BEVERLY HILLS — Rules are rules. As in other junkets and especially in this one in which the stars’ private lives are ferociously guarded, journalists are roundly reminded not to ask personal questions. The movie is Breaking Dawn 1 and the principal stars present are Robert Pattinson (playing, as if you didn’t know, the vampire Edward Cullen), Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan, Edward’s human-turned-vampire ladylove and now brand-new wife) and Taylor Lautner (the finely-packed werewolf Jacob Black). Watch full video
Coming after Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse, the fourth book in Stephenie Meyer’s best-seller Twilight Saga has to be split into two because it’s too long to fit into a mere two-hour screen exposure. Breaking Dawn 1 is opening worldwide, the Philippines included on Friday, Nov. 18; and Breaking Dawn 2 in November 2012. I know the suspense is killing you but try to relax. It’s worth the year-long wait.
The night before the one-on-one with Robert, Kristen and Taylor (and also including the supporting cast playing vampires and werewolves…more on them in a few days), the international media previewed Breaking Dawn 1, directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Gods and Monsters) and featuring songs by Bruno Mars and Christina Perri. It begins with the preparations for Edward and Bella’s wedding, followed by the honeymoon in Brazil where the newly-weds leap from the top of a waterfall into the raging waters where they get locked in an embrace so passionate that you would imagine their body heat raising the water temperature to boiling point. They kiss and kiss, there at the waterfalls and then near the sea while playing chess, in their honeymoon bedroom — everywhere! It’s the dawning of daring days in the married life of Edward and Bella.
I’ve read the Twilight novels and I daresay that Breaking Dawn 1 is by far the boldest of them all, judging from the movie which, I’m sure, will pleasantly shock Twi-hards (as fans of the Saga are called) into realization that, yes, their beloved Edward and Bella have ceased to be teenage lovers and are now, uhm, having a baby named Renesmee.
I read somewhere that some of the love scenes have to be cut short(er) maybe to avoid setting screens around the world on fire. The scenes are very realistic and, obviously, Robert and Kristen immensely enjoyed doing them.
Oh, the wedding scene. Up to now, even if Kristen made a Freudian slip in a recent issue of British GQ that “my boyfriend is English” (Robert, who turned 25 last May 13, is English, born in London; Kristen is 21), neither of them has categorically admitted that they are “on.” But (their) action speaks louder than words.
Said Robert at last month’s presscon in Stockholm, as quoted by US Weekly, “The wedding scene is funny because we used a real priest,” adding, “so we are technically married because he did all the things you would do in a normal ceremony. So we don’t have a civil union in law, but I guess in the church we are actually married.”
Enough already. Find out for yourselves when the movie is shown, with Pioneer Films as local distributor (also of New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn 2).
Sad news: Bella Swan dies in the movie.
Good news: Breaking Dawn 2 is coming soon.
Oh well, you’ve read the book and I guess you know what happens.
How was it doing Breaking Dawn 1 and 2 (filmed as one) compared to the first three movies?
Kristen: I think the primary difference in playing Bella was that she’s got a clear feeling now than before was sort of baseless. I mean, in the first three movies she’s somewhat worried even if she was so sure that this love was gonna work out but it was based on nothing. She was in a very, very dangerous situation all the time. In this movie, I get to play someone who has lots of things going on around her and she’s excited about them.
Robert: Obviously, by and large Breaking Dawn is the largest in the Twilight Saga. So it’s kind of exciting doing these momentous scenes. It’s the first time that Edward and Bella have sex, and they get married and they have a baby. There are huge things happening in Breaking Dawn 1 and 2. Really huge!
The wedding scene is fabulous. You’re a very beautiful bride. How did you feel during the shooting of that scene?
Kristen: Uhm, it was one situation that you force yourself to experience, you know, because it is so important to people and myself included, like building up for four years to a moment that not only mean something to me but to everyone else. If you don’t dare having take the ride, you’re gonna regret it. I didn’t have to think about other than trust it.
Robert, in the wedding scene you’re a gorgeous groom. What were you thinking during the shooting of that scene?
