together.

C: They are together through it all. They are very silly, and very quirky. They’re an interesting couple.

J: Quirky, but at times I don’t even know. It is like, they aren’t even together, but they are. They are very much together, but, you know how those couples that will fight in front of everyone else but in private, they will be as sweet as can be.

C: They’re that cute bickering couple.

Q: Since you have played your characters for two films, and you play them so well, is there a point where you ad lib a line or tweak something in the script? Or do you think that your character might say something other than what is written?

J: Well, it is really up to the director on how he feels that the scene ultimately should be shaped, but if there is something that we feel that might be more effective by tweaking it a little and we will do it and see what the director has to say. If he likes it, he will keep it in. If not, we’ll just continue to explore the options.

C: We’re really encouraged to speak up and let someone know if we feel it would be better to do this… everyone is encouraged to speak up because we are trying to make the best movie ever! We’re trying to nail it, and if we feel something coming out of our mouth, then we’re encouraged to speak up.

Q: Do you have a favorite line from New Moon that sticks out to you?

J: Yeah I think I do. But, honestly I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I think I will probably pick one when I see it.

C: Yeah, me too!

Q: In Twilight you guys contributed something personal to your wardrobe. Did you do that again for New Moon?

J: Not so much so. I think it was more settled on what we’d wear this time around and our characters are more established and they kind of take it from there this time around.

C: I have been wearing my own glasses through the whole saga; they are pretty much Angela’s glasses now. I auditioned with my glasses, and I wore them for Twilight, and they broke. It was a lot of wear and tear on my glasses so they had to special order the exact same pair from Gucci with my prescription in them and everything. So if I am wearing those and not wearing any animal products then I am good!

Q: In Twilight your characters are the comic relief, after intense moments with Edward and Bella. Will that continue in New Moon?

J: I think so yeah.

C: That’s pretty much our purpose.

J: We are definitely there to make sure that it isn’t too serious to where people want to -

C: Scream, yeah! We’re the comic relief. We are there to brighten things up!

Q: How much has your life changed from Twilight to New Moon, as far as doors opening or media scrutiny on you guys?

C: There have been minor changes. There’s a little more attention, but we get the laid back version of the attention aspect of it. So, that’s been pretty cool!

J: Yeah, I agree with Christian. We get a lot of the benefits without the drawbacks. Me and Christian can still walk on the street and be fine.

Q: Have you taken any souvenirs from the Twilight or New Moon sets?

J: Mm, not me. I haven’t taken anything. I am a good little boy.

C: He set that up because of what I’m going to tell you. Yeah, I took some bracelets! I forgot to take them off, and then I realized I was happy I forgot to because I had an ‘Angela souvenir’.

Q: Since you haven’t seen the film yet (New Moon), can you tell us what scene you are most looking forward to seeing, whether you were in it or not?

C: I’m excited to see the cliff dive and the Volturi come into the mix for the first time.

J: Yeah, I am really excited to see how the Volturi’s appearance is and how they act. I’m also excited to see Taylor/Jacob ride his motorcycle and really tear it up.

Q: Have you ever been on your own and thought, “What would my character (Angela/Eric) do?” Has it affected any of your choices?

C: Not really.

J: Not too much. Because Eric is – I don’t think I would make the same decisions as he does. But you know, Erik is a little smarter than I am in real life.

C: I think so too!

J: *laughs* Yeah, maybe I should start thinking “What would Erik do?”

Q: We love the human characters, but if you could choose one of the more serious characters to play in New Moon, who would you pick?

J: I would like to play Alex’s role, Paul. He just has so much testosterone going on. So wild you know?

C: If I could play another character, I think it would be awesome to take a shot at playing Leah. She’s got an awesome sass about her, and I think its fun to play sassy characters.

Q: Has your association with the Twilight Saga movies inspired any of your friends or family to come out of the Twilight Closet, and reveal their obsession with the books or the movie?

C: Oh, yeah! I know a lot of people. One of my friends, when I told them I was working on this project, went out and bought the books and fell madly in love with them! What’s awesome is that I, my family and some of my friends are taking this journey together.

J: My sister is a huge fan of Twilight. So, she can’t even believe that I am a part of this. In a way it is like, she wishes I wasn’t in it, because when she sees me it is like, “Oh, now I know that it is a movie because my brother is in it” you know? But my sister loves the whole series.

Q: Have you guys had any crazy or memorable fan experiences?

C: None very crazy. They have all been really respectful and really chill. They have all actually all been really cool people.

J: The craziest I have seen is with a girl. She tattooed Twilight and New Moon on her body. I thought that was pretty wild.

Q: Because the fans are so dedicated, have you ever been huge fans of something (experienced that for yourselves with something other than Twilight)?

C: I have a huge obsession with So You Think You Can Dance. It was an obnoxiously large obsession. I even went to the SYTYCD concert.

J: I had a huge obsession with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when I was a kid. They even had a soundtrack on cassette tapes back then, and I bought all that stuff. I bought action figures, and t-shirts…

C: That’s weird!

