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How I Became A ‘New Moon’ Extra
By Myriam Gabriel-Pollock
For MSN Movies
By Myriam Gabriel-Pollock
For MSN Movies
Don’t let Maile Roundtree’s appearance fool you. She looks like a normal adult woman. She’s a wife and a mom who owns a successful jewelry design business. She loves to entertain and to travel, spend time with family and friends, and curl up with a good book. But underneath this seemingly conventional exterior lurks one of those people. Yes, Roundtree is a Twihard, defined by UrbanDictionary.com as, “a serious and obsessive reader of ‘The Twilight Saga’ by Stephenie Meyer.” As the Twilight Superfan on MSN, I was awash in awe and envy when I first heard about Roundtree’s Twi-umphant quest to be an extra on the “New Moon” set in Italy. Over coffee and pancakes, she happily shared her fantastic story.
Roundtree, her husband, and young daughter were on holiday in Cortona, Italy, when she learned that “New Moon” would begin filming in nearby Montepulciano on the day they were scheduled to return to the U.S. Though she had discovered the “Twilight” books only four weeks before, she devoured the series in a matter of days, and her husband graciously let her delay her return so that she could take part. With a new plane ticket and her family returning home without her, Roundtree headed to Montepulciano.
When she arrived in the picturesque Italian hilltown it was already overrun with hundreds of starry-eyed young girls and “crazy moms like me” from all over Europe. Roundtree likens this female pilgrimage to the film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” with actor Robert Pattinson drawing in the faithful like Devil’s Tower. She had to ask the film crew three times to be cast as an extra before they finally relented.
Roundtree, her husband, and young daughter were on holiday in Cortona, Italy, when she learned that “New Moon” would begin filming in nearby Montepulciano on the day they were scheduled to return to the U.S. Though she had discovered the “Twilight” books only four weeks before, she devoured the series in a matter of days, and her husband graciously let her delay her return so that she could take part. With a new plane ticket and her family returning home without her, Roundtree headed to Montepulciano.
When she arrived in the picturesque Italian hilltown it was already overrun with hundreds of starry-eyed young girls and “crazy moms like me” from all over Europe. Roundtree likens this female pilgrimage to the film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” with actor Robert Pattinson drawing in the faithful like Devil’s Tower. She had to ask the film crew three times to be cast as an extra before they finally relented.
Montepulciano was already beautifully decked out with red banners, which were actually owned by the town for use during the Palio, an annual athletic contest and festival celebrated in many Italian towns, with roots going back to the Middle Ages. In the wine-producing town of Montepulciano, the contest requires the competitors to roll a huge wine barrel through the steep, winding streets; the first person to the piazza wins.
MORE OF THE TALE AFTER THE JUMP!!
Her first day on set started very early, but Roundtree gleefully admits, “I have never been so happy to be up at 4:00am!” Although it was still dark out and the rest of the town was asleep, the film crew had no problem getting 1200 extras signed in and distributing the red cloaks. Through most of this day the extras got a crash course in the unusual rhythms of filmmaking, waiting up to three hours for a shot to be set up, three quick minutes of filming, and then starting the cycle all over again.
For most of the extras the most difficult thing to deal with was the heat, up to 100 degrees in the unshaded cobblestone piazza. The red woolly cloaks were incredibly hot, particularly for the women, who had to keep their hoods up most of the time. Perhaps not surprisingly, this was because most of the extras were female, and the director, Chris Weitz, did not want the crowd in the piazza scene to look so obviously female-dominated.
For most of the extras the most difficult thing to deal with was the heat, up to 100 degrees in the unshaded cobblestone piazza. The red woolly cloaks were incredibly hot, particularly for the women, who had to keep their hoods up most of the time. Perhaps not surprisingly, this was because most of the extras were female, and the director, Chris Weitz, did not want the crowd in the piazza scene to look so obviously female-dominated.
By 7:00pm many of the Italian extras “began to revolt, complaining to the Italian assistant director and demanding, ‘Come on, let us go home!’” So it was no surprise on the second day when many of the Italian extras did not show up; after all, most of them were unpaid, and 15-hour days standing in the heat was not their cup of espresso.
