Twilight Moonlighter

Remembering RPattz during the drought of Eclipse details

2010-03-09T07:18:41Z

There's been a severe drought in the sumptuous world of Twilight. The third in the Saga, Eclipse, is slated for release July 9 in the UK, June 30 in the U.S.

Yet nothing has been released, short of a leak of monumental proportions (think giant white bed scene), which was quickly sloughed off any website which dared post them. My vows to remain spoiler-free were lapped up as soon as I heard that tantalizing images were floating around the internet. I realize how weak I truly am when anything bearing the name Edward Cullen is involved.

Robert Pattinson's new flick, Remember Me, is unleashed in US theaters this Friday, with the promise by Summit to unveil the Eclipse trailer. Undoubtedly, I'll be making a trek with girlfriends to delight in both a fresh look at the Twilight Saga as well as a new appreciation for Robert Pattinson sans bouffant and period clothing.

UK fans will have to wait until April 2 to feast their eyes on RPattz in his new role, but, in the meantime, you can catch the trailer and go behind the scenes.

After all, a quick fix of Rob, as Tyler or as Edward, is quite a delight, especially during this dearth of information. Stay tuned for more official word on the Eclipse trailer, which should emerge within a week!

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2009 in review, plus my plans for a spoiler-free 2010

2009-12-31T06:09:38Z

My obsession with the Twilight Saga began just over a year ago. It was October of 2008, when a fellow cheerleader mum turned to me and confessed her newfound love for a certain vampire family, specifically a proper, 107-year-old vampire named Edward Cullen. I had to find out what the draw was - my friend was normal in every sense of the word, and her sudden obsession was infectious.

It now seems so long since the anticipation for the first movie drove me and fellow Twilighters wild. We had custom shirts made. We squealed. We talked Twilight shop non-stop. To this day, I can infuse Twilight lingo into practically any conversation.

In 2009, my world changed when I began this blog. What started as a simple outlet to vent, spread news, and oscillate between real-world obligations and an alternate reality exploded. What would have been a pipe dream months ago - the ability to interview entertainment figures - has now become a part of my reality. Real world and alternate reality have collided, and I have only the Twilight Saga to thank for that.

As a new decade approaches, I find myself in a new Twilight world; one I can navigate more clearly. The anticipation of New Moon had me scouring the net for every tiny bit of information I could find. Spoilers meant nothing to me; they only provided an extra tinge of excitement before I immersed myself in the next new tidbit splashed across the net.

But I'm considering a New Year's resolution, and I almost kick myself for even considering it - to stay spoiler-free until the release of Eclipse. Is it possible to be a Twilight blogger and remain an Eclipse virgin? My brain was on Twilight overload almost a month before the release of New Moon, and I had to take a break. Will I find the opposite effect occuring if I abstain for six months?

Only one picture has been released of Eclipse thus far, and aside from Edward's drooping bouffant, it could be an image from any of the three movies; it hardly counts as a spoiler. So this is the time to make a resolution... a pinky swear, of sorts.

Anyone else willing to take the plunge?

Team Edward or Team Jacob? Why not pick both?

2009-11-27T07:20:28Z

It's been a week since the release of New Moon, and most of the women with whom I've come into contact are now melting at the mere thought of Jacob Black.

Riding the wave of the success of The Twilight Saga, Plexus Publishing has produced two sizzling visual biographies of Twilight's leading men, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, each set to be released in January for £12.99.

Lautner's book contains 70 full colour photographs and Pattinson's has 100 images.

Several biographies of Pattinson have been released within the past year, but New Moon has catapulted the status of Lautner, and Plexus has been quick to compile this comprehensive bio of the young star.

Die-hard Twilighters are savvy on each and every idiosyncrasy of these actors, but novices and collectors in particular will appreciate the amount of time and effort that has gone into this pair of slick biographies.

That said, even long-term fans are sure to glean a few extra bits of obscure trivia from the books, which are both bursting at the seams with detail.

