Breaking Dawn Part 2 Covers EW

This Week's Cover: 'Twilight' Exclusive -- Director Bill Condon on the scandal. Plus: Fall movie preview!

It’s been — let’s just say —an eventful couple of weeks for Team Twilight. Bella and Edward may find eternal, immortal bliss in Breaking Dawn — Part 2 (out Nov. 16), but costars and (only recently confirmed) couple Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are having a much harder time since incriminating photographs of Stewart and her Snow White and the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders, surfaced late last month. “The fact is, these are actors playing parts, and maybe it’s not such a bad thing that people be reminded of that,” Bill Condon tells EW. “Both of these actors gave heart and soul to the Twilight movies, not only during shooting, but also by navigating so graciously the whole life-in-a-fishbowl aspect of the phenomenon. Above all they have always shown great respect for the fans who made these movies such a success. Now it’s time that some of that respect be returned to them.”

But beyond the intense media and public scrutiny into these young actors’ private lives, the turn of events also creates a real challenge for Summit, the studio releasing the film, as it gears up to promote the final installment. In other words: what happens during an international press tour and red carpet premiere when the two top-billed stars may or may not be speaking to each other? Nancy Kirkpatrick, the company’s head of worldwide marketing, tells EW, “While it is studio policy not to comment on the personal lives of actors, Summit is moving full steam ahead.”

In more innocent times (read: a month ago), the Twilight stars sat down for a roundtable interview and talked about the film, the ending of the series, and what they’ve learned from the Twilight experience. Pattinson marvels at Edward’s unflappable ability to stay rational. “It’s strange,” he says with a laugh. “All through the series it’s like, ‘Hey , this guy is trying to be sensible! Let’s think this thing out.’ And everyone is like ‘F— you’”.

Stewart presses him, curious to know what he learned from playing the role.  ”Don’t be pragmatic. Be an emotional idiot.”

Of course Breaking Dawn—Part 2 is just one of the season’s anticipated films. Our annual Fall Movie Preview delves into 97 more.

THE 'TWILIGHT' SAGA: Get the latest news, photos, and more

Some highlights:

• In the Wachowskis’ first print interview in about a decade, they discuss how they came to work with Tom Tykwer — and to co-direct Cloud Atlas as a trio. “We wrote every line together. We planned the shoot together, did the schedule together, and cut every single frame together. And whenever we could shoot together, we did,” says Lana Wachowski. They also discussed what it was like to work as Andy and Lana instead of Andy and Larry. “We’re brother and sister,” says Andy. “I mean, it’s different in the way people perceive it. But the set is our set, and we run it like we always run it.”

• Lincoln director Steven Spielberg dismisses reports that Daniel Day-Lewis dug so deeply into character while playing the title role that he didn’t acknowledge the modern world. “Daniel was always conscious of his contemporary surroundings,” says Spielberg, though he admits he did refer to the actor as “Mr. President” on set. “I was calling [all] the actors by their character names.”

• Ben Affleck talks about the shaggy haircut he sported in the 1970s-era real-life drama Argo, which he also directed: “That was one of those things where the leader has to go first. If I’m going to ask other people to have really humiliating ’70s hair, I had to be the first one. It was pretty chic, but I couldn’t wait to cut it off.”

For a comprehensive look at fall’s most interesting films, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, on stands August 10.
EW
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Carrie