Fang-tastic! The day I met the New Moon cast
Like million of girls (OK, and women who should really know better) I’ve grown to be obsessed with the Twilight saga and have been completely swept up in the story of Bella and Edward’s unlikely romance.
So you can imagine my glee when last month I attended Eternal Twilight 2 - a fan convention for the cult Vampire films put on by Massive Events.
When I arrived at the Park Inn Hotel in Northampton the place was already swarming with Bella lookalikes sporting Team Edward/Team Jacob t-shirts. It transpired that around 800 fans had forked out big cash to spend an evening sipping cocktails with various members of the New Moon cast.
Although sadly I missed out on the cocktails, I did get to interview four of them *scream*
You can read my chats with Chaske, Edi, Tyson and Gil below…
CHASKE SPENCER plays Sam the alpha of the werewolf pack… (pictured below with me - swoon!)
Are you excited about New Moon?
Yeah! It is going to be the biggest movie of the year. I sometimes have to pinch myself.
Sam is a great character…
He’s the alfa male. I like his story. It’s very tragic. I like his character a lot.
We first meet Sam when he rescues Bella…
Yeah. Her heart is broken, she’s having a nervous breakdown. I come and carry her out like a hero.
Do you like being a hero?
I think fans like the anti-hero actually.
What was the best thing about filming New Moon?
It got me on the map career wise. And our bodies! I’ve got a new body!
I saw the pictures. Good work!
That was hard work.
Have you ever been this buff before?
No, I’ve never been this big. I was a skinny rock star. I liked the Jim Morrison thing. I was a drummer.
The drummer is the coolest member of the band…
We are cool! Look at Tommy Lee… I like Phil Collins myself. He’s a great drummer.
Are you still in a band?
No, I haven’t been for a while. My roommate is in a band called The Five O’clock Heroes. He’s touring a lot now and I’m in New Moon and we’re looking at each other and going ‘Wow, we’re actually doing something with our lives!’
How did you find your inner werewolf?
Staying up late howling at the moon (smiling). No, I started going through the books and got what I needed from that. I’ve done acting for a while, I’ve done character studies, I’ve done animal exercises. I was pretty secure about what I was doing. I did listen to cool music: White Lies, Friendly Fires and a lot of Mazzy Star.
How was your ‘wolf camp’ fitness training?
Boy, it’s rough. I was already getting fit, working out and running. But when I got the part we really started hitting the weights. They got us a trainer and he killed us. Got us in shape though!
I hear you needed a new wardrobe!
Yeah my shirts started getting really tight which is cool but I don’t like them that tight! I had to go to a shop and buy a bunch of new ones.
Have the ladies been complimentary?
Very appreciative. That’s the fun part of being in New Moon!
Who has the best body out of the werewolves.
Taylor. He has been working all year. He’s fit. I was impressed.
Do you get asked to get your shirt off a lot?
Yeah. It’s annoying.
Tell me something new about yourself?
My favourite movie is Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.
Any on-set romances
Just me and Tyson. He’s a good kisser (laughs). I wouldn’t know…
What was your favourite scene?
The cliff diving one. That was pretty cool.
Did you do it for real?
I had to jump off a pretty high scaffold into a stunt mattress and I’m scared of heights. I didn’t let on because I didn’t want to be thought of as a wimp so I just did it.
Any other moments like that?
There was also a scene where Kristen belts my chest. She hit like a man! She’s got some power in that little body of hers. She popped me in the chest and it hurt but I didn’t want to let on. The next day I was talking to Alex and I said ‘Dude, I think she broke my rib.’ I could barely do a push-up! I wasn’t going to say anything as I’d never hear the end of it.
What was the worst thing about filming?
Having no shirt on and being in really cold weather. They spray water on you to look like you’re sweating. It’s cold!
Do you get weird fan mail?
I’ve had a lot of proposals, propositions, phone numbers and some racy letters. It gets a little overwhelming.
Did you enjoy your kissing scene with Tinsel?
I love kissing beautiful women! It’s the best thing about being an actor. It was awesome. She’s quite a good kisser. We’re actually really good friends. Hey, I only met her the day before and now I’ve got to be intimately in love with her! It was pretty fun.
Are Emily and Sam a hotter couple than Bella and Edward?
Yeah we have a knockdown, drag out, passionate love life! It’s a strong bond.
It’s very tragic too
Yeah I maul her and she still loves me. I like that about the character. It’s this thing he didn’t want but he had to have this power and it messed up his whole life. He’s helping the others go through it but no one was there for him. He had to do it all on his own with the fear, the guilt and the shame, having to protect his people. It’s a lot to take on. I don’t think anyone wants that job. I wouldn’t.
If you could communicate with anyone through telepathy who would you chose?
I’d like to talk to John Lennon that would be kind of cool
Who would you like to imprint on?
I think Lady Gaga would be really cool. I’d like to imprint on her. She’s fun. Or Drew Barrymore.
Do you have any folk legends of your own?
There are a lot of native folklore legends of shapeshifters - legends passed down, around the campfire stories. It’s been in the native culture for a while. I think it’s been in everyone’s culture. I like that every culture has that shapeshifter legend.
Wolves or Vampires?
Wolves are tougher.
EDI GATHEGI plays Laurent, the vampire baying for Bella’s blood in New Moon….