So what is the ultimate attraction for fans? Is it the characters of Edward Cullen and Jacob Black, or these days is it just as much about the actors as well?

My not-so-unbiased commentary on 'New Moon'

2009-11-23T07:06:43Z

My thirst for the New Moon premiere has been building to a frenzy over the past few weeks. A flurry of Rob and Kristen interviews from sources around the world proved the final breaking point for my mind, already chock-full of snippets and spoilers from the movie.

I decided to fast, not unlike the fiancée who suddenly denies her lover mere weeks before the wedding. But was it too late? Was my fate sealed? Would I be disappointed by the movie for which I've been clamouring for months on end?

On Thursday night we were treated with a showing of Twilight to whet our appetites for the second in the Twilight Saga. I can recite Twilight by heart - yes, I've seen the flick that many times. A series of New Moon what-ifs raced through my mind as I watched. What if Edward wasn't in the movie enough? What if Jacob didn't live up to expectations? What if Bella was drab? What if the storyline strayed?

A special note to my friends who've yet to see New Moon - I won't fill your heads with spoilers. What I can tell you is that, true to form, Melissa Rosenberg's script seamlessly places the book inside a neat visual package, which leaves few questions unanswered.

Perhaps the most refreshing part of the film was that it gave the supporting actors the opportunity to shine. Anna Kendrick, as Jessica, either had more lines or delivered them with the proper comic touch, or both. Her character was quite memorable, as was Michael Welch's Mike. The theatre scene provided a lot of fun, seguing brilliantly into the werewolf transformation.

Director Chris Weitz delights with well-realised imagery, plus a romp with the Volturi that's sure to satiate audiences. Best of all, Taylor Lautner, who plays Jacob Black, is sure to turn the heads of even the most die-hard Team Edward fans. Taylor nails his character in the sweetest manner possible, with a double-dose of testosterone.

In two words: Hello biceps.

New Moon spoilers galore

2009-10-23T05:19:19Z

Harder. Faster. Day by day leading to the release of New Moon, Summit is tempting us, throwing chunks of eye candy to die-hard fans more and more often.

This week has been climactic, to say the least.

First, the newest spot to hit the telly. Chock full of vampires, half naked men, and werewolf shape-shifting action, this trailer proves that New Moon will not disappoint fans.

Team Jacob fans will love this transformation clip. Straight from the book, Bella slaps Paul. Enjoy the wrath that follows.

And if you haven't been taunted enough, grab your tissue for this Volturi scene, released in Rome today. Though it strays from the book a bit, mustn't every successful action movie have a conflict and physical resolution? Melissa Rosenburg, screen writer for New Moon, chose to take out the Volturi's aggressions on Edward. Violently.

The 'New Moon' trailer has been released, and Chris Weitz does not disappoint

2009-09-16T08:52:08Z

Most people bristle at change. It's comfortable in that little box, and we don't want to have to venture outside of it. Same goes for movies. Twilighters were comfortable with the first movie of the Twilight Saga, Twilight. Sure, there were glitches here and there, the makeup wasn't spot on, but it was easy, familiar, and true to the book.

Enter a change in director. When Chris Weitz was announced as the director, eyes began rolling, and speculation began. Catherine Hardwicke was visibly drawn to the Saga, treating it as her baby. What if Chris didn't read the books? What if he doesn't care how passionate the fans are and skews the vision to his own muse as opposed to that of Stephenie Meyer? These whisperings flittered around the net, much like the idea of "flittering images" that Weitz proposed to fans.

With the release of the third theatrical trailer of New Moon, fans were treated to snippets of nearly every part of undying queries about the flick, including the Volturi, the werewolves, Bella's cliff-diving escapade, the yellow Porsche, Italy, and yes, the much-anticipated "flittering" images of Edward, all true to the style of Chris Weitz.

The trailer alone has exceeded my expectations. Weitz's vision obviously takes into account the passion fans feel for the Saga. November can't come fast enough.

What are the Twilight cast members tweeting these days?

