VF Daily: Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
Kellan Lutz: I hadn’t. I didn’t even know there was a book series. I read the script while I was in Africa and fell in l’amour with it. I loved the vampire story. It felt so new and fresh, not the typical “let’s kill the vampire with a pitchfork” idea. It was really unique. They first sent me out for Edward’s role, and as much as I would have loved to be the lead, it wasn’t possible for me to fly back from Africa where I was shooting and audition as many times as they would have needed me to. So I read Emmett and he seemed so cool. Once I was cast, I was flown out to Oregon to start shooting, and my friend [and castmate] Ashley Greene had all of the books. She asked me if I had read the books, and I was like, “Ha ha, you’re joking. There are no books.” So she gave them to me and I did my homework. I read all three of them. The fourth wasn’t out yet.
Have toi started to feel the mania that will likely surround the film?
I felt the impact of how crazy this is going to be for all of us while we were shooting. I hope we can live up to the precedent set par Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
What was your initial reaction to the idea of playing a vampire?
My agent and I try to be picky with roles so that I can drive my career in different directions and be different, creative characters. I want to be an actor for the rest of my life and to have fun with my career. So I told him that I wish I could do a movie that already has a fan base. And then Twilight came along!
The plot of Twilight is a l’amour story, a fantasy, and a horror story all in one. Which aspect most appealed to you?
It was the combination of everything. The backstory of Romeo and Juliet is certainly there—in this case, it’s the forbidden l’amour between a mortal and an immortal. And of course this movie also has a lot of action, so it appeals to everyone.
What was it like to work with this young cast?
I’ve been so fortunate to work with a lot of my friends. I knew Jackson Rathbone [Jasper] and Ashley Greene [Alice] before we started, but I was a late-comer on the film. I booked Emmett on one of the last days of rehearsal, so I definitely came in as the new guy. That’s always tough, but having good Friends that I already knew made it much easier. The whole cast is really great, and I’m so excited to do the rest of the series with them. We’re still really close and we all still hang out.
Were there any particularly funny moments on set?
All the guys always goofed around with the girls. Especially when the weather got bad, the girls would be freezing and we would throw hail balls at them. We would all hang out at the end of the jour in a different cast member’s room, order room service, and just chill. Rob Pattinson [Edward] would play the guitare and we’d just eat and talk and sing. Edi Gathegi [Laurent] would assume this funny girl voice and call aléatoire cast members and tell them their call time was five hours earlier. It was just a lot of fun.
What was it like to transform into a vampire every day?
I loved playing a vampire, but it was really tough because I don’t wear contacts. Just putting in those contacts would take me 45 minutes to an hour. We had a makeup artist named Jeannie who, bless her heart, would put them in for me everyday. Eventually we got it down to only taking five minutes.
Do toi have any upcoming projects?
I’m on [the CW’s] 90210 and that’s going really well. And I’m starting a new movie called Warriors. I leave for the East Coast on Halloween, which is a bummer because I was going to throw a big party. But that’s O.K. It’s going to be a great movie.
Hometown?
Dickinson, North Dakota.
Siblings?
Six brothers and one sister. I’m smack-dab in the middle.
Significant other?
No.
Celebrity crush?
Jessica Biel.
Signature style?
Comfortable! I used to wear sweats and a T-shirt to auditions, but my agent would yell at me and tell me I had to look nice and presentable. So I had to drop that habit.
Who do toi consider the most stylish man in Hollywood?
Brad Pitt.
favori movie?
A Christmas Story.
favori actor?
Robert Redford.
TV shows that toi TiVo?
I don’t have TiVo, but I watch a lot of Judge Judy—it makes me happy about my life when I see what the people on that montrer do. I also l’amour Entourage, Weeds, and Dexter. And, of course, Family Guy and South Park.
favori book?
The Purpose Driven Life.
favori band?
Incubus.
favori cause?
Boys and Girls Club and World Family Kids Camp.
New York ou L.A.?
L.A.
Tina Fey ou Sarah Palin?
Tina Fey, good God!
MySpace ou Facebook?
Neither.
Robert Pattinson, 22, plays Edward Cullen, a young vampire on a self-restricted animal-blood diet and Bella Swan’s l’amour interest. He fights James’s coven of vampires in order to protect Bella from being bitten. Pattinson starred as Cedric Diggory in both Harry Potter and the Goblet of feu and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and played a young Salvador Dalí in the independent film Little Ashes.
VF Daily: Had toi read the Twilight livres before getting the script?
Robert Pattinson: Not in their entirety before getting the script, no. I did my screen test, had the weekend before my suivant meeting for it, and read all three over one weekend.
What was your impression of the livres at first?
Well, I obviously really liked them, but it is always strange lire a book knowing that I am hopefully going to play the part. It’s read in a very different context.
Did toi go into the auditions wanting to play Edward?
Somewhat, but I was literally embarrassed walking into the audition. I had no idea how to play Edward at all. I thought that even going into the audition was completely pointless, because they were just going to cast a model ou something. I felt it was kind of arrogant of me to even go in. I was almost having a full-on panic attack before I went to the screen test.
How did the screen test go?
