— A little light drizzle in Times Square didn't stop die-hard "Twilight" fans from lining up before dawn for a chance to meet two "New Moon" stars, Kellan Lutz and Nikki Reed, just hours before theaters were to begin showing the film. The line stretched down Broadway and onto a side street as fans held umbrellas and proudly bore franchise T-shirts while waiting to get autographs and snap some pictures.
Lutz and Reed made their way into the Times Square Toys "R" Us late in the afternoon, yet one more stop in a whirlwind promotional tour that has brought them from red carpets to talk shows to shopping-mall events. A bit tired but always happy to greet fans, the duo stopped to chat with MTV News as the crowds inside went wild. After all this time, after all this talk about the film, was there anything they hadn't talked about?
"Wow, you're really putting me on the spot right now!" Reed answered. "There are a lot of things I would like to talk about outside of the 'Twilight' world."
"For me, it's the charity work," Lutz said. "We all have a voice and we're all a part of different affiliates and charities."
After the brief chat, the stars headed off to meet the fans. And the fans couldn't have asked for more. "It was so worth the 10-hour wait," said Brianna Aguirre. "Since 7 o'clock in the morning. I said, 'Hi,' and they said, 'Thank you for coming.' It moved too quick!"
While she waited, Kim Cawthorne proudly clutched a new purchase. "This is my Edward Cullen pillow!" she announced. "I wanted a Jacob one but they don't sell the Jacob. It comes with a blanket. I'm going to have him in my bed with me!"
Could the man who directed "Edward Scissorhands," "Beetle Juice" and "Sweeney Todd" really be the best person to direct "Breaking Dawn," the final installment in the "Twilight" vampire franchise? As odd a choice as Tim Burton might be, popular opinion among the cast seems to be coalescing around him.
"New Moon" vampire Jamie Campbell Bower first came out in support of Burton, telling MTV News earlier this month, "I think he'd screw around with it quite a lot, and aesthetically, I think it'd be incredibly different."
Co-star Ashley Greene seconded that endorsement, telling us earlier this week, "The fourth one's a little odd, a little weird, and I definitely think that Tim Burton would put an amazing spin on it."
On Thursday (November 19), at a Toys "R" Us autograph session for "Twilight" fans, "New Moon" actress Nikki Reed came out in support of Burton for "Breaking Dawn" — as well as one fairly different directorial pick.
"Tim Burton, Woody Allen," she said. "I'm aiming high right now. Please!"
Standing by Reed's side, Cullen family vampire Kellan Lutz threw his weight behind a lesser-known helmer. "I [would] love Tarsem [Singh], if he could [do it]," Lutz suggested, referring to the director best known for Jennifer Lopez's freaky 2000 film "The Cell." "That's aiming high."
If he had to pick between the directors who have overseen films in the series thus far, Lutz said he'd skip Catherine Hardwicke ("Twilight") and David Slade ("Eclipse," out next year) and instead select the man behind "New Moon." "Out of the three, Chris Weitz was amazing," he declared. "So if we could get him [to direct 'Breaking Dawn,'] it'd be great."
CHICAGO – “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” knows what it is, what it isn’t and how to quench fans. It can’t say the same, though, for outsiders.Sure, there’s no practical reason why Taylor Lautner as the dark and mysterious Jacob Black would need to rip off his shirt just to wipe away a splat of forehead blood from Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan. But some pandering has been allowed – and even required this time around – in order to satiate a global legion of fans that these filmmakers have as putty in their hands.
Following Catherine Hardwicke’s direction of “Twilight,” which began the phenomenon of a $37 million film that grossed $384 million globally, director Chris Weitz knew he had to graduate from a lake to an ocean in the sequel that even more fans have been anticipating.
But while diehard “Twilight” fans will likely be appeased by this installment – just as in the case of the documentary “Michael Jackson’s This is It” that really was a fan-appreciation concert film – the film’s constantly crestfallen tone, dragging 130-minute screen time and slow pacing will likely alienate those who haven’t fully embraced the saga.