J: …that fake green ooze. Yeah I was just really obsessed with it.



Q: I just wanted to ask both of you guys, what was your favorite stunt to do?

Alex: For me, my favorite stunt to do was the cliff-diving scene. It’s pretty fun when you get the chance to jump off this fifty foot scaffolding just to practice the form, and it’s really exciting. I mean, it’s a good thing when an actor can actually perform your own stunts; it’s pretty rare.

Edi: I actually had a ton of fun on the second unit. The second unit director was extremely collaborative, and we actually created a shot together based on an idea that I had. And I can’t give it away, but the stunt that I do was something that I thought of and he said yes to, and it felt very wonderful to be able to have that sort of collaboration on a project of that scale.

Q: Alex, was it hard for you to come onto the New Moon set as one of the newcomers?

Edi: It was ‘cause I beat him up everyday [laughs].

Alex: There was no phase. Well, surrounded by the rest of the wolfpack, we’re all new to it, so we kind of relied on eachother, you know, for support and whatnot, and we spent the most time together. So, when I saw any of the other actors, it was mostly in passing, but we did work together. It was all good, you know, we had a good time. No … I felt right at home.

Q: Edi, your character kind of makes his last stand in New Moon and Alex, yours just kind of begins, so how are your experiences in filming and how are your current experiences in promoting the film?

Edi: I guess that question’s to you, huh Alex?

Alex: You’re passin’ the torch onto me?

Edi: Well, I die and he’s just born.

Alex: Yeah, ‘cause I feed off of you.

Edi: You eat me and then you get a new life. For me, it’s all about perspective. I just feel really lucky that I was a part of not only one film but two in a huge franchise so it’s opened up a lot of doors and given me opportunities to meet people and travel and do interviews, and like it’s not bad for my career, and right now it’s sort of like, will the Twilight ever end? I don’t know when it’s gonna end, but it’s very strong, there are a lot of people, there is a lot of passion to it, and I just feel lucky to be a part of it.

Alex: And I do as well. I think it’s an amazing franchise and I’m very fortunate to have a couple of films ready for me right after New Moon. So, it’s a good process and it’s a rare thing. Most other franchises … in fact, I don’t really know of any that actually take the time out to communicate with the fans as we’re doing, you know, and I think that’s a very crucial process, and, you know, it definitely motivates you to get back and do good work.

Q: I wanted to know, now Edi you play someone that’s actually a bad guy, and then Alex you’re playing someone who’s kind of misunderstood but comes across as mean, and I was wondering where you guys draw that energy from to come across that way on film?

Edi: Well if Alex’s character is misunderstood, then I want my character to be misunderstood. [Laughs] My character is a vampire, and they eat people, and he wants to eat Bella, and that doesn’t make him a bad guy.

[Alex laughs.]

Edi: He’s just, he’s just doing what nature intended him to do, and it’s actually … he’s not apologetic but he’s explaining, you know, why he must do what he has to do. And I think that’s interpreted as being the evil and bad because the heroes of our stories are vegetarians.

Alex: Which is funny because here’s two characters that both try to kill Bella, so that’s pretty good.

Edi: Yeah, your character tries to go after her …

Alex: … but my character, I think he has a sense of pride, you know? For his culture, for the land … and he just does whatever it takes to protect the land, and when Bella – at first, when I turn to try to kill her – she’s just an outsider. I don’t think she belongs there, and she’s bringing nothing but trouble so it’s just a thick sense of pride that’s really what Paul feels.

Q: Alex, I was just wondering because your character is very extreme and intense, what do you to prepare to be that way?

Alex: I snarl in the mirror … No, I’m just kidding. Um, I – to prepare for that – I just first have to be present physically. You know, I just lifted a lot … did some martial arts, and I just felt like that’s what needs to come across on screen … that I’m scrappy, I’m agile, I can fight, I can turn into a wolf all the time, so that presence … that raw energy and presence just has to be there, so that’s what I did… Get there physically first and then I just hoped that that would inform the acting component of it.

Q: Most of the cast between Twilight and New Moon seem to have some sort of fight training now, and I was wondering if this training might actually be useful for self defense, or if it was all just posturing for the movies?

Alex: Yeah, I don’t think for myself, I’ve been doing martial arts my entire life so I know I’m efficient and effective in real-time action, um, but I don’t know… let’s hope others can defend themselves with the training that they got from Twilight.

Edi: I know how to fight, but you don’t know how to fight …

Alex: [Mockingly] ‘let’s hope others can defend themselves against me’ [laughs]

[Alex laughs]

Edi: That’s funny. I grew up in the hood…. [laughs]

Alex: Yeah pretty much … In so many words [laughs]

Q: In Twilight, Laurent seemed a little bored with it all – telling James to stop playing with his food – and now he’s finding Bella very delicious in the trailer. Has he found some sort of new energy he’s decided to come back in with … how do you see his character changing for New Moon?