Casting was really easygoing, and Kristen [Stewart] is also very cool, but at the same time there is something very, very serious about her. I really wasn’t expecting the girl who plays Bella to be like her at all. Her professionalism made me keep my mouth shut whenever I wasn’t acting. It further gave the illusion of being serious.
What did toi do to prepare for your role?
I basically spent two months thinking, “O.K., how can I play this character like he is written and be absolutely nothing like him in real life? How can I get away from the most major aspect of his description—his appearance?” As it is written from Bella’s perspective, she describes him in this obsessively lustful way. She does not see a single flaw in him at all. It’s a very traditional aspect of first ou young love. So, it took me ages to think of it, but it ended up being really simple: if toi are in l’amour with someone, toi can’t see any flaw in the other person. So I finally figured out that I didn’t have to play the most beautiful man on the planet, but just play a man in love.
Why is Edward so alluring?
What I never really understood about his attractiveness, especially to young girls, is his gentlemanliness. I thought that teenage girls like the dangerous aspect of males, and so I tried to emphasize the danger and make the plus gentlemanly side of this character a veil to something else underneath. I really tried to make him an incredibly strong and powerful character, but at the same time self-loathing and extremely vulnerable.
So toi saw Edward as sometimes vulnerable?
Yes. When his life is put into basic terms, he has nothing to live for and all he wants to do is either become a human ou die. The only reason that he hasn’t died is because he is too scared; he doesn’t think that he has a soul. Then he meets Bella, who makes him feel like a human and feel alive again. At the same time, her human vulnerability makes him incredibly vulnerable, because even with his super speed and his super strength, he still can’t fully protect her. Whenever she is in danger, he is in danger. If she dies ou goes anywhere, then he is gone, too.
What was your favori scene to shoot?
I knew that there were some scenes where I was going to have to look demonic and have a glare that would scare humans. That was difficult to prepare. My favori scene that we ended up shooting was this little aléatoire one near the beginning where I try and intimidate Bella par being a scary vampire and she doesn’t back down at all.
Hometown?
London.
Siblings?
Two sisters, Elizabeth and Victoria.
New York ou L.A.?
I like them both for different reasons. They are literally opposite sides of the coin, so it’s kind of nice to switch between the two. New York is incredibly frenetic, and nothing ever happens in L.A.
Trademark style?
Looking terrible. Truly, I wear the same thing every day. I don’t know how to use a washer machine.
What book are toi reading?
Dennis Potter’s Ticket to Ride.
Celebrity crush?
I don’t know. I am sure that if I did say anyone’s name, it would be really embarrassing if I met them.
favori kind of music?
A lot of different things, but especially blues.
favori movie?
A tie between The Exorcist and One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Do toi play any instruments?
Yes, the guitare and the piano.
Mac ou P.C.?
I used to prefer Macs, and I have a Mac, but I kind of like the dorkiness of the P.C. commercials.
Do toi have any piercings ou tattoos?
No.
Do toi speak any foreign languages?
I speak French, sort of. At, like, a three-year-old’s standard.
Significant other?
No.
What are some of your interests outside of acting?
I play a lot of music. That’s what I wanted to do before the jouer la comédie thing accidentally took off—be a musician. All my best Friends are musicians and they have all got their albums and deals, and now I am acting.
What type of musique do toi play?
van Morrison–ish, Jeff Buckley–ish stuff.
Do toi have any upcoming projects?
I don’t want to curse them, but I am doing this thing called Parts Per Billion, which is a kind of existential l’amour story set against the end of the world. It’s one of the most lyrical scripts that I have ever read in my life. I am quite looking vers l'avant, vers l’avant to doing it. It’s very different.
Kristen Stewart, 18, plays Bella Swan, the clumsy new student at Forks High School who falls in l’amour with the vampire Edward Cullen. Stewart's past film credits include Panic Room, Into the Wild, and In the Land of Women.
VF Daily: Had toi read the "Twilight" livres before getting the script?
Kristen Stewart: No, I hadn't. I didn't read the livres until I got the part. I was working on another movie at the time and I only had time to read the script. I didn't really want to focus on anything else, but everyone was saying the project was such a big deal that I had to read the books.
What was your initial impression of the project?
I thought it was really ambitious, this portrayal of the ultimate, most epic l’amour story that could be. Also, Bella is not a typical female lead. The power balance between her and Edward is really skewed. Edward is this confident, perfect, idealistic man, although deep down he's actually really afraid. Bella is naïve but also sure-footed. Whatever it is inside of her that drives her is stronger than she is. She just trusts the shit out of herself.
Edward, played par Robert Pattinson, and Bella share a very intense l’amour in this film. How was it working with Robert?
Well, I basically cast him. We did one jour of auditions and a bunch of guys came in. Catherine Hardwicke, the director, afterwards was like, "What do toi think? This is such a hard choice." I was like, "Are toi kidding me!? It's such an obvious choice!" It couldn't have been better. It was sort of perfect.
What did toi do to prepare for your role?
We were always trying to figure out what it should feel like when Edward touched me, how far away he would have to be until he could smell me, things like that.
Are toi naturally clumsy like your character?
Well, I'm definitely not the most graceful being, but it's really difficult to be clumsy on cue. It's like physical comedy. It was fun.