The “Twilight” sequel “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which was written by Melissa Rosenberg and is based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer, features Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning, Ashley Greene, Michael Sheen, Bronson Pelletier, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Anna Kendrick and Billy Burke.
It’s no accident that “Team Edward” (in promotion of Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen) and “Team Jacob” (for Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black) have erupted through the film’s online viral marketing.
The two clearly compete for Bella’s affections, which makes for some steamy “PG-13” romance – that is, if you’re of the demographic this film is targeting. Otherwise, this kind of tension – as well as some of the other cheese that has been silly strung throughout the sequel – might make you mini puke in your mouth.
But for some – and especially screaming girls who cry at the mere sight of the male members of this cast – the film is marketing to them in the exact way they desire. Kellan Lutz, who plays Emmett Cullen in “Twilight,” “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” and “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” has mastered the art of fan appreciation and knows too well how to react when situations get emotional.
“You give ‘em a hug, they wet your shirt and they freak out and faint. Then the paramedics are there. It’s great,” Kellan Lutz said in a Chicago interview with critic Adam Fendelman of HollywoodChicago.com.
Along with making his way to Chicago a couple times for contractual fan appreciation, Lutz also blew into the Windy City recently to film “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” which is currently in post-production and is slated to hit theaters on April 30, 2010. The film features Jackie Earle Haley (of “Watchmen” fame) as the famous Freddy Krueger.
“I love coming to (Chicago),” Lutz said. “I’m a big weather freak. I grew up in the Midwest. I love wind. Because of the wind, my favorite color growing up was clear. Then my teacher said: ‘That’s not a color.’ I love the layout. It’s so clean. I loved running with (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”) producers Andrew (Form) and (Bradley Fuller). They’re into running around the city. They asked me to run into the beach with them. I was like: ‘There’s a beach here?’ We ran there and it was freezing, but it was so nice.”
He added: “The parks are amazing. It’s such a free and open city. It’s nice being in a city that’s surrounded by water that doesn’t have docks, harbors and huge industrial plants on the edges. It’s a beautiful place. I wish we were outside doing this interview. It’s so nice out. Living in Los Angeles, it’s like paradise every day. It’s like going to an amusement park every single day and riding the same rides.”
Lutz continued: “I’m such a season guy. I love the snow and the rain and gloomy days are nice. And there’s some great eating in Chicago, too. I miss the Midwest and I try to go back. I’m an outdoor freak. I especially (love) the woods and nature. (I love to) take my truck and go to Iowa where my grandparents live and lay on the haystacks and stare at the stars.”
After making us feel warm and fuzzy about the city in which he was interviewing, Lutz discussed how he feels about his very minor role in the “Twilight” films as compared to the other Hollywood work he’s done so far and where this phenomenon might fit in the filmography of the rest of his career. Lutz says he hopes this franchise ends up
not being his career trademark.
“I really pray that I can act for the rest of my life,” Lutz said. “I fell into acting when going to school at Chapman (University) in Orange County, Calif. for chemical engineering. My life has definitely branched off in a direction I never knew existed. I never knew you could just be an actor. I never had the dream to be an actor.”
Lutz took a risk by quitting school “for a callback for a student film. I thought a callback was huge. I was like: ‘Mom, this is my chance.’ She said: ‘I will hurt you. I will spank you.’ I said: ‘I could be the next Brad Pitt! You don’t understand.’ I had no idea. She was just scared for me because of a lack of knowledge. I did the callback and didn’t get the job. That was the day of finals. I got all zeroes and screwed up my scholarships.”
He added: “From that point on, my mom said I won’t make it. So many people said I needed a plan to fall back on. And when people tell me I can’t do something, it makes me want to do it. My mom said: ‘At least have a fallback plan and take college courses online.’ I said: ‘I don’t need a fallback plan because I’m not going to fail.’”