Edi: Here’s the thing, and I love that you’re bringing this up. I don’t think he has changed in that sense. I think that in the boat when he says don’t play with your food it’s because it’s tired of James instilling fear in the prey – it’s not necessary, it’s actually an unkind thing to do – and with Bella in the meadow, he’s not playing with his food. He’s actually only interacting with her because he has a connection to her – he’s already met her. If it was just another human being, he would do it quickly and swiftly and painlessly. With Bella, he wants to connect with her before he takes her life.

Q: Edi, you said before that you were really looking forward to the on-screen fight with the wolves, so now that you’ve seen the first cut from the film, did the fight live up to your expectations?

Edi: I can’t say … [laughs] I cannot say. You watch the movie on November 20th, you will see, tell me! That’s my final answer [laughs].

Q: Alex, Chris Weitz said that the eyes of the wolves were going to be kind of the actors’ eyes – you know, their soul – so is it going to be your eyes that we’re going to see on Paul in wolf form?

Alex: I’ve yet to see the finished version of my wolf, so I don’t know. But if they put my eyes on there I’m sure it’ll be really dreamy [laughs].

Q: There’s a lot of the news about Chris Weitz being very skilled with CGI, and I was wondering if this was each of your first experience in dealing with CGI, and how did you find it?

Alex: Yes, this is my first time doing CGI, and I was completely excited because I knew he had brought his team from The Golden Compass who was Phil Tippett who’s a legend in that realm, so I was completely excited … And it was great, it was very clear – most times when you work with CGI, from what I’d heard, it’s pretty hard to understand what’s going on because it takes a lot of imagination, but I found it to be really clear to do what I needed to do.

Edi: Yeah, yeah, it does take a lot of imagination to let it work. I mean, there are basically several slates that are going on in any given scene where they have to create the entire scene but you have to act like the wolves – you know Styrofoam cows and they you know they do the movement of what the wolf would do, and then they take them away and put the actor in there. They just do a bunch of stuff over and over and over again in order to get the scene to later on draw the wolf in. It’s sophisticated labor and stuff, but I think we had some of the best people in the world for it, so …

Q: You have both participated in several Twilight conventions, and I was wondering how is that for you guys to just be on stage and just be adored and asked a lot of questions?

Alex: For me, it’s pretty wild, you know … automatically thrust into this platform for a movie that isn’t even out yet – you know, to me that’s kind of mind-blowing but is great because it tells you how loyal the fans are you know that just anyone can play the character because the fans know the stories already. They already know my journey, so it’s been pretty wild, you know, it’s been good. It’s definitely motivating me to get back up to Vancouver and do some good work. It’s given me good perspective.


Q. How do you think, the questions are all ‘New Moon’ focused so I’m going to get right into it, how do you think Rosalie in ‘New Moon’ is going to be different from Rosalie in ‘Twilight’? Are we going to see more of Rosalie’s other side?

Nikki: The Cullens aren’t really in ‘New Moon’ as I’m sure you guys know because of the books and Chris Weitz making it very clear that we’re going to stick to the storyline. So, we’re not really in ‘New Moon’ all that much, but I did have an opportunity in the voting scene to show a different aspect of her personality, just because we were sort of setting up for ‘Eclipse’, because that’s really my opportunity to explore Rosalie as a character. So I guess, I guess in the voting scene, I worked really close with Chris to make sure that the speech that I give conveys exactly what I want it to. I don’t know if that answers your question, I’m sorry.


[No, no; yeah.]

Nikki: It’s been a long day. I think that when you have eight hundred pages in a book you have the time to explore each character, and so although Stephenie didn’t write one –dimensional characters, I mean all of our characters are very full and colorful; when you’re trying to execute that in a screenplay it can be really difficult because they have to focus on the love story between Bella and Edward. So in ‘Twilight’, you know, Rosalie was written, I guess the few opportunities I had to be on screen I was angry or bitchy and I don’t think that that’s what Rosalie is. So I’ve been trying my best to incorporate other aspects of her personality.

Q. Following up on what you said about incorporating the different aspects of her personality, where do you find your inspiration to portray a character that is in some senses somewhat of an unlikeable character, but she has that other you know, really human side to her? Where do you find your inspiration to bring out some of that from?

Nikki: I think, I guess years of exploring my own personality in terms of understanding that most of the time anger is actually just a way to hide insecurities or you know, fear or sadness. And so I knew, I knew immediately sort of where Rosalie was coming from and I also have two siblings that I’m very protective of, two brothers. So I guess it sort of stems from that.

Q: Can you tell me how much the atmosphere, the overall atmosphere and work style has changed from Catherine Hardwicke to Chris Weitz?

Kellan: I think they’re very much just different directors. And Catherine’s energy was very prominent and needed in a way to start the ‘Twilight’ franchise and get it off the ground. And with ‘New Moon’ it’s a different type of style in the book, which means the movie’s got to be a different style. And Chris was, had it all just prepared for us actors to step in there, he made us a packet of pages and papers on how he saw the scenes, and just really had everything organized. So when we had questions as actors he had the answers ready and it was very just in both cases just different. It was just such a well oiled machine with ‘New Moon’ and just very easy.