2009-09-04T04:15:57Z

It's been confirmed that some of the heaviest Twilight Saga hitters are, in fact, NOT tweeting. Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner are among the non-Tweeters, as are Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene.

That said, however, Kellan Lutz did ring the bells of many a female Twilight fan when he tweeted from Peter Facinelli's account the other night at dinner:

Hey it's Kellan.Sitting here at dinner with Fach. Thanks for making me a trending topic. Don't know what that is but it sounds cool.luv ya

Edi Gathegi (Laurent) and Christian Serratos (Angela) often banter on their Twitter accounts; in fact, Christian recently twittered about fan favorite, Kellan Lutz:

Poker with Kellan...He called for cards and got them...even with magic powers he lost. ;)

Though I'm not one to become terribly enamored with the celebrity aspect of the filming process, it is a treat to find a celeb randomly tweeting on my account. Here's a comprehensive list of all the Twilight Saga celebs who grace the Twitter scene now and again:

Want to follow other celebs? Check out Hello! Magazine's list of celebrity Tweets!

Have you placed your vote in the sexiest vampire poll?

2009-08-14T06:56:09Z

Vampires are the hottest new thing on the block, and Edward Cullen is top of the pack, so say hellomagazine.com readers.

The newest poll inquires as to which vampire is the sexiest on-screen, and while Twilight 's Robert Pattinson, a.k.a. Edward Cullen currently holds the lead, my plea to Twilight readers is to honor the poll with votes to squelch the others and plummet Robert over the edge, the efforts of which will truly define the loyalty of the Twilight fan.

David Boreanaz, portrayed Angel in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which aired from 1997 to 1999, then in his own spinoff of his characters name until 2004. David is poised to knock Robert Pattinson from his post at first.

Stephen Moyer, Bill of the sensuous, bloodied True Blood, holds a steady place, far behind, at third.

Rounding out last place is chum Wesley Snipes, who is possibly best known for his portrayal as the easily forgettable Blade.

Replacing Rachelle- the gloves come off

2009-07-30T06:19:16Z

No sooner had Summit announced Bryce Dallas Howard as Rachelle LeFevre's replacement as Victoria in the third installment of the Twilight Saga, Eclipse, and the banter began.

"Rachelle brought Victoria to great screen life, and Bryce will bring a new dimension to the character," said Erik Feig, president of worldwide production and acquisitions for Summit Entertainment. "The franchise is lucky to have such a talented actress as Bryce coming in to fill the role."

Summit cited scheduling conflicts between Rachelle and her new film Barney's Version, starring opposite Dustin Hoffman. The indie film is set to begin filming Aug. 17, the same day as Eclipse, across Canada in Quebec.

Rachelle followed up the announcement with a statement of her own:

"I was stunned by Summit's decision to recast the role of Victoria for Eclipse, said Lefevre. "I was fully committed to the Twilight saga, and to the portrayal of Victoria. I turned down several other film opportunities and, in accordance with my contractual rights, accepted only roles that would involve very short shooting schedules.

Summit responded with a bulleted letter, among which stated:

"Contrary to Ms. Lefevre's statement, it is simply untrue that the Studio dismissed her over a ten day overlap. It is not about a ten day overlap, but instead about the fact that THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE is an ensemble production that has to accommodate the schedules of numerous actors while respecting the established creative vision of the filmmaker and most importantly the story. The fact remains that Ms. Lefevre's commitment to the other project- which she chose to withhold from Summit until the last possible moment - makes her unfortunately unavailable to perform the role of Victoria in THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE."

We've been fortunate thus far; the Cullen family has remained intact. As the franchise mushrooms, however, salacious tiffs such as the one with Rachelle are heartbreaking, though not surprising. Regardless, Rachelle will be mourned by Twilighters worldwide as Eclipse filming commences in August.

A peek into the man behind Twilight's popular song 'Eyes on Fire'

2009-07-14T04:10:13Z

In a candid interview, Tobias Wilner of Blue Foundation reveals to me details about his fans, his band, and the inspiration behind Twilight's underground hit, Eyes on Fire.