Lutz continued: “I got myself into acting classes, did extra work and found this passion I loved. Financially, it was tough. I was eating the dollar menu at McDonald’s for a long time. I got jobs in retail. But I view acting as a hobby. Fifty years from now, I hope I’m still acting. I won’t view ‘Twilight’ as being trademarked or stereotyped by it because we’re vampires portraying humans. But it’s a huge launching pad. It’s an actor’s dream to be a part of something so successful and have fans that are so amazing. People work 20 years to be a part of something like this.”
Lutz says he hopes this franchise can continue to ride the wave of popularity just as the Harry Potter films have.
“They’re even making a theme park for (the Harry Potter film franchise),” Lutz said. “For us, we’re vampires who don’t age. With Harry Potter, they’re allowed to age. You grow with their characters. It’d be really tough to be in their shoes. I know they shot on location for longer periods of time than we do. It’s been a seven- to 10-year journey for them and it’s still not done. What’s amazing about our cast is we’re all of an age of knowing who we are inside and out. It keeps us very humble and down to earth. We grow and we do this magic carpet ride together. It’s nice to have someone to lean on.”
Lutz, who has been spending a lot of time working with this cast (and has but a few lines in the second film), is used to having a large family in real life, too. He now has his real family as well as his “Twilight” family.
“I definitely feel like I’m a big brother to a lot of people in life from friends to family to cast,” Lutz said. “We really are like a family on and off screen. We hang out as much as we can. As for the things we bring forward with our characters, we’re kinda like that in real life. I love my character. He’s the protector. When people get too close, it brings out that side in me.”
Though it’s not commonly known, Lutz was actually initially asked to read for the part of the more well-known Edward Cullen, which went to the much more well-known Robert Pattinson. But Lutz claims he’s happy with how things played out.
“I had just got done playing a marine and being in Africa and killing people for (the TV mini-series) ‘Generation Kill’. Seeing the poverty that’s in Africa was depressing. Being away from my family, friends and my dog, I really just wanted to take a break from acting and resituate my life,” Lutz said. “They brought me the script and I kept on passing for Edward. He was so depressing. Then I thought: ‘What about Emmett?’ He’s easy, fun-loving, big and brawly and a cool guy. I auditioned for that and luckily got it.”
While Lutz continued to discuss his love for Emmett without remorse for not getting Edward, he did speak of the clear benefits of being a lead over a supporting character.
“Obviously I’d love to be a lead in anything. You do get more time to develop your character and make great scenes. But I also love being a part of a scene in the background and reacting. Most people don’t realize you need to be on your game whenever you’re in a scene – even when you don’t have lines. I pay attention to extras a lot. You can see the ones who are really in the moment versus the ones who are (indicating).”
For the third film, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” (which recently finished filming and is directed by David Slade), Lutz says Slade said: “I know there are some big scenes and some people don’t have lines, but it’s very important to still be a part of it.”
Lutz added: “I believe that 100 percent of the time. If someone drops a bowl and no one reacts, it takes away from the dramatic bowl breaking. But if you’re genuinely in the scene, it gives the scene so much more life. It’s great to be (a supporting character) knowing you’re making a scene better by being a part of it. It’s such an ensemble cast. Yeah, you have these three [Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner] being the faces, but you couldn’t make these movies without all of the characters.”
Lutz says his direction from Catherine Hardwicke in the first film to Chris Weitz in the second wasn’t too different.
“Both books are different. The tones are completely different. As far as vibe goes, Catherine’s film felt more independent. Energy wise, she’s so out there. She’d say: ‘We need clouds. Come on, extras!’ On set, a lot of times it’s ‘hurry up and wait’. And you wait. And you wait. And you shoot for 20 minutes and then wait 2 more hours to set up the new shot. With Catherine, there never was downtime.”
Lutz added: “With Chris, there was a huge weight off our shoulders because the fans supported us so much the first time. We knew we did it justice. We were all at ease. We had fun with our characters and explored them more. Chris was so well-organized. If we had questions as actors, he had all the answers.”
On set and off, Lutz describes himself as a “chameleon” who’s able to blend appropriately into any situation. He concluded: “There’s a lot of Kellan in Emmett already. I live such a happy life. I try to live a stress-free life. It’s fun playing a character who’s so close to home.”