Q. What was your favorite scene to film in ‘New Moon’?

Jackson: I’ve got to say my favorite scene to film was in the trailer and you got to see a glimpse of it. And that wasn’t even quite the entire scene so hopefully you know, people are still going to be surprised by the scene of the birthday party whenever. In my mind it’s kind of the catalyst for the entire idea of ‘New Moon’, and the Cullens kind of getting out of Dodge, if you excuse my tongue there. It’s kind of the idea that you know, finally Bella is really having to face the idea of what it is to be in a relationship with a vampire and the downside of it you know, what happens when you get something as simple as a paper cut and how that can screw everything up. And suddenly the Cullens are gone and we take off in order to protect Bella and it’s one of those things where she doesn’t really feel protected, she feels abandoned, but luckily she’s got her good friend, Jacob Black, who starts to become a little bit more than just a good friend. You see that whole side of things, the wolf boys.

Q: As many of the cast members are musicians yourselves, what sort of role do you think music plays in both ‘Twilight’ and ‘New Moon’, both the songs from the soundtrack and those from the score?

Nikki: That’s for you Jay.

Jackson: I’m sorry, can you repeat the question?

Q. Sure, since so many of you are musicians yourselves outside of acting I was wondering what sort of role you think the music plays in the movies. There was so much emphasis placed on the soundtrack and the score in both ‘Twilight’ and ‘New Moon’, I just wanted to kind of get your perspective.

Jackson: Ah, yeah as a musician myself, I’ve done soundtrack work, it’s one of those issues where the music has to be really closely tied to the movie you’re watching. It’s one of those things where music can really draw an emotion; it can really evoke a certain feeling within you like you know sadness or despondency. I mean how many times have you heard a song on the radio that makes you cry. I mean it happens, there’s a lot of emotion in music, it can be used really well and I think ‘Twilight’ did that extremely well. After watching ‘New Moon’ I mean….

Nikki: Yeah I think more so in ‘New Moon’, only because I think in ‘New Moon’ there are a lot of moments, there are a lot of long, I don’t want to say long dramatic pauses, but moments where you sort of need the music to communicate with you because of the subject matter and really to bring it all together with Bella’s traumatic emotional journey.

Kellan: Yeah I definitely agree. I mean when I read ‘New Moon’, being a male, you know it kind of was a little slower for me because I really couldn’t grasp what a female would go through in a way. And I know, I’m not trying to talk for most men but I feel like Bella did go through some characteristics that a lot of females do. And kind of on a relationship-basis you know, with growing up and there are parts of the book where there are a lot of pages of that, and watching ‘New Moon’, Chris found a brilliant way to captivate that and make it; I mean there’s a lot of pages say he made thirty pages of just sitting there as Bella did and showed it within like a minute of film. It was really cool and I think music really you know, is an important part to when you do see those beats in the movie where you don’t need dialogue. You can express a lot just with expressions and not words that the music helps motivate those feelings with the audience.

Nikki: Just helps you feel it.

Q. These movies have been made and put out pretty quickly so far, and have you guys been able to just really step back and enjoy it all of the hype that’s going along with it, or do you feel that you’re kind of just caught up in a whirlwind?

Nikki: Wow that’s very, that’s very loaded, that question. I guess a little bit of both. We’ve certainly felt, I think, you know the push and the exposure from the series and I think we’re all really grateful to be a part of it, but I guess things are moving quite quickly. We’re turning around and pumping these, I mean it’s only like four months ago that we wrapped ‘New Moon’ or less than that actually three months ago. We’re already here training and getting ready for the next, two weeks into the next. So there isn’t a lot of time to reflect I would say. I spent a lot of this year traveling and the end of last year just because I grew up really fast and I spent most of my childhood being really concerned about like what the next job was going to be and working and working and working. And so when I sort of recognized that that’s what was going to happen with this series, we were going to have just a few months in-between to do whatever we wanted, whether that be like work and focus on another project or take a break, I chose to take a break. So I did a lot of traveling and writing and stuff.

Kellan: I think it’s very cool. It’s kind of a happy medium. I couldn’t imagine being you know, the guys on say ‘Lord of the Rings’ spend a couple of years in New Zealand you know pumping those bad boys out, that’s a whole other life. Where we’re blessed enough to be a part of this magic carpet ride in this fantastic roller coaster thanks to the fans with all the love and support. But that we do, we are allowed to have breaks in-between and you know really do other films or take a break and go see family or travel the world and then come back and do the next one. And you know it’s kind of sad knowing that there is an end, unlike, you know, ‘Harry Potter’ in which I mean there was an end but they had so many books to look forward to and to grow with. I mean we are pumping these out quite quickly and to know that ‘Breaking Dawn’. (Call is interrupted) But yeah again to reiterate, just knowing and praying that we get to do ‘Breaking Dawn’. And we all you know would wish that she would make more books because this is a part of our lives as actors and us as individuals being a part of this. It will be sad when that day comes to close a chapter on it, and it’s not really closing a chapter because we’ll still have the memories and friendships. But you know it’s tough and I really compare it to my football years when your coach says this is your last football game for most of you guys who played high school football and you kind of laugh at it and just want to do it, but then you look back at all the good times that you spent with those other, those players and those friends that you made and it’s never the same.