Tobias knows his fan base extremely well. "My fans are like me," he says. "Often a little bit to sensitive to the real world." He further describes the significance behind the random project name, Blue Foundation, saying, "It's all about the soundtrack of your life."

Though the lyrics of Eyes on Fire seem to have been written specifically for Twilight, Tobi reveals otherwise, offering up a great deal of insight into the pained tone of the song:

It really seems like the song was written for the movie, but it was not. It was written a year before in a cold, dark December night in Copenhagen in a very old and trashy house where I used to have my studio by Kirstine and me. I think the music and lyrics speak for itself, but I can tell you, I did the music in the hardest period in my life, struggling with relationship and suicidal thoughts. It was all about stand up against your demons and fight back, be strong. I think that's the beauty about this song. It's about anger and strength to fight back. Be strong and be able to continue to walk through the "desert".

How was your band chosen to be on the Twilight soundtrack?
The reason why the song was chosen to be on the Twilight soundtrack was (because of) my partners from Zync Music who played the music for Catherine Hardwicke; she really fell in love with the song "Eyes on Fire". She chose the song because of the way it sounds and Kirstine Stubbe Teglbjaeg's lyrics.
Has it been a benefit or a curse?
Of course more people know about my music because of Twilight so that's good. I didn't do the movie - I just wrote this song with Kirstine, and it ended up in a blockbuster (film). It's that simple. I will continue doing what I do. Compose music and write song because I have to. That's what I do...

Is there any possibility you'll have a song on the New Moon soundtrack?
NO one in the whole world knows! And I mean NO ONE KNOWS!

Describe the feel you try to portray with your music:
I just do the music for myself. I never think about other people. I do it for myself and only for myself. I never think what other people will think about my music when I do it. It's all about my inner struggle. I'm quite sure that music mirror other people's sadness just like "Eyes" does.

Bella's birthday confection maker takes the cake

2009-06-26T07:01:38Z

The birthday party scene in New Moon is a pivotal one, with elaborate embellishments provided by none other than pixie vamp Alice. The pinnacle of the birthday party, aside from the paper cut Bella receives and subsequent attack by Jasper, is the beautiful birthday cake that Alice has so graciously provided for the party despite the fact that Bella is the only one who would partake.

In an exclusive interview, Lisa Haas, wife of the movie cake's creator, Thomas, explains how the iconic cake was born.

Unaware of the Twilight Saga frenzy, Haas was approached to concoct the confection after the set designer's creation, utilizing a mild green color scheme as opposed to the book's pink design, didn't turn out as expected. Haas replicated the design perfectly in one day.

The cake used in the movie is a show cake, meaning the inside is not an edible substance, but the outside is comprised of the sugared fondant. Haas says that, were it an actual cake, it would feed 50 to 55 people, as Bella suggests in the New Moon trailer.

New Moon is not the first production to request the professional touch of Thomas Haas. He's also made confections for the movie License to Wed with Robin Williams and television show The L Word with Jennifer Beals. "We've also done chocolate showpieces and cakes for Stargate's 100th episode and Stargate Atlantis," says Haas.

Thomas Haas Chocolates boasts a plethora of accolades. In fact, Thomas Haas was named one of the top ten pastry chefs in the country by his peers. But the award that they deem most important is the service excellence award provided by their local chamber of commerce. Lisa says, "We really care about good service being provided to our customers by our staff and this award helps us know we are on the right path."

Rob's mere presence stirs up commotion while filming Remember Me

2009-06-22T05:21:41Z

Now that Robert Pattinson has wrapped up New Moon filming, he's moved on to a new set and a new leading lady, but not without an entourage and continued drama.

This past week, while filming Remember Me in New York City, Rob found himself still enveloped by a slew of Twilight fan girls. A group of mature women even had the gall to brute their way past crowds in order to manhandle Rob and catch a quick photo before being pulled off by bodyguards.

