Name Dorothy Dupuy
Age 27
Country USA
Twilighter since? June 2009

I didn’t discover the Twilight books until June of 2009. My Mom was having brain surgery & I had bought the first book just for a distraction. I was hooked immediately. As soon as I finished the 1st one, I ran out & bought the remaining books. I had them read in 5 days. I fell in love with them from the beginning. Now I am totally consumed by all things Twilight now. My husband thinks that I am crazy,but it is a beautiful story of love. When I first finished the books, they were in my dreams. I have read all the books 3 times. I’ve seen the movie about 30 times. When I wake every morning, the 1st thing I do is check my Twilighters e-mail. I can say for certain that these books have changed my life. I didn’t think that anything would peak my interest after the Harry Potter series ended. I was wrong. I’m so glad that I discovered the Twilight saga. It took me to another place & help distract me while my Mom was in surgery. Stephenie Meyer is wonderful. I really hope that she continues with more Twilight books. I wish that they would never end.

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.

Other fansites on the call were the Twilight Lexicon, His Golden Eyes, Twilight Examiner, Twilight Series Theories, Twilight Facebook, Twilight Moms, Twilighters Anonymous, Twilight Superfan, Twilight Source, and Bella & Edward.

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 J.

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: 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 each other, 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]

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: 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.

Michael Welch: 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?

Anna Kendrick: 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?

Mickael Welch: 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 Kendrick: 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?

Michael Welch: 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 Kendrick: 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?

Michael Welch: 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 Kendrick: 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 Kendrick: 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.

Michael Welch: 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 Kendrick: 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.

Michael Welch: 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?

Justin Chon: Well, I love being on the lighter side of things. I think it’s 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.

Christian Serratos: Yeah, 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?

Justin Chon: I think they will be very surprised when they see how amazing Taylor looks without his shirt on. [laughs]

Christian Serratos: 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?

Justin Chon: 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’m just an actor but with working with different directors, he really was on the ball with this stuff.

Christian Serratos: Yeah, that was 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 more 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?

Justin Chon: Yeah, they stay together.

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

Justin Chon: 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.

Christian Serratos: 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?

Justin Chon: It’s 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.

Christian Serratos: 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?

Justin Chon: 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.

Christian Serratos: Yeah, me too!

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

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

Christian Serratos: 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 well 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?

Justin Chon: I think so yeah.

Christian Serratos: That’s pretty much our purpose.

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

Christian Serratos: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?

Christian Serratos: 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.

Justin Chon: Yeah, I agree with Christian. We get a lot of the benefits without the drawbacks. We can still, you know, 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?

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

Christian Serratos: 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?

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

Justin Chon: 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 around and really tearing it up.

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

Christian Serratos: Not really.

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

Christian Serratos: I think so too!

Justin Chon: Yeah, [laughs] maybe I should start thinking “What would Erik do?”

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

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

Christian Serratos: 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?

Christian Serratos: 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.

Justin Chon: 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’s 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?

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

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

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

Christian Serratos: 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.

Justin Chon: I had a huge, 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, I had t-shirts…

Christian Serratos: That’s weird!

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

In honor of the upcoming release of The Twilight Saga: New Moon I’d just like to spotlight this awesome New Moon fan video made by Zain and share it with everyone!

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