Q: Obviously New Moon is a really emotional journey for Bella. How did you prepare yourself for shooting the scenes in which she was really depressed and distraught?

Kristen: Right. I wish that there was a more solid way, prep for an actor, I mean just in terms of being sure that you’re ready to do what everybody expects you to do, but there’s just not. I was so completely intimidated by that scene. I mean in the book there’s nothing there’s literally nothing like it that I can think of in the real world that I could relate to. You know what I mean? Like I’ve been broken up with, I’ve had my heart broken whatever, like I think. But it was still higher than that. Like “oh, oh you think you know what it feels like to hurt? Have you ever died? You don’t know what you’re talking about.” You know what I mean? Yeah, so it was about being really comfortable with Chris and knowing I could say anything to him, ever. Chris is great and he is the most, like, I just feel very comfortable around him and he made us feel really safe and considering those parts of the book I actually don’t have any of the other actors to play off of so I was very much alone and terrified, absolutely intimidated by the material and he made it so much easier.

Q: We have heard so much about the physical activities that the guys had to go through, and the way they had to build up their muscles and just prepare for all their stunt work; but we haven’t really heard much about you. You’ve been cliff diving and under the water, and I was just wondering what sort of preparation you got to go through and then what stunts did you get to do yourself.

Kristen: I didn’t do any preparation for any of the stuff. I did have to go into like the scuba tank at some point to basically make everybody feel comfortable with me being in the water that I wasn’t like a total you know, stupid who’s going to drown as soon as they get put in – it was a ridiculous session that I was like “I don’t need this, I hate water, I’m supposed to look scared”. But I did all that stuff in the water myself. There was like a semi truck of water that was released like onto my actual- there’s one shot right after I jump off the cliff, it’s supposed to be this moment of elation like I get what I wanted for a split second. I turn around and I’m smiling and BOOM, another wave comes. That was like a semi truck full of water that was released onto me. It was really scary. And other than that I don’t really have any. I probably should have been in better shape, the amount of running, the amount of desperate ravaging through crowds and falling down that I had to do. By the end of the movie I was completely bruised, like all over my arms and legs I was covered in bruises because I’d just gotten back from Italy and I had to go do the MTV awards. I looked like I was a battered housewife and I was wearing Chucks because I couldn’t walk because I had sprained my ankle running in Italy. The only reason I wore flats was because of that and people like freaked out. And that’s it, so like if I had prepared maybe I would have been more able to, but I’m just not like an action hero. But I think that’s kind of the cool thing about Bella is that she’s so sort of incapable until she needs to be and then she’s like “alright, I will do anything”. And I feel like it sort of comes across in the physicality maybe.

Q: I want to know what your favorite scene is from the movie since you’ve seen it, and what you think the fans will most enjoy from the movie.

Kristen: What’s my favorite scene. I think I have to pick one with Jacob and one with Edward. My favorite scene with Jacob is when he comes through her window and they have the talk about the fact that she doesn’t know what’s going on, but she does know already and it’s right after this big sort of blow-out fight that they have and somehow they’re able to just not say anything – instead of actually talking about the fact that they were just so mean to each other and like they had this big fight, they don’t even say anything about it just instantly becomes – the second she sees him, just okay. And he’s totally like it’s so clear that he’s in a different place, it’s just sad. That’s my favorite scene in New Moon between Jacob and Bella. Then I think between Edward and Bella oddly enough sort of like the same sort of, the same but completely different. When I go to Italy and I push him back, well I mean when Bella pushes him into, out of the light I mean and they’re able to reconcile their relationship without even saying anything. And they just look at each other and it’s done. And it’s like so you left me for a year and I have a million things to say to you but not right now. Those are my two favorites. I like it when people know can each other without having to talk. Words sort of fail me consistently so those are my two favorites. What was the second part of the question?

Q: What scene do you think the fans will be most surprised by?

Kristen: I’m not sure.

Q: Or enjoy the most?

Kristen: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I always try to answer the question way too specifically. F***! I don’t know. I think maybe what’s most important to them; because this was definitely the most important thing to me, was the breakup scene – period. I mean like that was what I was the most scared of and hopefully if we did it justice enough, what they’ll be most excited about. And then probably when we get back together. Those are the highest points of the movie.

Q: We talked earlier about getting into character and having all that grief from your character; I’m wondering how did you let it go at the end of the work day? How were you able to just separate yourself from all that pain that the character is in?

