New Picture of Edward and Bella From Entertainment Weekly!

Above is a scanned picture of the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly that doesn’t hit shelves until April 16th, with a new  picture from Eclipse of  Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson as Bella Swan and Edward Cullen!

[Source: KStewartNews]

Kristen Stewart – Picture From FLAUNT Magazine Shoot!

Here is an amazing look at Kristen Stewart and what we are to expect in the FLAUNT Magazine shoot I posted about earlier here.

[Source: KStewFan.

Kristen Stewart Tells Entertainment Weekly That it Felt Weird to Kiss Taylor Lautner!

In Entertainment Weekly’s new Summer Movie Preview, Eclipse human Kristen Stewart (aka Bella Swan) tells EW that it felt weird kissing Taylor Lautner (aka Jacob Black) because of her character Bella -

For Kristen Stewart, who reprises her role as Bella in Twilight: Eclipse, locking lips with costar Taylor Lautner (who plays her pal Jacob) felt odd—not just because she thinks of Lautner as a kid brother, but because Bella’s heart truly belongs to vampire hottie Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). “It felt really weird kissing someone else as Bella,” says Stewart. “I was like, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ It was a really strange experience—as it should have been.”

The EW’s Summer Movie Preview edition hits stands April 16th!
[Source: EW.com.

David Slade Tweets About ‘Eclipse’ Score and Rumours

As we all know by now — yesterday was quite the eventful day. Rumourville was up front and center when it came to Eclipse. If you need to be filled in go here and here.
Eclipse director David Slade tweeted earlier in the day about being in London working on the Eclipse score and about the reshoot rumours that were out full force yesterday -

[Source: Twitter.

Another Outtake of Jackson Rathbone From His Phoenix Taylor Shoot!

We previously showed you newly released outtakes of Jackson Rathbone from his Phoenix Taylor photo shoot.
[Source: IFeltHope.com.

The ‘Twilight Saga’ Makes the Most Challenged Books List

According to the American Library Association the Twilight Saga is ranked number 5 of the 2009 top 10 list of the most challenged books by parents in the school system. The Twilight Saga is listed as Sexually Explicit (OMG are you KIDDING me?!?), Religious viewpoint, and Unsuited to Age Group.

“Even though not every book will be right for every reader, the ability to read, speak, think and express ourselves freely are core American values,” said Barbara Jones, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. “Protecting one of our most fundamental rights – the freedom to read – means respecting each other’s differences and the right of all people to choose for themselves what they and their families read.”
For nearly 20 years, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has collected reports on book challenges. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school, requesting that materials be removed or restricted because of content or appropriateness. In 2009, OIF received 460 reports on efforts to remove or restrict materials from school curricula and library bookshelves.
Though OIF receives reports of challenges in public libraries, schools, and school libraries from a variety of sources, a majority of challenges go unreported. OIF estimates that its statistics reflect only 20-25% of the challenges that actually occur.

[Source: Ala.org.

i09.com Examines Why the ‘Twilight’ Hate Has Gotten Boring

io9.com was inspired  to write an article explaining why they think the Twilight hate has gotten boring, after attending a convention in San Fransisco – *WARNING: Some Explicit Language used in below article*

When the trailer for new Twilight movie Eclipse played at a recent fan convention in San Francisco, the crowd erupted in boos so loud the soundtrack was drowned out. That’s when I realized hating Twilight had gotten boring.
Back when hating Twilight was cool
Maybe it’s my knee-jerk tendency to recoil from mob behaviour, but it seems to me that when hating something has become such a cliche that people catcall it before even watching the trailer – well, that’s not a taste judgment anymore. It’s just neuro-twitches working their way through lemming brains. If there was ever a time when hating Twilight was cutting-edge and cool, it was when the series was just a crypto-Mormon set of books about a mopey princess and her sparkly, obsessive prince whose penis has the power to blacken her womb.
Only the discerning hated those novels. There were interesting reasons to do it, like the fact that the books taught women that men were supposed to take care of them. And that it was OK to promise your infant daughter in marriage to a creepy adult guy who is in love with you.
But hating the movies? Anybody who has ever sneered at Hot Topic can do that. Hell, you can probably buy anti-Twilight gear at Hot Topic, right next to the pro-Twilight belt buckles. My point is that people are hating on the movies so vocally not because they have actually watched them, evaluated them in the context of other paranormal romance narratives, and deemed them aesthetically inferior. They hate them because it’s what everybody else is doing. Especially men.