What was it like to work with this young cast?
We had such a big cast, and we were all fairly close in age, and we were together constantly. In that situation toi might expect drama to ensue. But we were all so obsessed with this project. We were all focused on the same thing, and it was really creative and ambitious. Nikki Reed and I became really, really good friends. She's really smart and funny. And we have a new movie that we're working on together.
Hometown?
Woodland Hills, California. I'm a total Valley Girl.
Siblings?
Brothers. I'm the youngest.
Trademark style?
I'm a really typical girl. I look like everyone.
favori movie?
The Jungle Book. I l’amour Disney movies!
TV shows that toi TiVo?
I don't watch TV.
favori book?
East of Eden.
favori cause?
I would l’amour to be involved in a charity that helps kids who live on the street.
New York ou L.A.?
New York.
Significant other?
Yes, Michael Angarano.
Celebrity crush?
Michael Angarano.
Peter Facinelli, 34, plays Dr. Carlisle Cullen, a young vampire who has taken in a group of younger vampires and acts as a father figure to them. Facinelli, who is married to 90210’s Jennie Garth, did stints on Six Feet Under and Damages and starred in Fastlane, a TV montrer that aired in 2002.
VF Daily: What path did toi take to get to Hollywood?
Peter Facinelli: I studied theater at New York université and with the Atlantic Theater Company. My first project, in 1995, was a small role in a movie called Angela, which was directed par Rebecca Miller, who is Arthur Miller’s daughter. I played Lucifer the devil, which was a great role because I was in white makeup from head to toe. I was completely unrecognizable. It is funny that that kicked off my career because I l’amour playing characters that look different than I do ou are different in nature.
Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
I read the first book in one day, and then before filming, I read the seconde and the third. Now, I am actually into the fourth. I’m a big fan.
What I liked about the “Twilight” series is that it is kind of a throwback to the original vampire vibe, which is that they are these mysterious, beautiful creatures with sexual undertones. Lately I think vampire films have kind of gotten a bad rap. When I first heard that my agents wanted me to go up for a vampire movie, I was thinking blood and gore—like, zombie movies. Right away I was like, “No, that’s not for me.” And they said, just read the book.
Did it take a lot of time to get ready every jour in costume and makeup?
It took a little bit to figure out. I did a week of makeup tests because they wanted to have their own tone and they wanted to make sure that the skin wasn’t too ridiculously Marcel Marceau, but pale enough where toi could buy that this person would be a vampire.
We had to get in, put the contact lenses in, which for some were harder than others, and then put the makeup on. I remember one product they used was this battery-charged airbrush makeup thing. It’s an ionizer, so if the makeup person touched toi while they were using it, it would give a little shock. That was always fun at six in the morning.
Is it at all strange to play an adoptive father to actors so close in age to you?
My oldest child is 11, and when I first heard of the project and they told me I had an 18-year-old kid I said, “Well, I’m not getting this part.” toi know, I don’t think that’s even theoretically possible for me to have an 18-year-old. But my character is the patriarch of his family, and that was something I could tap into.
Hometown?
Ozone Park, Queens. Now I live in Los Angeles, in Taluca Lake.
New York ou L.A.?
I moved out to L.A. in 1995. I’m probably plus of an L.A. person now, because I’m just plus laid back. But New York will always be accueil to me because my mom and dad are there, and I grew up there.
What is your family like?
I have three sisters, so I have been surrounded par women my whole life. Now it’s me, my wife, and my three children.
How old are your kids?
Eleven, five, and two.
Celebrity crush?
Yes. My celebrity crush is on Rob Pattinson. Just kidding. My wife, Jennie Garth, of course, would be my celebrity crush.
TV shows toi TiVo?
Damages and Dexter.
favori book?
I l’amour biographies. My favorite, I think, is Robert Mitchum’s biography.
favori movie?
There are so many good films that it would be hard to narrow it down.
favori kind of music?
Whatever’s on the radio. But I l’amour 60s and 70s music.
Do toi have a dream director ou actor you’d l’amour to work with?
One person for both: Sean Penn. I always wanted to work with Paul Newman. I never got the chance to, but he’s a big inspiration.
What are some of your interests outside of acting?
I play a lot of chauffeur. I am actually my daughter’s football coach. I like to play racquetball. I like yoga. But mostly I am a family man. When it comes down to it, I’m mostly hanging with the family. And it’s fun having three kids because toi get to remain a kid and continue taking them to fun events that I probably wouldn’t do if I was par myself.
Do toi have any upcoming projects?
I’m doing a Showtime series with Edie Falco called Nurse Jackie. We start filming November 10, and it will air in the suivant year.
Are toi feeling the effects of being in such a highly touted movie?
I take it all with a grain of salt. toi never know what’s going to happen. I hope the movie comes out and does extremely well. I’m proud to be part of it.
Edi Gathegi, 29, plays Laurent, a vampire who temporarily relinquishes his thirst for human blood and leaves Forks, Washington, in chercher of a plus human-friendly coven when fellow vampires James and Victoria decide to hunt Bella Swan. Gathegi was in the film Gone Baby Gone and has appeared on House and C.S.I. Miami.
VF Daily: How did toi initially become interested in acting?