Kristen: Right. Sometimes you just don’t. Sometimes …it’s funny, when I was at Comic Con I said – one of the questions was what was the best point, what was the best moment of New Moon and I said without explanation which was stupid, that it was when we were finished. But that wasn’t, I totally understand how that could come across as like ‘oh I couldn’t wait to be done’, but it wasn’t like that. I can’t alleviate the pressure until I’m done, like literally. Because you shoot out of sequence and you can’t just take the normal like emotional ride that you think you’d have to as an actor portraying a character who has to go through whatever she does. I have to know the story every aspect of it at all times and be able to split back and forth from being with Jacob and happy and alive to with Edward and questioning our relationship to without him and dead. I’m a crazy person when I’m working literally, and especially on these movies. It’s just there’s like a lot of tension. So at that moment once we were all in Italy together the last shot we did… Sorry this is a stupid long winded answer, I hope this is ok.

(No it’s great)

Okay cool. So it was, I’m running around the corner, it was just like one of those little shots in the montage where I’m going through Volterra and they don’t, it’s like you’re not sure if I’m going to get to him or whatever. And so it wasn’t that big of a shot but I could feel the end coming and I knew. I’m not allowed to be off until I’m literally done so it’s like all of a sudden throw me into the middle of space, like I’m nowhere suddenly. But it was the coolest sense of like united accomplishment. Basically I cannot alleviate that pressure at the end of the day. But that’s what keeps me going, that’s why I can go to work the next day, because it’s like I haven’t gotten it off my chest yet. So that moment came at the end and it was so cool, so amazing. I literally like broke down and I couldn’t – yeah it was great.

Q: Last year’s premiere you said you really liked the fact that Bella is like a strong-willed person, and that she’s confident in her decision making. I was just wondering with the events of New Moon did you play her that way or was there more give in her resolve for this film?

Kristen: Yeah, the only way that I can play Bella is if I could justify every decision that she made and stand behind it as well as, as much as she did. And the cool thing about New Moon is it is literally taking that and saying “No, sorry! Do you think you know something little girl? You know nothing!” And that’s the story, that’s why she – I mean people call Bella fickle all the time to me; people are always saying like “Oh, you know you’re playing a really immature girl that doesn’t know what she wants and she’s sort of in love with this mythical creature”. It’s like who are you talking to? This girl is willing to put herself through the most asinine – and so not selfish, with a really great perspective. You have to be a pretty strong natured person to do that. And then to, I think in New Moon she becomes sort of hardened and cynical because she’s been told that her whole world that she was willing to spend eternity in was just wrong. And the fact that she can from there, even in the same movie you believe that she’s of the mind to make a decision to go back from that. You have to believe that she’s lived enough and that she’s mature enough and knows herself well enough to make decisions like that. And I feel like in Twilight she doesn’t have that and in New Moon she gains that. Like she’s been through it so it’s like okay actually now it takes a strong person to say I was wrong and that I’m willing to forgive you and hopefully if you can forgive me, we can be together now. That’s why I really love her.

Q: I’m not going to ask a question, but I just wanted to thank you so much for joining us tonight. I know you obviously had a very busy day.

Kristen: Oh no, this is the most important interview. I can’t believe they set this in the twenty minutes in-between the time that it takes for me to get touched up and go over to Jimmy Kimmel or whatever. It’s like wow; I wish I had more time because this is actually like a much more fun interview.

(Thank you!)

Kristen: No problem

Michael: Has every one seen the film yet, or has nobody seen the film?

Us: No, we haven’t!

Michael: Right, ok. So I can say anything and you won’t know if I’m telling the truth or not!

Us: Laughing

Michael: I promise I will tell the truth!

Laura from TwilightSource: What is your perception of Aro as a character? DO you think he shows some blurred line between good and bad given that he puts an ultimatum on Bella becoming a vampire rather than killing her?

Michael: I think that Aro thinks that he’s a really good guy. I love the idea that Aro thinks that he’s just a sentimental old fool and a romantic at heart, and he’s totally unaware of how vicious and violet and psychopathic he is. And I think that’s kind of makes him more creepy in a way, more scary that he’s not even aware of how frightening he is. And I think he thinks he’s just doing the right thing and doing what’s best for the world of the vampires. I don’t think he thinks that he’s being cruel or mean in any way. I think he really thinks of himself as a really old, cuddly grandmother type.

Lauren FB: I actually did get to see the film yesterday.

Michael: Oh, now you’re going to know if I’m fibbing!

Lauren: Were you inspired by anyone or anything to kind of channel yourself into the role of Aro?

Michael: Well, the first thing was obviously Stephenie’s book – Stephenie’s description of Aro. There’s one line that really stood out to me where she says that Aro’s voice was like feathers. That sort of set me to thinking and became the key to everything really. That someone who had a voice that sounds like feathers, that’s soft and warm and comforting and very pleasant. Sort of lulling you into a false sense of security kind of thing. And then I found myself, as I was starting to use that kind of a voice, I found myself thinking of things that when I was a kid, films that I’d watched and characters that had stayed with me that were really disturbing, unsettled me as a kid and stayed with me. I thought of things like the child catcher from the film Chitty-chitty Bang Bang. Like “Lollipops!” trying to lure the children, and the Blue Meanie from Yellow Submarine (breaks into singsong, mellow voice)who talks like that and has a very comforting voice, and yet is really mean and evil. Things like that really that kind of set my imagination going. But it all really came from what Stephenie had written originally.