Check out the rest of the article after the break!

Girls suck
Among commentators who are far too mature to break into enthusiastic boos when they watch a movie, there is a general consensus that these movies are “just for girls/women/mothers/daughters/sisters.” I can’t tell you how many men have told me informally – or written formally in various publications – things like, “My daughter is obsessed with Twilight and I don’t understand,” or “My wife and daughters are downstairs watching a Twilight movie. I am hiding upstairs.”
I guess I’m glad that women have discovered how to unseat male power over the home entertainment system with the push of a DVD player button. But I think if you scratch the surface of comments like that, what you find underneath is a room full of men screaming “booo” because they hate pop culture aimed at women. Or because they are scared of it. Whatever.
The point is: What the hell is wrong with women or anybody enjoying stories about girls fucking sexy monsters? Seriously, is that really any dumber than men fantasizing about sex with the chick in Species, or elf girl in Lord of the Rings? Or drooling over pictures of Kirk with the blue alien? The answer is no. It’s equally as dumb. And equally as awesome.
Congratulations – you’ve discovered your fantasies are stupid
Now that Academy Award winning director Bill Condon is on the short list to direct the final two movies in the Twilight cycle, it seems that even Hollywood is acknowledging that Twilight is more than a trashy teen phenom. It’s a powerful story that that hooks people despite the sparkles and emo dialogue.
And that is yet another reason I have grown bored with the Twilight hate. When confronted with a convention full of booing dorks, I just feel like shrugging disdainfully and saying, “Congratulations, boys – you have discovered what the entire world knew all along. Your fantasies are stupid.” Because really, Twilight at its heart is no different from any other fantasy franchise. It’s like Star Wars – except it’s set on Earth and the goal is to penetrate Bella’s womb with some guy’s flaming seed, rather than shooting it into the Death Star. OK, not really – but you get what I mean. We’re talking about adolescent power epics, with all the glory and embarrassment they entail.
I’m not saying people will come to cherish Twilight the way they do Star Wars. I’m just sick of hearing everybody trash Twilight for the very things they love in other stories: Impossible romance, epic battles that transcend generations, silly costumes, and growing up superpowered. Hating Twilight is just so tired, and it makes us all look like assholes. Maybe it’s time to start figuring out what’s cool about Twilight.

Send an email to Annalee Newitz, the author of this post, at annalee@io9.com.

Kristen Stewart In FLAUNT Magazine – Fabulous Cover Picture!

Kristen Stewart on the cover of the upcoming April issure of FLAUNT Magazine.
The magazine’s April Spring Fashion issue “The Census Issue,”  features Kristen in a 14-page story that includes an in-depth interview and 11 new, original photographs by renowned fashion photographer Yu Tsai.
A FLAUNT Magazine representative states that :

The magazine is printed on a combination of luscious papers (Kristen’s feature is on a gorgeous, elite linen), and the outside cover is a re-imagined paper replica MCM handbag. This issue will augment collections the world over, and fans are welcome to pre-order copies directly through our office.
The issue itself costs $8.95, shipping is approximately $10.00, and fans are welcome to purchase copies by credit card or by checks made out to Flaunt Magazine. My e-mail address and phone number are listed below (which you are welcome to post on your site).
Pre-ordered issues will be available to ship in two weeks. This issue is very likely to sell out on newsstands!

If you wish to purchase a copy then email  mary-catherine@flauntmagazine.com as I imagine these will get sold out fast!!
[Source: KStewFan

David Slade tweets about 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' score and rumors

'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' - Summit Ent.

This morning, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse director David Slade seemed to be having a good Twitter laugh about yesterday's rumor-based uproar.
Slade tweeted about the fact that he is in London, England today working on the Eclipse score with composer Howard Shore.