Many of those extras probably kicked themselves when they later learned what scenes were filmed on this day. Robert Pattinson (“Edward”), in a tattered blue shirt and grey trousers, stood in a large doorway to the left. The extras in the piazza were repeatedly instructed to “keep your eyes on the church, watch the procession.” Which they did until the first time Pattinson began removing his shirt, which caused almost every red-hooded head to immediately turn towards him, and collectively utter an audible gasp. Unfortunately for the filmmakers, this ruined the shot and thus, “CUT!”
Many of those extras probably kicked themselves when they later learned what scenes were filmed on this day. Robert Pattinson (“Edward”), in a tattered blue shirt and grey trousers, stood in a large doorway to the left. The extras in the piazza were repeatedly instructed to “keep your eyes on the church, watch the procession.” Which they did until the first time Pattinson began removing his shirt, which caused almost every red-hooded head to immediately turn towards him, and collectively utter an audible gasp. Unfortunately for the filmmakers, this ruined the shot and thus, “CUT!”
The extras quickly learned that having the hood on had its advantages—you could turn your head towards Pattinson, but have your hood adjusted properly so from the back it would appear as though you were facing forward. Tricky Twifans indeed. The rest of this day is described by Roundtree as “magical…getting to watch Rob repeatedly remove his shirt. It was the ‘money shot’ that every girl there was so happy to see!”
Roundtree has nothing but admiration for Kristen Stewart (“Bella”). “She spent a long hot day, again and again, running through the crowd, through the fountain, and leaping into Rob’s arms. She must have been exhausted,” says Roundtree.
Roundtree has nothing but admiration for Kristen Stewart (“Bella”). “She spent a long hot day, again and again, running through the crowd, through the fountain, and leaping into Rob’s arms. She must have been exhausted,” says Roundtree.
Because the filmmakers needed more extras, they actually went over the barrier and started recruiting from the astonished crowd; the only requirement this time was that the fans be a little older. Since they needed more extras, Roundtree decided to go the distance and stay the extra day—requiring yet another change to her plane ticket.
“It was so worth it,” she says, “because of the special treat…getting to watch Rob and Kristen do their close-up shots after they are reunited.” While the extras went off to lunch, Weitz closed the set and had huge trucks strategically put in front of the doorway so Pattinson and Stewart would be blocked from viewers. Roundtree left the lunch area early, and fortuitously found herself sitting on some steps with a clear view of the actors filming their close-ups. Any Twihard would have died to see these two actors filming this intimate and passionate scene!
This last day presented some problems, as “it seemed like buses of teen girls had been unloaded in Montepulciano.” Fans were screaming during shots—a nightmare for the film crew—and camping out at the actors’ hotel. Roundtree admits, “It was a zoo, but it was so much fun. People were giddy and so happy! It was great to meet fans from all over the world.”
“It was so worth it,” she says, “because of the special treat…getting to watch Rob and Kristen do their close-up shots after they are reunited.” While the extras went off to lunch, Weitz closed the set and had huge trucks strategically put in front of the doorway so Pattinson and Stewart would be blocked from viewers. Roundtree left the lunch area early, and fortuitously found herself sitting on some steps with a clear view of the actors filming their close-ups. Any Twihard would have died to see these two actors filming this intimate and passionate scene!
This last day presented some problems, as “it seemed like buses of teen girls had been unloaded in Montepulciano.” Fans were screaming during shots—a nightmare for the film crew—and camping out at the actors’ hotel. Roundtree admits, “It was a zoo, but it was so much fun. People were giddy and so happy! It was great to meet fans from all over the world.”
Lastly, Roundtree wants to state for the record that, “Rob’s six-pack was real! His white body paint diminished all definition, and they airbrushed some grey paint on his chest and torso to restore the definition.” She smiles widely and affirms, “But the six-pack was absolutely real.”
When she returned home, she found one last surprise: Her husband had bought an Edward Cullen poster and taped it to the inside of her closet. “Now every time I open my closet, I get to see Rob again,” she laughs.
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