Evie from TA: How did you prepare yourself to look like you were using your ability to read minds? It’s a difficult power to make come across on screen.

Michael: Fortunately I had a lot of time before hand to spend time with Kristen and Ashley and Rob, and we developed a telepathic link that became really useful when we were filming then. Cause then I just could read thoughts so I didn’t have to act. Cause I don’t like acting. I like doing it for real. No… I’m… I’m… er… The important thing was to really – and I always feel like this. As an actor when you’re doing scenes, I have to be totally committed to what I’m doing and really believe what I’m doing. Because if I don’t believe it then the audience aren’t going to believe it. So I had to really believe that I could see and her inside their heads when I was doing this stuff, and really see it. Not just acting seeing things or hearing things. I had to really really see it. So I had to work out exact images that I would see, just let my mind kind of go and try and really let things come into my head. Try to forget about the cameras and forget that I’m acting and all this make up on and wearing these contact lenses and all that. Just really try and see it. Hopefully that come though.

Lori from TLex: You have played lots of real life people. Is it more difficult to play a real life person where everybody knows their mannerisms and their voice and their personality, vrs an imaginary character that so many fans have embraced and read about and contemplated? Which one is more difficult to take on?

Michael: Well, in some ways playing a character like Aro is more difficult because like you say, there are so many – and I know this because my own daughter as well. My daughter had a very specific idea of what Aro was like, and it was completely different to what I was doing. When I first asked my daughter about Aro she said, “He’s bald” which freaked me out a little bit. I thought I was going to have to go bald for the film, but fortunately I wasn’t. Some ways it’s harder because at least when you’re playing a real person that people are familiar with, you know, I know what they look like and I know what they sound like and everyone else does. And I’ve got to get as close to that as I possibly can. With a character like Aro – I mean it would be different if it were a character form a book that not that many people knew. But when it’s a character that so many people have such a particular idea about, and these are character that the audience have really taken to their hearts and mean a lot to them. So there’s a big pressure to – I mean you’re never going to get it right really, because everyone will have a slightly different idea of who their Aro is or who their Edward is or their Bella. But I hope that I do justice to the character. And hopefully people will be okay with it even if it is slightly different from the way they see it in their heads. Because the best stories and the best characters are the ones that are in our heads, really. No one can do justice to that. But hopefully it comes a close second best.

Amanda TExaminer: How did your daughter received – if she hasn’t seen the movie yet she has at least seen the clips – how has she received your work? Has she been approving?

Michael: The greatest compliment that I could have had from her – you know her room is covered in Twilight and New Moon pictures and posters and things, and the greatest compliment I could have got was when I went in there one day and there was a little picture of me in the corner. I do slightly think that she did it out of pity just to include me in it as well. But that was a great compliment. She hasn’t seen the film but she’s seen the trailers, and she said that I look really creepy, and she said that it was really creepy when she saw me taking someone’s head off. Apparently her street credit has gone up enormously in school.

Kimmy from HGE: I was wondering about your stunts for the film because the Volturi scene is very action packed.

Michael: Fortunately I didn’t have to get too involved in the fighting because Aro thinks that it’s all a bit messy and dirty and doesn’t like getting involved. It’s all a bit rough and tumbly for him because he’s a very delicate creature. So he sort of keeps away from all of that unless he absolutely has to get involved. So I just kept to the side slightly. But I wanted to get more involved, having done all the Underwolrd films I get to do a lot of the stunts in that and get really physical in it. I love doing all that. But as Aro – I think Aro feels that he’s a little bit squeamish. Doesn’t like to see the sight of blood, just likes to drink it.

Amanda from TMoms: Did you have any hesitancies of accepting the role in New Moon having already done a supernatural film with the Underworld series?

Michael: No. Well it meant that I got to see how the other half lives, or the undead lives, or whatever. Having been a lycan for many years now and having to watch those dark vampires walking around in their finely tailored suits with their lovely hair styles and their high cheekbones, I finally got to see how green the grass is on the other side. So I had no qualms about that at all, no. I was lsightly conserved for anyone who had seen the Underworld films as well whether they would find it difficult to accept me as a vampire now and not as a lycan. But I think I look so different in the two films obviously that’ snot going to be a problem for people.

TST: Are there any other literary characters that you would like to portray?

Michael: Oh, there’s so many aren’t there. I’m a big fan of Neil Gaimon’s writing, his graphic novels and stuff. The Sandman series of comics is a big favorite of mine. To play Sandman would be amazing, that’s a great character, but I don’t know how you’d ever make that into a film, really. I’m a big fan of Stephen King’s writing as well, so any character in a Stephen King novel would be great. And I was also a fan of – back in the day when I was a kid I was very into Elric who’s in a series of stories by a writer named Michael Moorcock. And Elric is an albino, sort of drug addicted, melancholic prince and I always loved his character. They always tend to be character form sort of science fiction and fantasy. Which is not the main thing I’m known for, I suppose, but I always love those characters. There’s so many of them, but those are the ones I’d be most into doing I suppose.

