Red carpet report: 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn--Part 1'

Mega-squeal! Or shrug, depending on your devotion to Team Edward, Team Jacob, or Team WhoReallyCares.

On Tuesday night “The Twiilght Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1” stars Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli, Jackson Rathbone and Charlie Bewley, plus soundtrack contributor Christina Perri walked a red carpet inside the House of Blues. Read below for my interviews with each of them, and check back next week for more with Reed, who I’m talking to at greater length tomorrow.

Nikki Reed, who plays Rosalie Hale, who supports Bella (Kristen Stewart) throughout her pregnancy
What type of gifts should people bring to a vampire wedding?

Oh, gosh! Um, I don’t know. Maybe like a pre-killed mountain lion for the table. [Laughs] 

What advice would you give your new niece about her vampire parents?

Well, to be really nice, ‘cause they’re going to be around for a long time. [Laughs]

We’ll talk more tomorrow. For now, what’s the strangest question you’ve gotten on a red carpet?

Probably yours. People generally stick to “What was it like working with your cast?” and “How was the wig?” [So yours] was pretty good. That was pretty good!

Ashley Greene, who plays Alice Cullen
Alice is Bella’s maid of honor. What’s something people shouldn’t do in a maid of honor speech?

Oh, the maid of honor I think should never really poke fun at either the groom or the bride, without their consent. I’ve been to some weddings where they say some kind of inappropriate things and everyone’s just like, (groans).

What do they say?

Oh, I can’t share that.

One example?

[Laughs]  Just embarrassing stories about maybe the groom or the bride. And I think they should never drink before their speech. That’d be a good thing.

Soon you’ll be seen in “Butter,” in which people devote their lives to carving butter. Tell me about your own butter-carving skills, and a hidden talent of yours that might surprise people.

You know what, I didn’t actually get to carve butter—

How sad!

I know, I know, it’s so sad! It was an extra skill I could have picked up that would have helped me in my life. My character is a very rebellious teenager--kind of can’t stand her dad or her step mom, and that’s what they live for so she’s just not interested at all. As far as a hidden talent, I have no idea. I’m not that talented. [Laughs]

You’ve said vampires are seductive. What makes them seductive?

I think it’s one that they’re very mysterious. There’s a lot that we don’t know about them. And they’re kind of menacing creatures but there’s something very sensual about them and for some reason you’re kind of drawn to them. I think just the whole unknown about them is very seductive.

Moody and pale skin; what’s not to like, right?

I know, right?!

Peter Facinelli, who plays Dr. Carlisle Cullen, who counsels the pregnant Bella
How much have you learned about being a doctor by playing this character?

I can probably perform surgeries in at least three states: states of confusion, delusion and …

And Illinois?

Maybe Illinois. I did shadow a doctor to play the role, I also [was a doctor] on “Nurse Jackie.” So I do a lot of technical doctor work. I wouldn’t say I can do anything more than First Aid. But I know how to check some vitals.

What advice do you have for guys in the delivery room?

Buy some cigars and stay out [Laughs] of the delivery room. I don’t think guys belong there. It used to be where they just kinda waited outside. I’ve been in the delivery room, and it’s never easy. Vampire deliveries are even worse.

“Breaking Dawn” opens the same day as “Happy Feet Two.” What’s something vampires and dancing penguins have in common?

Well, you know, vampires like to dance and get down. They have happy feet too.

Naked in the North Pole?

[Laughs] They could. Cold doesn’t affect them, so they could get naked and go to the North Pole and dance around.

If there was a “Can’t Hardly Wait” reunion, what would you want to do there?

I think there should be a “Can’t Hardly Wait” reunion. “Can’t Hardly Wait For the Reunion,” how about that? I think Mike Dexter should be … where does he work, at a car shop or something at the end of the movie? Where does he work, at a car wash maybe? I think he should get the girl at the end of this one.

So he’s still working at the car wash 13 years later?

Yeah, he’s still working at the car wash, but I think he should walk away with Amanda. At the end of the reunion, he gets Amanda.