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Picture of the Screening in NY
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What Kellan finds sexy
So let's get to it. Kellan Lutz/Emmett fans, listen up! The hunky star revealed what outfit he finds sexiest on a woman, and it's not what you'd ever expect:
StyleList: So, the Victoria's Secret fashion show is tonight...
Lutz: I know! I'm bummed!
StyleList: Aside from lingerie, what's the sexiest thing a woman can wear?
Lutz: My clothes.
StyleList: Are we talking a t-shirt, boxers, what specifically?
Lutz: Like a long business shirt, maybe just that if it covers enough. I like when girls wear like, my sweatpants, my Ugg shoes or something like that, and my tank tops, t-shirts.
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20. November
Fox Interview with Kellan
MYFOXNY.COM - "I'm very much single." That's the word from hunky actor Kellan Lutz. He plays the good, blood sucking vampire 'Emmett Cullen' in 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon.'
The North Dakota native visited Good Day NY on the same day the film opened at theaters across the country.
"It's a beautiful little love triangle... until Bella does some crazy things,' Lutz told Entertainment Reporter Julie Chang when describing the film.
The Twilight Saga- already into production of the third installment- is based on several books.
"The books are so intense: the first is very edgy. The second a little more dark and 'Eclipse' will also be very dark."
You can see more of Lutz in this month's edition of Cosmopolitan magazine.
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August Outtakes!!
See More at
Kellan Lutz Online
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Some more MTV Videos
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Kellan and Nikki on Today
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21.November
Kellan on Jay Leno
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23. November
Nothern Star Interview
Kellan Lutz, who plays vampire Emmett Cullen in the “Twilight” movies, was at Hollywood Boulevard Cinema, 1001 W. 75th St., in Woodridge, on Saturday night to meet fans. Kellan was kind enough to take a few minutes out of one of his breaks to sit down with the Northern Star for a quick interview.
Northern Star: What sets “New Moon” apart from the first movie in the series?
Kellan Lutz: Definitely the action. It’s just more guy-friendly. There’s a love triangle which every guy likes. We had a huge budget so we could make a bigger and better movie.
NS: How has the publicity been different between “Twilight” and “New Moon” been? What are you doing personally that’s different?
KL: Nothing. You know, it’s the fans that are spreading the word. They’re the ones letting the world know what “Twilight” is. I’m still doing the same things I was doing for the first movie. I’m so happy to be a part of it and so thrilled to be anywhere where fans are. Especially something like this, where there’s so many that come out. I just love going to any new place that I can to meet those fans, because they are the ones that allow me to keep portraying a character that I love.
NS: Where all have you been, on that note?
KL: San Francisco, Boston, Toronto, Edmonton, Paris, Australia, Miami, New York, LA obviously, San Diego, Chicago, Las Vegas... tons of places.
NS: So I have to ask you, what’s up with Edward? Why aren’t you getting all the attention?
KL: Well obviously he’s the lead character and the love interest.
NS: Well it sounds like there needs to be an Emmett spin-off then.
KL: I wish! (laughs) I wish there was more of him, to see more of his back story or just anything.
NS: Awesome, well thanks a lot, I think that’s all they were going to let me have.
KL: Hey real quick, give me some random questions then.
NS: Alright, well the Northern Star does a music track of the day every week. What would be Kellen Lutz’s track of the week?
KL: I love the new Jay-Z album, “The Blueprint 3.”
NS: Nice. Which song’s your favorite?
KL: All of them. And “No Ceilings” by Lil’ Wayne. And can you write I love all of Drama Beats songs?
NS: Sure. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten on all your travels promoting this movie?
KL: Actually, I had frog legs in Vegas.
NS: I was a vampire for Halloween; were you a poor college student then?
KL: I was Robin.