In London overseeing the film score with Mr Howard Shore and enjoying all the gossip flying around. Onwards to the Eclipse!!

In case you missed the story, here's what happened in a nutshell.
A Vancouver-based gossip blogger reported that re-shoots were about to take place but that there was some controversy over who would direct the re-shoots. Then, Summit issued a statement to Gossip Cop saying that there were going to be re-shoots, that they are common and were planned all along, and that there was never any question of Slade finishing out the film on his own.
It seems that Slade has found this bit of back-and-forth a bit funny.
At any rate, it's good to hear where they're at with the score! As you've probably heard before, Howard Shore is an Oscar-winning composer who's worked on films like the Lord of the Rings trilogy and any number of recognizable titles. With Howard Shore, the score should be just beautiful.

Kellan Lutz reveals 'Twilight' auditioning confidence to 'Interview Magazine'

Kellan Lutz - AP Photo

Kellan Lutz has just gone where a lot of his Twilight series co-stars have been: into Interview Magazine.
Lutz, who portrays "Emmett Cullen" in the series, was interviewed by the publication primarily about his start, present status, and future plans in the entertainment industry.
In the interview, Lutz revealed that he was unafraid to be a hybrid model/actor, even where some believe doing both is unwise.
"It’s weird that the world sees modeling as a negative. It just blows my mind how many people think that because I was a model, I think I’m pretty and that I can use my looks to get ahead. I’m not pretty!" he said.
As you know, Lutz said something similar after his Calvin Klein ad reveal. Pfft.
Kellan Lutz also talked about how his competitive spirit and self-confidence came into play when he was auditioning for Twilight.
"When I was going out for Twilight, I was a big guy, especially after Generation Kill. I was close to 200 pounds and just all muscle. The character description was a big, bulky fighter, a wrestler, a bear of a guy with a smile. I walked in the waiting room and I noticed nine other actors, and half of them were trying to do push-ups, and half of them were trying to be all tough. I chuckled to myself. I’m very perceptive. I love seeing guys out of the corner of my eye be like, “Great.” Because they see a guy walking in who totally looks the role. It’s funny. I don’t try to be cocky, but I’m just very confident because I know I did all of my homework," he recounted.
A video accompaniment for the interview is available here.

Pattinson Still an ‘SNL’ Wish for Michaels

Twi-hards, keep your fingers crossed: Robert Pattinson may yet host “Saturday Night Live.”
“SNL” creator Lorne Michaels told OK! Magazine that he’s all on board getting the “Twilight” star to host the show.
“We asked him this season,” Michaels told the magazine. “And then he did Jimmy’s show and that went well for him.”
Last year, he told the same magazine he wasn’t sure if Pattinson would make a good hot. “You never know,” he told the magazine.

Kellan in Interview Magazine

Kellan Lutz is featured in Interview Magazine.
Head on over to Interview Magazine for more pics, a video and interview with the sexy man!!!

Here is an excerpt from the interview:

MARK JACOBS: Hi, Kellan? Where are you right now?
KELLAN LUTZ: I am in my backyard in L.A. hanging out with my two dogs.

JACOBS: Who are your dogs?
LUTZ: Kola is a shepherd-husky mix I adopted from the Compton animal shelter. Kevin is the newest, most adorable member of our family. He’s a Chihuahua. I found him on the street when I came back from one of my trips.
JACOBS: You spent time on a dairy farm in Iowa while you were growing up?
LUTZ: Iowa is where the big farm was, where my grandparents lived. After my parents divorced, we would visit them. My mom would send me out to the pigpen, where we had these huge, huge pigs. I would stand there for six hours holding a hose, watering pigs. They’d dive in the mud and shake it off, and I’d go home covered in it. I loved the whole thing of getting wet and dirty and then getting in a warm bath.
JACOBS: You also have experience spraying crops and building silos. Are you aware of how this story reads in New York and L.A.? Anything involving uncontrived hard labor is irresistible to the style industry.
LUTZ: I’d rather do manual labor than sit behind a desk. And as my grandparents got older, I’d fly out there and help out around the farm. We’d tear barns down; we’d build barns. I’d rather be outside rolling hay or driving the tractors.