Thursday, Rob was clipped by a cab as he left NYC's Strand Bookstore after having filmed scenes all morning. Rob's bodyguard ensured his health and safety, and then screamed at the fans: "You see what you did, you almost killed him!"

Summit responded to spiraling allegations that Rob was hurt and hospitalized. "Rob Pattinson is fine, the reports are exaggerated and it was not caused by fans. Production continues," according to a Summit spokesperson.

What's next for Rob as he muddles through the next few months before Eclipse filming begins?

Internet band Oh, Hush! pays tribute to 'New Moon' with 'Irresistible' song

2009-06-18T06:41:51Z

Inspired by the New Moon trailer the viral band Oh, Hush! have paid tribute to Bella via Jacob with their catchy song Irresistible.

I spoke to the band about their new track:

What's your ultimate goal with the New Moon song- to get it on the soundtrack?

"The Twilight books were very inspiring and I remember jotting down little phrases and ideas from the book as I was reading. One day I decided to turn one of those ideas into a full song which became Irresistible. I wanted to capture the feelings that Jacob has for Bella in a three-minute song and that's what I came up with!

"We don't have any ultimate goal of getting the song on the soundtrack. I mean, we'd love it if they wanted to put it on the soundtrack!! And I really think they do need a few upbeat songs for a few of the scenes in the movie (the motorcycle scene or ending credits). But I think we just wanted to share this song with Twilight fans because we think they'll get it and enjoy it!! It's a lot of fun to tie different art forms together (in this case, music with literature) and we think Twilight fans will be able to appreciate it!

Oh, Hush! has released one 12-song album, titled The Yellow Album, and two five-song digital covers, Don't Judge a Record by It's Covers and the Christmas EP, Hush! The Herald Angels Sing.

An exclusive chat with Billy Black actor Gil Birmingham

2009-06-10T06:45:59Z

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Gil Birmingham, who plays wheelchair-bound patriarch Billy Black in Twilight and in New Moon. Read on to learn a few things you probably don't know about Gil...

You may be surprised to learn that Gil's background includes the polar opposites of bodybuilding and - after he earned an administration degree from USC - a stint in petrochemical engineering. "I actually fell into acting during my bodybuilding days," he explains. "I was asked to appear in a Diana Ross music video for her song Muscles. It was my first acting experience in front of a camera, and I was hooked."

To date Twilight is his most memorable film, and a combination of youthful energy, director Catherine Hardwicke's vision, and the sheer scope of the film made Twilight a unique project, he says.

Gil admits to enjoying the diversity of roles that now come his way and looks for those which will challenge him as an actor. An appearance on the comedy 10 Items Or Less gave him the chance to experience a different pace and spontaneity to that of traditional drama.

He's also got a new movie coming out - Love Ranch, in which he plays corrupt sheriff Johnny Cortez, right-hand man to Joe Pesci's character Charlie Bontempe. Based on a true story, the film, which is currently in post production, is about the couple who founded Nevada's first legal brothel, the Mustang Ranch.

"I had the opportunity to work with award-winning actress Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci, who both are extremely talented," says Gil. "I was able to watch them and how they approached their roles; it was an honour to work with them."

Hunky Taylor Lautner in Most Attractive Man poll

2009-06-02T18:27:36Z

New Moon puppy turned muscle-packed-wolf Taylor Lautner has made it into this week's Most Attractive Man poll.

The only youth in the lineup, hunky Taylor recently debuted in the New Moon trailer where he is revealed as having a newly beefy body, with 30lb of muscle packed onto his 5ft 10in frame.

In the book Jacob Black transforms almost overnight into a menacing werewolf. Taylor has done virtually the same, and his hard work shows.

Team Jacob fans, time to flex your muscles and reward Taylor for his efforts by casting your vote for him in this week's poll!

And while you're in the voting mood head over to the Most Attractive Woman poll and cast your vote for Kristen Stewart, aka Bella Swan, Jacob's love interest in New Moon.