We start off thinking Laurent is a good vampire but then we discover he plans to kill Bella…
He’s a transitional vampire. He’s got some sort of morality, a moral compass. In Twilight he warns The Cullens of James intentions but he’s also a bloodsucker. He’s not necessarily bad he’s following his instincts. In New Moon he’s tried vegetarianism and he doesn’t like it so that of course makes him more dangerous to humans.
Do you like being a baddie?
I like playing bad guys. It’s fun to explore the danger as you don’t get to do it in your real life.
What’s so good about being a vampire?
Who wouldn’t want to be a vampire. We’re strong, sexy and immortal!
What’s your favourite vampire special power?
I can’t chose one. It’s a combination of strength and speed and sight. I love the idea that vampires have a sixth sense in sight - everything is illuminated, you see fibres and so much more detail.
What happens to Laurent in New Moon?
There’s a meadow scene when Laurent attempts to kill Bella. The wolves go after me and you’ll see what happens…
Vampires V Werewolfs? Who’s tougher?
Vampires of course!
Which celebrity neck would you like to bite?
I feel weird answering that! What if they read it? Jamie King. She’s a friend and it’ll make her laugh.
TYSON HOUSEMAN plays Quil, Jacob’s friend and fellow pack member…
New Moon is the first film you’ve been in. What a way to start!
Yes it’s very exciting and a bit overwhelming. New Moon was the first audition I ever went to. It was an open casting which I found on the internet. All it said was that it was for a major motion picture. When I got to the audition there were Twilight fans wrapped around the building and that’s when I figured it out. So I went and did the audition, got a callback, then I got the phone call saying I’d got the part!
Were you a fan of the books beforehand?
Not quite. I hadn’t seen the movie or read the books. So afterwards I did and I enjoyed them. It’s a great story. The young girls that read it get so involved because it’s a fantasy story with vampires and werewolves but it has also has issues women deal with all the time.
You’re going to be popular with the ladies..
I actually have a girlfriend called Shelan. We’ve been together for three months but we dated about two years ago in High School.
How does she cope with the attention you get?
As far as I know she’s dealing with it pretty well. She feels a little bit protective sometimes which is understandable. I get fan mail all the time. A lot of them are really cool letters from all over world - people asking for autographs but nothing too weird.
What happens to Quil in New Moon?
I only had one scene in New Moon - an introduction to my character. I filmed that when I didn’t have a lot of muscle on me at all. It’s a scene that takes place in Jacob’s garage where Quil and Jacob get in a wrestle. At the time I was a lot smaller and Taylor was such a big guy. In the script I end up taking him down but if you looked at us comparatively there is no way!
So has Quil got bigger since?
After we’d finished filming New Moon I was working out for two months straight and since then I’ve gained about 20 pounds of muscle preparing for next movie where I turn into a werewolf!
Do you like working out?
I was very chubby in junior high then I got very skinny and I didn’t play any sports. Once we started this I started working out every day and I really enjoy it now.
Quil quite likes Bella doesn’t he…
He hits on Bella although you can never tell if he really likes her or if he’s just doing it to get on Jacob’s nerves.
How did you find your inner werewolf?
I ended up looking at wolves on the internet to master my wolf stare.
If you could imprint on any celebrity who would you chose?
Who has the best body out of the werewolves?
It is either Taylor (Jacob) or Alex (Paul). Alex has been a dancer since he was little so he was an extremely athletic person before. He had the upper hand when we started out.
Will there be some good torso scenes?
Yes, a bunch of guys without their shirts on! The fans will be excited.
GIL BIRMINGHAM plays Billy, Jacob’s father…
Billy is very worried about Jacob isn’t he…
I’m constantly worried about that boy. Only because I know what’s coming. Billy is the keeper of the secret. He knows everything that is going on and why it is going on. He’s been telling these stories, the legends for years. It’s Indian law and now it’s happening.
He really really doesn’t like vampires…
He doesn’t like that one vampire in particular - but then none of them like vampires!
Do you like the background of the werewolves?
I do. You know what’s special about it? It’s that they’ve incorporated the native culture into it. Stephanie writes beautifully about the only reason the boys transform into werewolves is to protect the people on the land now the vampires are back which is a core value of the native culture.
What do you think of Jacob’s transformation…
When I met Taylor he was 16 and he looked 16. Then the next time I saw him a year later he was 30 pounds heavier. It’s quite a difference from the first film!
What was the hardest thing about filming?
Doing all night shots and filming in the wind and cold.
Are you considered to be pretty cool now?
I have friends with children and now they’re considered to be cool parents because they know someone in the Twilight movie!
Was it important to you to portray a character in a wheelchair?
I’ve had letters from handicapped people who’ve said how nice it is for me to portray someone who’s not all down and depressed and still has a life. I’m very proud that it’s been brought to the forefront - that handicapped people do have certain challenges but at the same time they can function just as well as everyone else.
NEW MOON IS OUT NOVEMBER 20TH
© www.charlotteward.net. If you would like to use any quotes from these interviews please credit www.charlotteward.net




















1 person has left a comment
Posted on 21/11/2009 at 8:59 am
Rachael wrote :
Nice work Charlotte, it’s probably best you missed the cocktails
x
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