Kristen on Flaunt Magazine Cover

Kristen Stewart Fan got the details on Kristen Stewart on the cover of Flaunt Magazine for their April Spring Fashion Issue. There will have a 14 page spread on Kristen including an interview and pics.
Go to Kristen Stewart Fan for details on how to order the issue.

Kristen Interview in EW Magazine

EW has up a preview of their Summer movie issue.
Included is an excerpt from an interview with Kristen Stewart:
For Kristen Stewart, who reprises her role as Bella in Twilight: Eclipse, locking lips with costar Taylor Lautner (who plays her pal Jacob) felt odd—not just because she thinks of Lautner as a kid brother, but because Bella’s heart truly belongs to vampire hottie Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). “It felt really weird kissing someone else as Bella,” says Stewart. “I was like, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ It was a really strange experience—as it should have been.”

Ashley’s Upcoming Projects

MTV Hollywood Crush has an article talking about Ashley Greene’s upcoming movie projects including her newest role in the film Butter. Check out the whole article here.
Here is an excerpt:

On Friday, The Hollywood Reporter broke the story that Ashley had been chosen to star in “Butter,” an upcoming film starring and produced by Jennifer Garner, also starring Rob Corddy. It’s starting filming this week in Louisiana, and is directed by “She’s Out of My League’s” Jim Field Smith.

Kristen Stewart makes Best Dressed List

Kristen Stewart made Teen Vogue’s best dressed list for March.
#10
Who: Kristen Stewart
Wore: Emilio Pucci
Where: New York Premiere of The Runaways
When: March 18, 2010

Twilight series on list of challenged books

The Twilight Book series was ranked No. 5 on the annual report of “challenged books” released by the American Library Association.
Read more about it here.

Here is an excerpt:

Meyer’s stories of vampires and teen romance have been criticized for sexual content; a library association official also thinks that the “Twilight” series reflects general unease about supernatural stories.
“Vampire novels have been a target for years and the `Twilight’ books are so immensely popular that a lot of the concerns people have had about vampires are focused on her books,” says Barbara Jones, director of the association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Countdown

Stephenie Meyer posted this cool looking countdown on her website for her new book The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.

Kristen Stewart Trifecta: EW, Vogue, and Flaunt

Kristen Stewart is going to be rocking the pages of a bunch of magazines in the near future.
First up is EW. They previewed a bit of what is to come in their summer issues.  They teased a bit of a Kristen interview:
“For Kristen Stewart, who reprises her role as Bella in Twilight: Eclipse, locking lips with costar Taylor Lautner (who plays her pal Jacob) felt odd—not just because she thinks of Lautner as a kid brother, but because Bella’s heart truly belongs to vampire hottie Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). “It felt really weird kissing someone else as Bella,” says Stewart. “I was like, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ It was a really strange experience—as it should have been.”
Next, Kristen landed on Teen Vogue’s best dressed list for March. Good thing she was still 19 in March.
And lastly there is a 14 page interview of Kristen coming out in Flaunt Magazine