Edi Gathegi: At U.C. Santa Barbara, I was undeclared as an undergraduate and I was interested in playing basketball. I was training with some of my teammates and I blew my knee out. I decided that I wanted to take a somewhat easy course because I was depressed, so I took an jouer la comédie class. I fell in l’amour with acting. I auditioned for their conservatory, got in, and called my parents and told them that this is what I wanted to do with my life. They supported me, and the rest is history. As for grad school, I applied to a lot of schools and par the graces of God ou whoever, I got into N.Y.U., which I am told is the best one.
Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
I found out that I was going to get the part of Laurent, so I read Twilight and got the script right after. I had not heard about the livres until I knew that I was up for the part.
What did toi do to prepare for your role?
There were several stages of preparation that I went through. There was a physical preparation—I wanted to make sure that I resembled a vampire that could exist in the world that Stephenie Meyer created. For my character preparation, I knew that it was going to be a challenge to learn a slight French accent, so I felt that it was a smart déplacer for me to learn as much French as I could and then just tone it down. I just sort of immersed myself in all things French. I even tried to get myself a French girlfriend, but that didn’t work out.
What did toi do to create the dark vampire persona?
I think that different actors go about their preparation differently, but when it comes to acting, I use my imagination. I also have the belief that we have all emotions in us and that we each have darkness within us. It depends on what we choose to access. I have found that because I am generally a happy person, it is kind of fun for me to explore that darker side. Villains are fun to play.
Do toi think the characters in the book resemble the characters in the film?
I think that I can safely say that all of the characters in the film are very close to what Stephenie Meyer has written in her first “Twilight” book. She was a consultant on the film, so I think that she was around to ensure that we stayed very close to her vision. And I think that is why she ultimately went with this studio to make the film and this production. In my opinion, as a fan of the book, I think it is as similar as it is going to get.
Did toi meet Stephenie Meyer?
Yes. Stephenie is a doll. I totally adore her. I did not meet her on set, but we ended up meeting at a dîner that the studio threw for the producers, the actors, the lot, and Stephenie. I ended up sitting suivant to her for the majority of the night and got to know her. She is just as great in person as she is in her interviews, and I am so happy that this success has fallen in her lap because she worked hard for it.
Hometown?
Albany, California.
Siblings?
Two siblings, “Betty G” and “Nate Dawg.”
Education?
U.C. Santa Barbara, N.Y.U. graduate-school jouer la comédie program (Tisch School of the Arts).
New York ou L.A.?
That is a tough question. I prefer New York, to be honest. New York is the only city that I have ever lived in that I have felt at home.
Trademark style?
I rock a baseball casquette, cap all the time. I want to have a collection of tons of hats.
What book are toi reading?
Dennis Lehane’s The donné Day. However, I think I am going to put that one on hold for a couple days, because I told myself that I was going to read The Host while completing the Twilight junket tour.
Celebrity crush?
Jessica Rabbit.
favori kind of music?
I have eclectic taste. I appreciate anything that makes me feel good.
favori movie?
Kung Fu Hustle, but I cringe when I have to give one title, because I have literally 13 to 15 favori movies. I guess the right answer would be Twilight, but I haven’t seen it yet.
favori cause?
Right now, it is getting Barack Obama into office.
Do toi play any instruments?
No longer.
Mac ou P.C.?
I am a récent Mac convert.
Do toi have any piercings ou tattoos?
No.
TV shows that toi TiVo?
Entourage, Rescue Me, The Shield, Nip/Tuck, and Life on Mars.
Significant other?
No.
What are some of your interests outside of acting?
I am sort of an adventurer. I like to explore new places. I don’t get to travel as often as I would like but I l’amour it. I also l’amour sports, reading, and watching films.
How do toi think participating in this film series will affect your future as an actor?
I am managing my expectations. I am hearing every jour how big this film is going to be, and believe me, I want it to be huge. The best I can hope for is that I begin to work really consistently on a bunch of high-profile projects as a result of this movie. That is the ultimate dream.
Do toi have any upcoming projects?
I play Deputy Martin in My Bloody Valentine, which is coming out on January 16. It is a 1980s horror remake and it is in 3-D. It is technically my first lead role, so I am really excited.
Cam Gigandet, 26, plays James, the evil “tracker” vampire who makes it his mission to torture and kill Bella, thus taking her away from Edward. Gigandet’s credits include roles on the télévision shows The Young and The Restless, Jack and Bobby, and The O.C., as well as the film Never Back Down.
VF Daily: Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
Cam Gigandet: I read the first one months prior.
Which book is your favori in the series?
I have just started the seconde one.
What was your initial reaction to the idea of playing a vampire?
It’s going to be a challenge to live in a world that I can only experience through my imagination.
James seems so sinister in the book. Was it hard for toi to relate to him?
Maybe it was hard to justify his actions, but what he is going through was very relatable.
What did toi do to prepare for your role?
A lot of focus was on the relationships and reasoning our actions.
What did toi like best about playing James?
Playing with the idea of immortality, and how it is both good and bad. And his fears were really intriguing to me.
Which scene was your favori to film?
The ballet scene.
What was it like working with such a young cast?
It was great because collaboration was everywhere.