Mirium from MSN: If you could play any other role in the Twilight movies without gender or age limitations, who would it be?

Michael: Oh, that’s a very good question. Let me think. Oh, that’s a tough one. Oh gosh. Well I suppose I’d like to stick with the vampires, I suppose. I like Ashley’s character. That’s my daughter’s favorite as well. So maybe I’d want to be Ashley Greene.

Lauren FB: If Aro could have a theme song, what would it be.

Michael: Of it would probably be something lush and romantic. Probably something by Barry Manilow. I Write the Songs. Or Mandy. Maybe it’d be Mandy by Barry Manilow. It would be something that would always reduce Aro to tears cause he’s such an old sentimental fool. Or maybe – Oh I know what it would be. That song by Michael Jackson when he was a kid – Ben, about the rat. “Ben, the two of us…” OH! Or even better Season’s in the Sun. I don’t remember who sang that, but I think, yes, that would be it. “We had joy, we had fun. We had seasons in the sun.” And then it’s all about someone dying. And it’s such a really romantic, lovely, beautiful summer’s day song, but it’s actually about someone that he’s probably killed.

Lori TLex: Charlie Bewley mentioned that the Volturi looked like a bunch of pansies in their costumes until he had the eyes put in for his contacts. He said it was really that moment that he understood the character of the Volturi. What was it for you?

Michael: The moment you put the contacts in does have a big effect. Cause up until that point I had the hair and the white face and the black clothes. And you put the red contact lenses in and it’s just like ugh – it makes you suddenly – it suddenly becomes unsettling and creepy looking. So I like that. So I’d probably go along with it. And also having the big thrones. You know to sit on the thrones in the room there. That helps as well to be able to sit on the big thrones.

Amanda Bell: With New Moon it seems that they are trying to branch off a bit with what kind of demographic would be interested in this picture. I was just wondering if you think Aro is the type of character that is esoteric to the Twilight fans or if it’s something that people universally can appreciate?

Michael: In some ways he somewhat fulfills the role of a kind of bad guy in the film, I guess, even though I don’t think he is a bad guy. So I think everyone kind of relates to the idea of this sort of powerful group anyway, the Volturi. I suppose he’s esoteric in so much that – I like the fact that there’s sort of something about him that’s different from everybody else and that’s different from the characters that everyone has come to know in the first film, first book, that there’s something that slightly sets him apart – and the other Volturi – sets them apart. And I wanted him to sort of have a quality of sort of “otherness,” of something that’s slightly unknowable and hidden. So I like that and I think it’s important for the story because you have to have someone who represents that kind of a thing so that the stakes are high. So that it matters – that there’s kind of an element of danger and mystery.

Amanda TMoms: I was wondering what you favorite most memorable Twilight related moment has been since you started on New Moon?

Michael: When I was filming in – cause I didn’t get to go to Italy unfortunately because all our scenes were interiors, so I didn’t need to be in Italy for that. So I filmed all my stuff in Vancouver. And I would have loved to have been there because Dakota was just telling me this morning about being out in the square in Volterra and like 5,000 people showed up to watch, and that would have been really really exciting. And I’ve been working and I’ve been away a lot, so I haven’t really had a chance to get involved with any of the kind of Twilight madness stuff. But I did have one little moment where – I was buying a pair of jeans in Los Angeles and I went into the little cubicle to try them on. Came out quite tentatively of my little cubicle to have a little look in the mirror, you know worried about that moment. And as I pulled back the curtain there was a woman on the other side holding various items of clothing, shaking, and saying, “You’re Aro, aren’t you?” So I went back in my cubicle and hid. That was a slightly scary moment. So if that’s anything like what’s about to come, I might have to go around with a bag over my head.

Evie from TA: You mentions that you took inspiration from the Blue Meanies for Aro’s voice. What made you think of them for Aro?

Michael: Just because I remember listening to the Blue Meanie in the film when I was a kid. For someone who is supposed to be like the bad guy and the scary person, I always thought of those people would have very powerful, authoritative, scary voices, but that character had a really soft, gentle voice that made it even more creepy and frightening. And thinking about what Stephenie had written about Aro’s voice it just kind of occurred to me. So I went a bit further with it like that to make him have this very soft, gentle voice. Because you know what he’s capable of and what’s really going on underneath, somehow that combination makes it so much more unsettling.

TST: If you could have any one vampire super power other than Aro’s what would it be?

Michael: We were talking about this earlier on and I’ve now being obsessed with totally useless superpowers. I was thinking a good useless superpower would be to have the ability to blink invisibly. Earlier I said, I was asked what super power I would like to have, and I said I would like to have the ability to always look like I’m standing three centimeters to the right of where I actually am. So now I’d like to start a tread of people thinking up completely useless superpowers.

Us: Thank you Michael!

Michael: Thank you. It was really lovely talking to all of you, and for those of you who haven’t seen the film yet, I hope you really enjoy it and I hope I get to see you again some time.