Go Cruising Vampire Style

Cruise Critic is an online cruise guide that offers comprehensive resource for cruise travelers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruisers features professional reviews and member reviews of more than 350 ships and hosts an active community where travelers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers. They just put out a press release covering what they consider to be the best vampire themed cruises out there.
______________________________________
Special-interest cruises, known as theme cruises, are the ideal way to get up-close and personal with your favorite celebs, or enjoy leisurely vacations at sea while pursuing interests in everything from Harley-Davidson motorcycles, to “Twilight.” Even musicians, soap stars, sports legends, celebrity chefs and politicians are hosting theme cruises. However, one particular group of fans — vampire fans — has really gotten its teeth into cruising.
This year’s big ticket will be The Alaska Twilight Cruise and Convention, where fans of the Twilight saga vampire books and movies will be able to meet stars of the movie during a weeklong fan fest. Team Edward and Team Jacob — the names given to fans who favor either of the two main characters — unite for this cruise on Holland America’s Oosterdam, August 8-15, 2010.
Vampire-related theme cruises began in 2007 with the Slayer Cruise, which hosted actors from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” and, earlier this year, the Fangs and Fur Cruise, featuring screen writer Judy Burns, celebrated popular vampire books and movies — including “True Blood,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Twilight,” and “Dracula.”
Here at Cruise Critic(R) (http://www.cruisecritic.com) — the cruise reviews and news site — we have put together our list of the best cruises for vampire-lovers.
Cruise Critic’s Best Cruises for Vampires (and Their Fans)
Join The Alaska Twilight Cruise and Convention at Sea
Passengers will be able to meet stars from the movies — including Alex Meraz (who played Paul in “Twilight”), Michael Welch (Mike Newton in “New Moon”) and Jodelle Ferland (Bree in the forthcoming movie “Eclipse”) — pose for photos with the celebs and enjoy themed activities like a costume ball. The cruise operator even offers an additional three-day tour to Forks, Washington, where the story is set, before the Twilight cruise sets sail.
Take a River Cruise to Romania, and Visit Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania
Forget the fictional variety, and hunt for “real” vampires on a trip to Transylvania. Take an Eastern European river cruise into Romania with Viking River Cruises’ Eastern European Odyssey River Cruise, and add on a trip to Brasov for a tour of “Dracula’s Castle,” actually Bram Castle, which once belonged to Vlad the Impaler.
Visit Vampire-Friendly New Orleans
Home of Anne Rice — author of the “Vampire Chronicles” — and the setting for much of “Interview with the Vampire,” New Orleans embraces its vampire heritage with tours and tales galore. Vampire fans can add on a few days’ stay in New Orleans before or after embarking on a Caribbean cruise from the port. British cruise line P&O offers a 30-night cruise on Aurora, taking in 11 ports in eight countries, including a stop in New Orleans.
Join the Annual Gothic Cruise and Masquerade Ball
Referred to simply as the Gothic Cruise (for brevity), this cruise is for fans of goth and industrial music and has been held annually for the past 15 years. Taking place on Carnival Liberty in September, the Gothic Cruise is not vampire-themed, per se. But, because there’s a particular affinity for vampires among goth fans, and the typical formalwear on the cruise is Victorian style, we think vampires would enjoy this cruise.
For more information on theme cruises please visit: http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=349

David Slade Chimes in On Rumors

David Slade Tweeted his reaction to yesterday’s rumors:
“In London overseeing the film score w/Mr Howard Shore and enjoying all the gossip flying around. Onwards to the Eclipse!!”
It reminded us of that old quote from Mae West, “I don’t care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right.” Well, David and the movie sure got a lot of PR yesterday on what has been a relatively slow news week.

Pictures of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart Arriving in London

So we all saw the pictures of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart leaving Budapest but here are the lovely couple arriving on Rob’s home soil of London, UK!
[Source: RobertPattinsonNews.

NEW Edward Cullen, Bella Swan, and Jacob Black Pictures From ‘Eclipse’ Promotional Shoot!

It has been an Eclipse filled news day today! We now have new pictures of Edward Cullen, Bella Swan, and Jacob Black from the Eclipse promotional photo shoot!
The above pictures are screencaps from EventCinemas.com, and as we previously reported —   they are  already selling tickets for Eclipse on June 30th in Australia!
[Source: Event Cinemas via Robert Pattinson Life]

Gossip Cop Busts ‘Eclipse’ Reshoot Rumors!

Once again Gossip Cop has come to the rescue of Twilight fans to bring us accurate information, and to put our minds at ease.
As previously reported — Lainey Gossip blogged that there will be reshoots in Vancouver soon for Eclipse. She stated that they are redoing the meadow scene, fight scenes, and other key scenes. She also said that her sources told her there have been creative differences with David Slade and Summit Entertainment.
While she had the reshoot part correct, Gossip Cop has shot down most of Lainey’s statements -