Were there any particularly funny moments on set?
All I have to say is chicken and honey …
What have toi done to prepare yourself for the mania surrounding the film?
Nothing really. I don’t want to give myself any expectations. I’m just hanging on.
Do toi have any upcoming projects?
Pandorum and The Unborn are next.
Ashley Greene, 21, plays Alice Cullen, the adopted daughter of Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Alice’s visions of the future lead her to the Cullen family, and her powers play a crucial role in protecting Bella Swan. Greene has appearances on the télévision shows Crossing Jordan, Desire, and Shark.
VF Daily: Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
Ashley Greene: When I was going to audition, I actually went out and got the first book and read it before the first meeting. I read it in a jour and a half, and then I read the seconde and third. I’m finishing up the fourth so I can have it done before the movie comes out.
Which book in the series is your favorite?
I liked the first one. I think that it was my favorite, which is funny because Alice’s part gets larger and larger in the seconde and third books. The fourth one is very interesting and different. It’s turning out to be really cool.
Did toi immediately like Twilight when toi first read it?
Oh my gosh, yes. My managers can vouch for how badly I really wanted the part, and my Friends and family know how hard I worked on it. I can relate with the fans as far as how they’re in l’amour with the Edward character, because he’s literally this perfect being and I totally get it. It’s so funny working with all these people and seeing them in real life. I’m just as big a fan of Stephenie [Meyer] and of the livres as anybody else. I just happened to get the opportunity to portray Alice.
What did toi do to prepare for your role?
Obviously, Alice has these amazing powers. For the psychic thing, I had to watch films such as The Fifth Element to get a sense of it. I had read all the livres and there’s a ton of stuff online.
We actually got to film where [Meyer] set the book, which is kind of cool. We filmed in Portland, Oregon, and then we would drive up to Washington as well. We were up there two weeks before we started shooting.
What was your favori scene to shoot?
Definitely the fight scene. I’d never done wire work before, so that was absolutely amazing. It was like being on a roller coaster.
What was the vibe on the set? Did everyone get along well?
We did. I didn’t know what to expect because we’re a large and very young cast with a fairly good amount of pressure on us. We all got along great and we really meshed well, which is nice because I’ve heard … [Laughs.] We had fun. We’d film 12 hours a jour and then get off and go hang out and eat dîner together. We got lucky.
What have toi done to prepare yourself for the mania surrounding the film?
toi don’t really know what to do. That’s the thing. I hadn’t really done anything major and then this came about, so it’s kind of surreal. It’s been amazing so far and, speaking for myself, and I think for everybody else, the fans are really supportive and it’s all been really good. I’m enjoying it right now and it’s really exciting, as long as people don’t, toi know, follow me home. I think that Robert Pattinson might have that problem, but I think that I’m in the clear.
Hometown?
Jacksonville, Florida.
Siblings?
I have one brother, Joe, who is 23. We’re really, really close. He still lives in Jacksonville but actually just the other jour was talking about maybe moving out with the little sis and trying his hand at acting.
Significant other?
I do not have a significant other. My career is my boyfriend at the moment.
Celebrity crush?
Oh man, I l’amour Christian Bale and Johnny Depp, and I’ve recently taken a liking to Jon Hamm from Mad Men.
Trademark style?
A shirt, jeans, and flats, mostly—I’m pretty casual. But I also l’amour Audrey Hepburn’s classic, beautiful style.
favori movie?
I loved Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I just watched What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and I had forgotten how great that movie is.
Who do toi think are the best actor and actress of all time? Audrey Hepburn, perhaps?
l’amour her. l’amour Meryl Streep. I like Charlize Theron and Rachel McAdams. And then of course, I l’amour Johnny Depp.
TV shows that toi TiVo?
My roommate and I TiVo Mad Men. I used to be a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan and I’ve got a couple Friends on Gossip Girl and 90210, but I think I’m plus of a movie person than a TV person, to be honest.
What book are toi reading?
I’m lire Breaking Dawn. I like to have Sanford Meisner’s book [about the Meisner jouer la comédie technique] with me. I read and reread that book because I rely on it for the jouer la comédie chops.
favori musician ou band?
I l’amour Linkin Park and I really like Muse. I always work out to Paramore. They’re all on our soundtrack. We have an amazing soundtrack. I grew up with Counting Crows. I have the most aléatoire stuff on my iPod. I have everything from country to rock, to rap. I like Lil Wayne and Carrie Underwood.
New York ou L.A.?
Oh, goodness. I live in L.A. now and because I’m from Florida, it’s nice because there are some similarities. Once I get the time and the opportunity, I’d l’amour to live in New York for a year, because a couple of my Friends live there and I absolutely l’amour the energy in New York right now.
Perez ou Gawker?
I’m going to have to say Perez. I l’amour Perez. He’s a trip.
Facebook ou MySpace?
I’m not really big on either, but I prefer Facebook out of the two.
Do toi have any upcoming projects?
I just finished a film in Canada called Summer and that was really fun. I worked with Stephen McHattie and Peter Mooney. I’m currently in Shreveport, Louisiana, doing a film called Skateland that I’m super-excited about. It’s set in 1983, so that’s really fun because I have the Farrah Fawcett hair.