Robert: Gorgeous groom? Hahahaha! Uhm, I mean, I didn’t really have to think much. Edward is just…it’s one of the moments in the entire series where he’s just happy. There’s nothing else to it. Bella has, I think, the hard part. She has a million different emotions going through her head. At that point, Edward just has everything that he wants to achieve. So he feels free. During the shoot, I simply stood there and enjoyed myself while Kristen had to do a lot of things other than being so excited.
Aside from that, what’s your favorite scene, the love scenes?
Robert: Uhm, the love scenes were fun. I think probably my favorite was the birth scene. I never played Edward panicking and so terrified, and completely out of control. It was scary…and yes, it was fun.
Did you closely identify with Edward in that crucial scene?
Robert: I mean, kind of. It was definitely quite hard not to get emotional about the scene. Seeing Kristen’s character so incredibly thin, basically dead, was such a horrible thing. It was kind of difficult to do it.
The Twilight Saga is coming to an end soon. You and the other stars have, I’m sure, become like one happy family. How do you feel about it?
Kristen: Yeah. It’s a unique experience to finish a film and not be worried that you’re not gonna hold on to the relationships. I mean, ours is pretty solid. And I’d love to work with everyone again individually. We have had good experiences with everyone, so…
Robert: You see, we’ve all grown up together since the first movie. I mean, it doesn’t happen very often that you do a movie for three months each in four years. With other projects, after the shoot you don’t see each other that much again. But with the Twilight Saga, we shot one movie and after several months, we’d be back doing another one again, and again. It’s just like we were having a reunion every year.
How do you see yourself beyond the Twilight Saga? What kind of roles would you like to portray?
Kristen: Oh no, I don’t really work very often. I don’t know. I’m pretty like impulsive, very instinctive in the way that I find myself in projects. I’m not projecting into the future; I’m not creating a game plan. I think that’s crazy talk. (Note: Apart from the Twilight Saga, Kristen has done a few other films, including the forthcoming Snow White and the Huntsman in which she plays a fairy-tale princess.)
Robert: My taste changes every day. When a new role comes along, it’s always just as exciting. I never aim at a specific genre. Whatever comes my way I just keep my eyes open for it. (Note: Between the shoots for the Twilight Saga movies, Robert managed to do others, such as the 2010 romance-drama Remember Me and Water for Elephants, another romance-drama with Reese Witherspoon this year. In his new movie, the futuristic drama Cosmopolis, he goes bald as a bedevilled billionaire.)
But what will you miss most about the Twilight Saga in general and Bella Swan in particular?
Kristen: Instantly, I will miss everyone involved in the Twilight Saga and, as I’ve said, I really want to work with them again. About Bella, I have a hard time thinking of what I don’t love about her. If you’ve been playing a character this long, it becomes like a second skin to you. You tend to play things that are very close to yourself. It’s normal when you’re very young. With Bella, I really like her. It sounds weird but I will really miss her, genuinely.
How do you think you can shake off the Bella Swan character who has been so attached to you like, as you said, a second skin?
Kristen: I respect the character Bella Swan but sorry that I’m going to walk away now. You know what I mean? The only way that I can play a character is if I feel it, so I must do that character justice. If you don’t, you are depriving everyone else the chance to experience what you get from the character. And so, I’m done with a character as soon as I play it. I want the experience to blow out…you know what I mean?
Robert: I don’t think I’ve ever been concerned about shaking a character off. It’s part of a career’s gradual development. I just sort of look forward to the new character that I’m going to do and enjoy it as much as I did the previous one.
How have you changed these past four years? What lessons have you learned from the Twilight Saga?
Kristen: Well, I’ve gotten to know myself maybe more than what I expected. I’m happy because I felt that I was forced to come out of my shell a little bit. Otherwise, I don’t think that I have really changed that much.
(Next Sunday, Nov. 20, on Conversations with Ricky Lo: Taylor Lautner talks about how the Twilight Saga has changed him and how he sees himself beyond it. Meanwhile, Breaking Dawn 1 will have a gala premiere on Thursday, Nov. 17, at the SM Premiere Cinema, Mall of Asia, starting at 8 p.m. For tickets, call 524-0175 or 310-2004.)
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