A report widely disseminated earlier today made big waves by claiming that “key scenes” in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse need to be reshot in Vancouver, and speculated that the development indicated production on the June release was troubled.
Gossip Cop looked into it, and we have the exclusive answers.
First, regarding the implication that these reshoots were unexpected, an authorized rep for the studio tells Gossip Cop, “The reshoot was planned for months, like it is with the majority of films.”
Let Gossip Cop settle some other false rumors.
Contrary to today’s inaccurate speculation, “creative differences” have not led Summit to consider bringing in another director for the reshoots.
David Slade is 100% directing them, like he did the entire movie, and the studio is “very happy” with his direction of the film, which internally is believed to be the best of the series.
As for the timing, speculation that there will be three rushed days of 18-hour shoots is incorrect. The Summit rep tells Gossip Cop that it’s a two-and-a-half to three-day shoot, and that “very little” actually has to be reshot.
But the biggest misconception concerned the specific scenes alleged to be those in need of a reshoot. The rep confirms to Gossip Cop, “None of the meadow or action scenes are being reshot.”
Asked to comment on today’s alarmist rumors, the authorized rep for the studio tells Gossip Cop, “Reports much like the one earlier today are ploys to drive traffic without any merit and without any support from the studio on what is actually going on or true.”
Gossip Cop will continue to bring accurate “Eclipse” production news before the film’s June theatrical release.

[Source: Gossip Cop]

‘Eclipse’ Reshoots in Vancouver With Another Director?!

Lainey Gossip is reporting that there is some trouble on the home front for Eclipse. What we thought was previously finished film, may not be -

Multiple sources have confirmed to me that some key scenes need to be reshot including footage between “Bella” and “Edward” in the meadow and a few fight sequences. They’ve been waiting for weeks to confirm dates but have had to work around Robert Pattinson’s schedule. Originally they needed 7 days but now, due to his other commitments, it’s been proposed that they work for 3 days with the crew putting in 18 hours each day. This should happen in Vancouver in the new few weeks.
What’s more interesting is WHO would actually direct the reshoot. David Slade is the director for Eclipse. But I’m told that apparently David Slade’s relationship with Summit has been… not great. Creative differences. At one point things had supposedly deteriorated to the point that they were actually considering hiring someone else to reshoot in Vancouver. Some of the names tossed around? Chris Weitz and Catherine Hardwicke. Hardwicke is in Vancouver working on another new film to go in the summer. They’re looking at delaying that project and Hardwicke has been spotted undercover checking out studio and location space for the Eclipse reshoot.
Having said that, Slade and Summit are now communicating on better terms. And there is still a good possibility he could come back to Vancouver to complete his film. As of Monday, no final decision about a director had been made. Will keep you posted.

[Source: LaineyGossip.

Kellan Lutz In Interview Magazine!!!

Kellan Lutz (aka Emmett Cullen) is featured in the upcoming Interview Magazine.  Kellan talked with Mark Jacobs about his dogs, working on the farm in Iowa, acting and running shirtless. 

MARK JACOBS: Hi, Kellan? Where are you right now?
KELLAN LUTZ: I am in my backyard in L.A. hanging out with my two dogs.
JACOBS: Who are your dogs?
LUTZ: Kola is a shepherd-husky mix I adopted from the Compton animal shelter. Kevin is the newest, most adorable member of our family. He’s a Chihuahua. I found him on the street when I came back from one of my trips.
JACOBS: You spent time on a dairy farm in Iowa while you were growing up?
LUTZ: Iowa is where the big farm was, where my grandparents lived. After my parents divorced, we would visit them. My mom would send me out to the pigpen, where we had these huge, huge pigs. I would stand there for six hours holding a hose, watering pigs. They’d dive in the mud and shake it off, and I’d go home covered in it. I loved the whole thing of getting wet and dirty and then getting in a warm bath.
JACOBS: You also have experience spraying crops and building silos. Are you aware of how this story reads in New York and L.A.? Anything involving uncontrived hard labor is irresistible to the style industry.
LUTZ: I’d rather do manual labor than sit behind a desk. And as my grandparents got older, I’d fly out there and help out around the farm. We’d tear barns down; we’d build barns. I’d rather be outside rolling hay or driving the tractors.
MORE HOT WET PHOTOS OF KELLAN AFTER THE BREAK!