Taylor Lautner, 16, plays Jacob Black, the teenage son of Billy Black, an elder of the Quileute Indian tribe. Lautner had the titre role in The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D and now stars as Christian Slater’s son in the TV series My Own Worst Enemy.
VF Daily: Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
Taylor Lautner: Actually, before I was cast I hadn’t even heard of “Twilight.” So then when I was actually cast I did my research, and I was like, “Oh, what am I getting myself into?” I’m just excited to be a part of it now.
What did toi do to prepare for your role?
Before I went up to Portland, I did some research on the Quileute tribe. I set up a meeting with some real Quileute tribal members in Portland and I got to meet and talk with them. To my surprise, I learned that they are just like me. What they l’amour is sports and girls.
Did it take a lot of time to get ready every jour in costume and makeup?
The costume and wardrobe were the easiest part. The most difficult part for me was the wig. It took a while to put on and take off.
Do toi relate to any aspects of your character?
Jacob’s very friendly, outgoing, and loves people. I’m pretty similar to that side of him.
What was the vibe like on set?
The cast really had great chemistry and we all hung out. We’re all really good Friends now, so that’s really cool.
You’re 16 years old, so you’re probably one of the younger people on set, right?
Yes, I am the youngest.
How was that?
I was a little nervous at first. But no, it was great. I can’t even tell the difference. Everybody’s really nice and easy to relate to.
Have toi had crazy experiences yet with a fan?
First of all, Comic-Con was crazy. I knew it was going to be. They had told me, “This is a big event and there’s going to be like 6,000 fans there.” We got there and it was huge. Just coming out onstage and hearing everyone scream and seeing how many people were in that auditorium was crazy. One of the other weirdest fan things is somebody sent me a link and said, “What is this?” And it was a picture of women’s underwear being sold online with “Taylor” written on it. So it was kind of weird to have women’s underwear with my name imprinted on the front.
What are some of your interests outside of acting?
I l’amour sports. I played football and baseball for about seven years. I had to quit the football team about two years il y a now and it was a bummer.
I started doing martial arts when I was 6 and I did it until I was 13. My karate instructor was involved in [show] business and he kind of took me into the business. Whenever I would come out to L.A. to train for karate with him, I would go out on auditions, and eventually I realized that I like jouer la comédie more. So I gave up karate for acting, and now I’m very glad I made that choice.
Are toi in school right now?
I’ve always been in a public school until this year, actually. I am working on a TV montrer on NBC [My Own Worst Enemy], and I would be missing too much school. So I tested out of high school and now I’m taking college classes.
Hometown?
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Current residence?
I’m living in the L.A. area. I moved out here with my whole family about five years ago.
Siblings?
I have a 10-year-old sister.
What book are toi reading?
The “Twilight” series. I actually wasn’t much of a book reader at all before the “Twilight” series. They just draw toi in and people l’amour them. They’re terrific books.
favori movie?
My favori movie is Iron Man. I tell people that I think it’s just as good as Dark Knight, if not better, and people tell me I’m crazy. I really like Iron Man.
TV shows that toi TiVo?
American Idol and So toi Think toi Can Dance?
favori kind of music?
Everything. No bands in particular. I try and keep up with the haut, retour au début 10 on iTunes.
Do toi have a dream director ou actor you’d l’amour to work with?
I’d l’amour to do a movie with Denzel Washington, ou some action étoile, star such as Matt Damon ou Mark Wahlberg would be really cool, too.
Celebrity crush?
Jessica Alba.
Significant other?
No one in particular. But I’m a teenage boy, so I date.
Rachelle Lefevre, 29, plays Victoria, a fiery, feline-esque vampire who assists her lover and leader, James, in hunting Bella Swan. Lefevre has also been seen this an on prime-time télévision shows such as Swingtown, Boston Legal, and Life on Mars.
VF Daily: Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
Rachelle Lefevre: I hadn’t. I heard about the audition first, and all I saw for the audition was the appointment sheet. It had a little breakdown on it, and I can’t remember exactly what it said, but it was something along the lines of “Victoria: fiery, red-haired, evil, nomadic vampire.” And I was like, I have to play this part. So I ran right out to the bookstore and I bought Twilight. I read it in two and a half days. I was absolutely hooked.
What did toi do to prepare for your role?
I read all three livres available at the time, got as much information from the livres as I could about Victoria, and then sat down and put together a fake backstory on who she was before she was a vampire. I realized that vampires are unique because they are humans first and they were not born monsters. So I thought, How do I bring that kind of humanness and a kind of humanity into playing a vampire? As a result, when I found myself playing the “evil” part, I could not look at her as a monster. I can’t play a character that I am judging. She clearly doesn’t see herself as evil, so what is it about her? What came of this thought process was that she is a kind of menace.
What was it like to play a villain?
Liberating.
Did toi meet Stephenie Meyer?
Yes, when I did meet her, I was really excited, but I was sort of awe-struck. I saw her instantly as this purely creative being, and this is really cheesy, but I got quite emotional.
What was your favori scene to shoot?