Kellan can be seen in next year’s third “Twilight” movie, “Eclipse,” and in the remake of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
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24. November
Some more New Moon Talk :D
With the release of "New Moon" last Friday, the second film in the Twilight saga, the Daily got the chance to chat with Kellan Lutz, who plays big brother vampire Emmett Cullen in the series. Lutz, the object of many a teen girl's attention, revealed his hobbies, real hair color and crazed fan moments.
Anna Williams: Three words to describe Emmett?
Kellan Lutz: Loveable Teddy bear.
AW: Three words to describe yourself?
KL: Loveable Teddy bear.
AW: As an insider, how do you explain the "Twilight" phenomenon?
KL: I wish I could. I don’t really see it for what it is, as an outsider would see it. I actually wish I could step away from it like that. But now we all, as a cast, live in this Twilight Zone. It’s a huge part of our lives, and it will continue to be for the next few years until we’re done with all the movies. I think five years from now, when everything is said and done, we’re going to look back and look at all the fan mail and look at all the scrapbooks and look at all the interviews...watch the movies again, and actually watch them as movies, and I’m going to just sit there in awe of this phenomenon that is Twilight.
AW: So it sounds like it’s been a really positive experience for you, but have there been any drawbacks?
KL: I don’t really get to spend time with my loved ones. I miss my dog, and my family and my friends. Thank God they are only taking three months to shoot. We shoot on the West Coast, and I find myself working six day weeks, with only Sundays off to myself. So I book a ticket for that morning, fly home for 12 hours, and book a ticket for that night to get back to work by Sunday morning. All just to see my dog.
AW: So how has this affected your family’s life?
KL: Well my mom, everyone knows her as Kellan’s mom, and she lives in Arizona. She’s so loving, and just awesome. You know, it’s weird having cousins come out that I never knew existed. People are contacting my mother and saying “hey I’m so-and-so, and can I have Kellan’s number?” And my mom has to think of some excuse as to why she doesn’t have my number for some reason- like I’m out of the country or something. But I have had a lot of relatives of relatives of relatives come out of the woodwork. But this has changed my life only for the better. I mean, yeah it’s crazy people knowing my name, but it is so humbling when people want my autograph, or a picture with me, because I am really just Kellan. I really haven’t changed who I am from before Twilight. I still do the same things I’ve done; I mean, maybe I style my hair now, and try to wear matching shoes and socks.
AW: So, going back to your hair...what motivated you to dye it?
KL: This is my normal hair color! I just had the black stripped out, because I get sick of it. It’s not really me, and I want to be myself. I sat in a makeup chair for three and a half hours, and they just stripped the color out -- my hair is normally strawberry blonde, and gets very light in the summer. I just think blondes have more fun, and I just wanted to be back to myself.
AW: What kinds of things do you like to do, other than acting?
KL: You know, I have fun doing just about everything. The other day I was at jury duty, and I found this old grandpa dude, who was just sitting there looking really pissed-off, and I folded up a piece of paper and we started playing football. And he was having so much fun! We would sit there and start hitting people and annoying them. I really find fun in anything, even when I am by myself. I love painting and drawing, and just being active outside. Being outdoors, swimming, and just hanging out with my dog are all things I really enjoy.
AW: What kind of music is on your iPod right now?
KL: Everything, actually. I have yet to listen to all the songs on there. I listen to different songs depending on my mood. When I’m going to the gym I like something that’s pushy, like rap, like J-Z, Z-Trip, Little Wayne, a little Kayne sometimes. I love Kings of Leon and Jack Johnson to mellow out too. Robin Thicke, Paramore, Citizen Cope, Incubus....I could go down the list.
AW: And what can we expect from "Eclipse" (2010)?
KL: A lot more from my character, thank god! I haven’t really done anything in these two movies besides be a presence. But "Eclipse" is such an action movie, and it was so much fun to film. I can’t wait to see the trailer! I’m really excited for that movie. In "Eclipse" I actually have great scenes with Kristen, and it’s really fun making her laugh, because that’s what my character does. I make her laugh when I’m not supposed to, and we end up having to reshoot the scene.
AW: What is the most outrageous thing a fan has ever done to get your attention?