JACOBS: Then how did you choose Hollywood?
LUTZ: I have a lot of older brothers who messed up in different ways in my mother’s eyes. So I learned from all of their mistakes. I can’t go into detail, but while I was growing up, I always tried to make it a goal to relieve some of the stress my mother went through. I applied myself to school very diligently. I wanted to go out of state so I wouldn’t have to depend on my mother. And L.A., where my father lived, seemed to call to me.
JACOBS: Why acting?
LUTZ: In L.A., I was meeting people who were all actors. My mind started to open up to what acting was. I didn’t realize that Brad Pitt was a real person. I didn’t think he was a robot or a machine, but I thought you were just born into acting—that it’s a family tree, kind of like NASCAR. No one can just say, “Hey, I’m going to be a
NASCAR driver.” They need to have some way in. Once I was in L.A., I realized anyone could do this. Why not give it a shot? I started going to a ton of acting classes, and I found I had a real passion for it, probably the biggest passion I’ve ever had in my whole life. So I decided to put school aside, put all my scholarships aside, put everything that I worked hard on for my mother and myself aside, and pursue this roller-coaster ride.
JACOBS: How old were you when you got the -Abercrombie & Fitch cover?
LUTZ: Eighteen. I was actually working in L.A. at an Abercrombie to make friends. I had no friends.
JACOBS: On the sales floor?
LUTZ: I was selling clothes. But I believe my personality helped, because I was the worst folder. I just couldn’t care to do it. I felt like I had ADD. I would just goof around and shoot rubber bands everywhere. Somehow the manager didn’t fire me, and I became a greeter, when you have to stand outside, you know, topless, and kind of finagle people into the store. Then Abercrombie had an audition, and my agency sent me out. I met Bruce Weber, and they chose me. I wasn’t the strongest, most fit, best-looking guy on that shoot, but somehow Bruce put me on the cover. I was just lying on the grass playing with this beetle, and they used that shot. I was still working at the store when the magazine came out two months later. I was just very lucky, and that opened up doors to acting.
JACOBS: Unlike some actors, you don’t seem to have a need to distance yourself from modeling.
LUTZ: It’s weird that the world sees modeling as a negative. It just blows my mind how many people think that because I was a model, I think I’m pretty and that I can use my looks to get ahead. I’m not pretty!
JACOBS: You really don’t think you’re pretty?
LUTZ: It’s funny when people say you have sex appeal or call you the next Brad Pitt. I just laugh. I’m not that. I don’t want to be that. “You’re a sex icon.” Why? Because I played a vampire in a movie? It’s all very unearned. If I had the best freaking abs in the world or if I looked like Brad Pitt does in Fight Club [1999], then cool, but I’m not starving myself. I eat what I want, and I’m not a workout fiend. My genetics are good, but they aren’t crazy He-Man style. I don’t get it, but I appreciate it. [laughs]
JACOBS: And sometimes you just like to go on a shirtless run with your dog, and people need to deal with it.
LUTZ: I don’t see why it’s special. I know a lot of people who run shirtless because they don’t want their clothes to get sweaty. I’m just a normal person. And I have four paparazzi who sit outside my house all day.
JACOBS: Your humility is charming, but do you ever look at other guys going up for a role and think, “I can destroy you with my good looks”?
LUTZ: I love competition. I thrive on it. I love being able to win the room over before even walking through the door. When I was going out for Twilight, I was a big guy, especially after Generation Kill. I was close to 200 pounds and just all muscle. The character description was a big, bulky fighter, a wrestler, a bear of a guy with a smile. I walked in the waiting room and I noticed nine other actors, and half of them were trying to do push-ups, and half of them were trying to be all tough. I chuckled to myself. I’m very perceptive. I love seeing guys out of the corner of my eye be like, “Great.” Because they see a guy walking in who totally looks the role. It’s funny. I don’t try to be cocky, but I’m just very confident because I know I did all of my homework. I also really love, love, love doing character pieces. I love wearing wigs to auditions, even though sometimes they don’t work. I love trying to play the not-confident guy, the guy against my normal character, because that’s when real acting comes into play.

Read the entire interview with Kellan Lutz here!!

via Team Twilight

NEW ‘Eclipse’ Stills of Riley, Bree, and Jacob?