In terms of experience, we shot this baseball scene and it was the only scene that we got to shoot with all of the vampires. It was the first scene all together after all the dinners we had, all the talks about our roles, and all the rehearsals. We showed up for this scene all done up as vampires, with our contact lenses in and everything, and it was really cool.
Hometown?
Montreal.
Siblings?
Three sisters.
Education?
McGill University.
New York ou L.A.?
Can I say 50-50? But New York is East Coast like Montreal, so it’s nostalgic to me.
Trademark style?
Big hair. My hair walks into a room before I do.
What book are toi reading?
Candide, par Voltaire, and The White Man’s Burden, par William Easterly.
Celebrity crush?
Johnny Depp, without question.
favori kind of music?
Country.
favori movie?
It changes so regularly. Right now I am obsessed with Stage Door and The Philadelphia Story.
favori cause?
Literacy. I volunteer with School on Wheels in Los Angeles and I also tutor with Koreh L.A.
Do toi play any instruments?
No. I am tone deaf.
Mac ou P.C.?
Mac.
Do toi speak any foreign languages?
French.
Significant other?
Yes.
What are some of your interests outside acting?
I absolutely l’amour being outdoors. I l’amour hiking and going to the farmers’ market. I also like to read and attend Barry’s Bootcamp. I am pretty much a homebody, but I l’amour to travel.
Do toi have any upcoming projects?
I am enjoying the Twilight ride.
How do toi think participating in this film series will affect your future as an actor?
It has definitely changed my day-to-day life. It’s changed my viewpoints of the world and my experience at the airport and grocery store, because I am now getting recognized in public.
Jackson Rathbone, 23, plays Jasper Cullen, Alice’s vampire love, who has a strong conscience. Rathbone had the lead role on the télévision series Beautiful People and a part on The O.C.
VF Daily: Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
Jackson Rathbone: No, but many Friends of mine had and filled me in on the story. Then I read Twilight and I saw what all the fuss was about. Once I landed the role of Jasper, all my cousins wrote me—I have a huge family—and told me how excited they were that I was in the movie because they loved the livres so much.
What did toi do to prepare for your role?
I ate my steaks blood rare.
What did toi like best about playing Jasper?
He’s a vampire barely able to control himself, but he does it for love. Basically, his nobility and sense of honor. Plus, he’s from Texas.
What was your favori scene to shoot?
All the action sequences, especially the fight scene. I l’amour doing my own stuntwork.
Who were your closest Friends on set?
All the Cullens. We were truly like a family on and off set. We would go out to dinner, hang out at the hotel, work out together in the hotel gym, and we even had family sing-a-longs.
What have toi done to prepare yourself for the mania surrounding the film?
I’ve been keeping busy with my band, my acting, and my fledgling production company. I am always busy and I like it that way. I’ve always loved the arts and this mania hopefully will help to bring fruition to many of my artistic endeavors.
Have toi had any crazy fan encounters yet?
All my fans are amazing and have helped me in my career so much. I couldn’t be an actor without an audience, and I feel blessed to have my fans so much on my side.
Hometown?
Midland, Texas.
Siblings?
Three sisters.
Significant other?
She’s beautiful, but shy. She’s also a guitar.
Celebrity crush?
January Jones from Mad Men. Our band, 100 Monkeys, wrote a song for her.
Trademark look?
couleurs that don’t match. I’m colorblind and have embraced it. And always with a hat.
Who do toi consider the most stylish man in Hollywood?
Eddie Izzard? I don’t read fashion mags ou tabloids … Sorry, I really wouldn’t know.
favori movie?
Casablanca.
Who do toi think are the greatest actor and actress of all time?
Jack Nicholson and Katharine Hepburn.
TV shows that toi TiVo?
South Park and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
What book are toi reading?
I’m on a short-story kick, going between Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Franz Kafka.
favori musician ou band?
Tom Waits.
favori cause?
The Spencer cloche, bell Memorial.
New York ou L.A.?
The herbe is always greener … Manhattan.
Do toi have any upcoming projects?
I’m currently in London, filming a psychological thriller called Dread. Also, roles in Samantha D and The Daze. I have a few projects in development with my production company, as well as our band’s yet-to-be-finished album.
Elizabeth Reaser, 33, plays Esme Cullen, the wife of Dr. Carlisle Cullen and the adoptive mother to Edward and his vampire siblings. Carlisle turned her into a vampire when she tried to kill herself after losing her son. Reaser’s breakout performance was as Jane Doe, the mystery patient in Grey’s Anatomy, and she starred in the now defunct The Ex-List.
VF Daily: Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
Elizabeth Reaser: I had never heard of the livres before the audition. In fact, Catherine Hardwicke [the director] told me in the audition that it was a book because I was like, “What the hell is going on here?”
What do toi make of the books?
I think the livres are insanely populaire because Stephenie is a great storyteller. And it’s romantic wish fulfillment.
Did toi become friendly with your fellow castmates while filming?
I loved the vampires. They were fun. Also all the gals. Great gals.
Hometown?
Milford, Michigan.
Current residence?
A hotel in La Jolla.
favori book?
A tie between In the Skin of a Lion, The End of the Affair, and A Million Little Pieces.
Do toi have any actors ou directors toi would l’amour to work with?
Mike Leigh, Lars von Trier, Woody Allen, Pedro Almodóvar.
