'ECLIPSE' EXCLUSIVE: Geting to Know Bryce Dallas Howard
Don't let her serene energy and stunning looks fool you -- Bryce Dallas Howard knows how to go for the jugular. "I had to get in touch with my animal instincts," says the 29-year-old actress about taking over the pivotal role of Victoria, the villainous vampire out for heroine Bella's blood in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. "At one point, I was actually working out in my head, 'How would you physically suck blood from someone's neck? Would you take a breath first? Would you open up your throat to drink?'" Before heading to the theater on June 30 to see exactly how Victoria goes about hunting her prey this time, get to know the actress who brings her to life. Here, Howard -- photographed exclusively for LIFE by editor-at-large Jeff Vespa -- opens up about stepping into the high-profile franchise, branching out into other aspects of Hollywood (just like her famous dad, Ron), and becoming very good at playing bad.
A Fan of the Books
Replacing actress Rachelle Lefevre, who had portrayed Victoria in the first movie and in its 2009 sequel, New Moon, but was let go over scheduling conflicts, Howard had just one week to prepare before filming onEclipse began. So it's a good thing she was already quite familiar with the Stephenie Meyer novels that sparked the phenomenon. Reading the Twilight books before the first film, Howard tells LIFE, "I felt as if I had discovered an incredible world of characters that felt so personal and so real to me.... But I have to say, the experience of going from being a true fan of a series and reading all the books to actually getting to be a part of it has been pretty wild." And how have the notoriously passionate Twilight devotees -- so ardent they call themselves "Twihards" -- adjusted to the casting switch? "The fans that I have met have all been lovely, welcoming, and supportive. They have held the same passion for this series as I do," says Howard, whorecently encountered a screaming mass of them at Eclipse's Los Angeles premiere.
This Is the Face of Evil
Among the best parts of digging into a character so evil: getting outside of yourself for a while. "Obviously, [playing] a bloodthirsty vampire is quite the opposite from my day-to-day life," says Howard, mother of a 3-year-old son, Theo, with her actor husband, Seth Gabel. "So it's a lot of fun to do something that is such a departure." She'll be having even more fun, then, exploring Hilly Holbrooke, the haughty, racist Southern homemaker she's signed on to play in the big-screen adaptation of the best-selling novel, The Help. (Look for that hotly anticipated film to hit theaters in 2011.)
Bryce Dallas Howard at Work
Howard, of course, is no newcomer to Hollywood: She grew up observing the biz as the daughter of actor-turned-director Ron Howard, and since 2004 has enjoyed roles in movies both mainstream (The Village,Spider-Man 3, Terminator Salvation) and indie (Manderlay, The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond). Recently, she starred in a four-minute short, Despair, directed by the fine-art photographer Alex Prager. The wordless film finds Howard's anonymous, distraught character stumbling down a street in early-1960s Los Angeles, and follows what happens when she enters a mysterious red door. Here: Howard in period garb, as captured on the set by LIFE's Jeff Vespa (a producer of the short).
Stunt Work
Assistants hold Howard's feet as she acts against a green screen for a visual effect in Despair. Working with first-time film director Prager, "I was eager to see how she would translate her enigmatic and bold aesthetic into a cinematic medium," Howard says, "and I am so impressed with what she created."
Looking Forward
Another filmmaker Howard greatly admires is the venerable Clint Eastwood, who directs her in the supernatural thriller Hereafter (scheduled for release in October 2010). "I was quite nervous before the first day," Howard says of shooting her supporting role for the Oscar-winning Hollywood vet. "But I quickly realized he is a master for a reason. He is brilliant at putting his actors at ease." Here: Howard during the making of Despair.
Answering the Call
Howard in a vintage phone booth on the set of Despair. "She exudes this light," Adrien Brody, her costar in her breakthrough movie, The Village, once said of the actress in 2004.
Earning Her Stripes
Howard's aspirations don't stop with acting. She and her writing partner (and brother-in-law) Dane Charbeneau have a script called The Originals in development with Universal and Imagine. The movie is about a group of twentysomethings who reunite when their beloved teacher slips into a coma -- and it's been rumored that Bryce's famous father Ron wants to direct it. But no matter how impressive the credits for that project may get, "my goal with The Originals is the same for any project I'm a part of -- namely, to collaborate with other wonderfully creative individuals and make the best film possible," Howard says. "I am always saying that I want whatever is best for the project, and I feel strongly about that."
Bryce Dallas Howard: A Final Look
So will Howard one day follow her father's lead, and begin directing features herself? "Those are big shoes to fill!" she says. "I admire his career so much and respect how he has balanced it all every step of the way. But I am enjoying my own journey, and doing it in my own time."
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xoxo
Carrie
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