KL: There was this one time when I was running with my dog down the street, and I see this car go past me. All of a sudden, the car comes to a screeching halt, and this woman gets out and screams, “Emmett!” I turn around and start booking it in the other direction. And I hear this flip-flops running after me, and two seconds later this water bottle is skidding right past me. And I was like, “Did you just throw that?” and she was like, “I wanted you to stop and say hi!” And I was just like, “Oh, hey...”
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Ashley &Kellan Talk Breaking Dawn
Source:
MTV
With the box-office success of "New Moon" and fans eagerly anticipating the June release of "Eclipse," it looks almost certain that "Breaking Dawn," the final book in the "Twilight Saga," will hit the big screen. But there are two big questions surrounding the potential film: Who will direct it, and will it be split into two movies?
MTV News spoke with the "Twilight" stars last week at a New York screening of "New Moon" and asked them to weigh in on the saga's future.
"If I had a wish list, Gus van Sant would be pretty cool," Peter Facinelli said, mirroring Robert Pattinson's director pick. "I just think he'd be an interesting choice for it. I mean, 'Milk' was phenomenal. I would just love to see 'Breaking Dawn' done, because I'd like to finish the whole chapter."
Ashley Greene said she wouldn't turn down the chance to split up "Breaking Dawn," if that's what the studio decides. "I think we all love being a part of this," she said. "And if making this into two films means we capture the essence of the fourth book better, then absolutely."
Nikki Reed agreed with Greene, noting that she just wants to see it get the green light before any other decisions are made. "It doesn't matter to me ... if they think that's what's best for the book, and if they don't think they can make it in one, then great," Reed said. "But I don't even know if they're making it."
So far, a new filmmaker has been at the helm of each "Twilight" movie, but that doesn't mean "New Moon" director Chris Weitz is against coming back if it works for him. "A lot depends on whether the fans and the studio and all of that, whether people would still like me to do it," he said. "And how my family feels about it."
Kellan Lutz wouldn't mind seeing Weitz back in the director's chair. "Out of the three, I'd love to see Chris Weitz come back," he said. "I just had so much fun shooting with him. I mean, obviously, I would just love to do ['Breaking Dawn']. There's no word. ... Hopefully we get that phone call, and if they want to make it into five movies, I just don't want it to end. I love my character so much."
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25. November
Kellans First Kiss :D
Bella and Edward steam up the screen with their smooches in New Moon, but what about the real-life first kisses of the film's stars? Kellan Lutz confesses he first locked lips at the tender age of 7, and Peter Facinelli's first kiss almost landed him a black eye.
"I was playing truth or dare when I had my first kiss," Lutz said last week at the movie's Cinema Society and D&G star-studded screening in New York. "I was probably 7. I learned to hold the girl and I won as best kisser."
So why was he so good at it? "They picked me because I actually held the girls when I kissed them," said Lutz. "I loved kissing them because they had flavored lip glosses on, which was great."
Facinelli, who plays the patriarch vampire Dr. Carlisle Cullen, had his first kiss at a carnival in New York when he was 15. "It went horribly," he said. "I found out that this girl was dating someone that I knew and the guy was very upset that I was kissing his girlfriend and I almost got my butt kicked over my first kiss."
The 35-year-old father of three, who is married to Jennie Garth, tried – unsuccessfully – to prevent one of his daughters from seeing Edward and Bella's onscreen make-out session. "I got a little red in the face because I took my daughter to the premiere in L.A.," he said. "I was trying to cover her eyes but she was peeking through my fingers."
Nikki Reed, who plays vampire Rosalie Hale, says she doesn't remember her first kiss, and was not affected by watching Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart make out for the film. "I don't really think anything about it because it happened so many times," she said. "I'm an actor. I see people kiss all the time."
Director Chris Weitz didn't give Pattinson and Stewart any direction during their love scenes – he didn't have to, considering their onscreen chemistry and experience. "They're actors and were just doing what they do," he said. "They're obviously very beautiful people. When you put them in front of a camera and they kiss each other, great things happen for the audience."