What do toi do in your free time?
In my free time, I l’amour to lay in bed.
Celebrity crush?
No Hollywood crush.
Nikki Reed, 20, plays Rosalie Hale, the sublimely beautiful vampire who kept her last name after being adopted par the Cullen family. She dislikes Bella cygne and disapproves of her relationship with Edward. Reed’s past film credits include Thirteen, which she co-wrote and starred in, and Lords of Dogtown.
VF Daily: Had toi read the “Twilight” livres before getting the script?
Nikki Reed: No. I got a phone call about Twilight months before the film was going to be made and there was very little hype about the idea, at least in my world. I hadn’t heard of the books, to be perfectly honest. I read the three livres that were available when we were in rehearsal in Portland. This script revolves around Kristen Stewart [Bella] and Rob Pattinson’s [Edward] characters, so the rest of us who wanted to give the movie a deeper feel had to read the books. Rosalie’s character doesn’t really get fleshed out until the third book, so I had to read it to know where she was coming from and to make her plus than just background.
Which book in the series is your favorite?
They’re all really different. The third one has a lot of action. I can see it being very visually stimulating on-screen.
What was your initial reaction to the idea of playing a vampire?
Stephenie Meyer created a new kind of vampire in these books. We don’t have fangs, we don’t have blood dripping out of our mouths, we don’t sleep in coffins. I never really thought that I was going to be like Tom Cruise in Interview with the Vampire, because this is such a different take on the theme. But during the three weeks that we were rehearsing, we had classes to learn how to behave in the roles, like movement class. I don’t know how much of it was incorporated in the film, but it was certainly good for the mind.
In the books, Stephenie Meyer describes your character, Rosalie, as this euphorically beautiful creature. What kind of pressure did toi feel as the actor portraying that role?
There was a lot of pressure! When you’re playing a character in a book, there’s already a lot of pressure because all of the millions of people who have read the series have been able to envision and become very attached to the characters. It wouldn’t matter if there was a picture of Rosalie on the cover of the book—everyone would still have their own idea of who she is because everyone relates to the characters in a different way. That, par itself, is very intimidating. And then, the coup de poing line for Rosalie is that she’s the most beautiful person in the world. I’m very aware that that is Rosalie and this is me, and that beauty is subjective. I don’t think anyone can fill those shoes. I did the best that I could. I think that once the movie comes out, everyone will realize that we are these characters. End of story. I have brown hair, tan skin, and I’m not six feet tall. Ashley Greene is much taller than me in real life, and she plays Alice, who is supposed to be four feet 10 inches. So I was in these monster, hand-crafted heels, like stilts, at all times. toi make exceptions when toi cast actors, and I had to go the furthest par far. It was fun—a lot of time in the makeup chair!
Did toi become friendly with your fellow castmates while filming?
Kristen Stewart and I became really close. I’ve worked for a really long time and I’ve done a lot of youth-oriented films, which means I’ve worked with a lot of people my age. It’s very unnatural to be plucked out of our life and put on location, wherever that is, and be told, “This is your cast and these are the people you’re going to get to know in the suivant six months.” It’s very common to become close with those people in that time, and then everyone goes back to their lives. It’s very hard on the heart. I think that as a person toi become very callous. toi become very aware that things are transient—they come, they go. Kristen and I had a very natural progression to our friendship. She was in rehearsal on her own a lot, as was I, but we became very close over the months and now I’m like a part of her family.
How have toi prepared yourself for the mania that will likely ensue when the film is released?
How does one prepare for that?! I don’t think any of us are prepared to deal with the insanity that’s come along. And I mean insanity in the most positive way. The frenzy of the little-girl culture is something very unique, and I can only say that because I was one. The obsession—I can’t really explain it. Everything is heightened to the maximum. It’s just nuts! It’s spread like wildfire and the film hasn’t even come out yet. They l’amour the characters we play. When I walk down the street, people call my character’s name!
Hometown?
L.A., but I grew up all over.
Siblings?
One older brother and one younger brother.
Significant other?
No.
Celebrity crushes?
Val Kilmer in Tombstone, Paul Newman in The Left Handed Gun, and Gary Oldman in Basquiat.
Who do toi consider to be the most stylish women in Hollywood?
Merle Oberon and Audrey Hepburn.
favori movies?
City of God, True Romance, Nowhere in Africa, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Lion King.
Whose career would toi most like to follow?
houx Hunter.
favori book?
Wuthering Heights, Color of Water, lire Lolita in Tehran, They Poured feu on Us from the Sky, The Robber Bride, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Go Ask Alice, and Schindler’s List.
favori musique groups?
The Raconteurs and Kings of Leon.
favori cause?
My little brother is autistic, so I would l’amour to be involved in a charity for autism, but I haven’t found the right one yet.
New York ou L.A.?
New York.
Tina Fey ou Sarah Palin?
Tina Fey could run this country before Sarah Palin could!
Facebook ou MySpace?
Neither! I don’t believe in any of this new-wave generation stuff that’s all about connections on the Internet. That’s the charity that I want to start. It’s called “Kids, Get Your cul, ass into livres and Off of MySpace!”
Forbidden Fruit