What happens to the hero, Preston (Ethan Embry)?

He dies. [Laughs] In a fatal crash. [Laughs] He drowns at the car wash.

Jackson Rathbone, who plays Jasper Hale
This movie actually has some scenes in which the characters are happy. How different was that to film?

It was insane for me, I gotta say. I have spent the last three movies trying to control the vampire instincts. And finally in the opening of “Breaking Dawn—Part 1” we get to see Jasper smiling and having a good time and taking his lady on the dance floor.

What happens at a vampire wedding when someone says, “I’ll have the steak.”?

Then they have the steak I suppose. I guess they ask for it raw. Or actually still moving. [Ed. Note: I should have confirmed that I also meant “stake.”]

If you could change one thing about “The Last Airbender,” what would it be?

You know, I wanted to see a little bit more comedy within the character that I played. I’ve always been a little bit of a comedic character actor all through my life, and so to put a little more comedy back in the show would have been fun, but you know M. Night had a very specific vision for the film being more dramatic and dealing with the themes of death and abandonment … so for me, it’s going with the director’s vision.

Charlie Bewley, who plays Volturi vampire Demetri
What’s the most memorable fan reaction you’ve seen since joining the “Twilight” cast?

We want to [a small town in Italy] to shoot “New Moon,” I don’t quite know what to tell you. I wrote an article on it. I can’t really encapsulate the craziness that it was. It was this tiny little village in the middle of Italy, 5,000 fans turned up, there was a film crew there … it was just nuts. People chase you down the street. 

“Breaking Dawn” director Bill Condon made “Dreamgirls.” What can we expect from the musical numbers in “Breaking Dawn”?

Musical numbers? [Laughs] [The film includes] a wedding reception where I’m pretty sure Jackson does some dance with Ashley. As far as musical numbers goes, I think maybe in the DVD features of “Breaking Dawn” you might get to see some kind of musical number.

A choreographed one?

Choreographed is going a little far.

The movie opens the same day as “Happy Feet Two.” Who would win in a battle between vampires and dancing penguins?

[Laughs] Dancing penguins, hands-down. If it came to dancing, the dancing penguins. Trust me, I’ve seen these vampires dance. They’re rather cold.

What about in hand-to-flipper combat?

As this isn’t an R-rated film, I’d probably have to favor the “Happy Feet.” We really can’t do too much. All the stuff’s been cut out of this movie.

I enjoyed you in “Like Crazy,” but how could you split up that love?

Oh come on, it was pathetic! I mean, those two. I mean, come on. Just escape over the Canadian border. I’ve done it a thousand times. It’s so easy. If you really love ‘em that much.

What advice do you have for people thinking about getting into a long-distance relationship?

Don’t do it. It’s a stupid idea. Really dumb idea.

Christina Perri, whose “A Thousand Years” is on the “Breaking Dawn—Part 1” soundtrack
What reactions would you expect from a concert audience of vampires?

Oh, dear. If the audience is filled with vampires, I would expect them to be really cold and chill and focused. But I don’t think these audience members are vampires.

How can you be sure?

Because they scream their asses off and they bawl their eyes out. [Laughs]

Who would scare you more, vampires or werewolves?

Um, neither. I just think they’re rad. I would be stoked if I met either one.

You’re not afraid of monsters?

I’m afraid of monsters. And spiders. But not werewolves or vampires.

What’s a stereotype about singer-songwriters you wish would change?

I don’t know. Maybe that we write sappy songs because we’re really emotional, very emo maybe. But that’s the fuel to art, so it doesn’t matter where it comes from.

So what aspect is not true?

The fact that we’re just sappy. You don’t have to be bummed out all the time to write music.

What’s the ideal setting to listen to a sad song?

Emotionally or physically?

Whatever.

I think alone in your car is a good one. That’s a good place for people to listen to sappy music. Alone in your house. I don’t think you like have a party and play really sad music. I think it’s a personal thing.
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xoxo
Carrie