[Source: Cinepop.com]

‘Eclipse’ Tickets Now on SALE in Australia and New Zealand!!!!

For all our lucky readers living in Australia and New Zealand — You can now purchase your tickets to see Eclipse!! According to TwilightBlog.net tickets are now on sale at various Hoyt Cinemas.
Rumour has it that Eclipse has a running time of 130 – 140 mins … nothing confirmed yet.
For those in Australia — Check HERE to see if  Hoyts Cinema has tickets available in your area!
If you are in New Zealand — Sky Cinemas is offering a triple feature: Twilight, New Moon, then Eclipse at 12:01am on June 30th!! You can purchase your tickets from Sky Cinemas here and Reading Cinemas here!
[Source: TwilightBlog.net]

'Twilight' series on list of most challenged books?

'Twilight' by Stephenie Meyer - Hatchette Books

Every year, the American Library Association issues a list of what it perceives to be the most "challenged books" on library shelves based on, as the Associated Press outlines, what is "most complained about by parents and educators."
Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series has apparently left enough such disgruntled parties in its wake because it has been chosen for this year's list of "most challenged" books by the ALA.

Meyer's multimillion-selling "Twilight" series was ranked No. 5 on the annual report of "challenged books" released Wednesday by the American Library Association. Meyer's stories of vampires and teen romance have been criticized for sexual content; a library association official also thinks that the "Twilight" series reflects general unease about supernatural stories.

"Vampire novels have been a target for years and the `Twilight' books are so immensely popular that a lot of the concerns people have had about vampires are focused on her books," says Barbara Jones, director of the association's Office for Intellectual Freedom.

Interesting, isn't it?
Let's look at these criticisms one by one.
"Criticized for sexual content" - This one sticks out quite a bit. Yes, there is a lingering, under-the-breath bit of sexual suggestiveness in the Twilight series, but, as any Twilight series reader will know, the pay off scenes are quite PG-rated. In fact, one of the biggest complaints some fans had about Breaking Dawn, the fourth in the series, was that it didn't show enough of the consummation of Bella and Edward's marriage. Sigh. Discussion of this point could go on and on and on . . .
"General unease about supernatural stories"/"Concerns people have had about vampires" - So, basically the suggestion here is that Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series has become so popular that it's now a lightning rod scapegoat for overall concerns about the nature of vampires in modern literature. This sort of explains reason number one, which would certainly be more aptly applied to other series whose sexual content is more dominant (i.e., the Sookie Stackhouse stories). Is it right, though, to substitute concerns about a particular book series with those of a genre's entirety? Tough question.
A look at some of the other books listed - The Catcher in the Rye, The Color Purple, and To Kill a Mockingbird, for instance - suggests that this list is more aimed at sheltering students and readers from the uncomfortable truths of things. Put 1984 and Farenheit 451 on there and you've got yourself a regular censorship party.
That's not to say there aren't legitimate issues within the Twilight series, of course, but these ones come off as a bit questionable.
This all, ironically, comes from the Office of Intellectual Freedom. Go figure.
You can read the rest of the list here.

'Twilight' character Carlisle Cullen is richest on 'Forbes Fictional 15'

Carlisle & Bella in 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' - Summit Ent.

When you were reading the Twilight series, did you ever estimate how much the Cullens were worth?
Carlisle is a successful doctor, and Alice can predict the future. Not to mention, Jasper apparently has behind-the-scenes business deals going on with sweaty lawyers and such.
So, how much did you come up with?
Was it even in the ballpark (sorry, bad Twilight pun here) of $34.5 billion?
Well, that's what Forbes has pinned the great Doctor Cullen as worth, putting him atop their "Fictional 15" list of most affluent fictional characters.
Mr. Burns, that infamously rich miser from The Simpsons, ranked in at number twelve with only (hah) $1.3 billion.
About Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Forbes says the following:

Immortal vampire and small-town doctor has quietly amassed a fortune over three centuries. In 1670 received generous handout from Italian friends; put savings in bank, reaped billions in compound interest. Made shrewd long-term investments in steel, gold, oil, thanks to prescience of daughter turned financial advisor Alice; saw recessions coming, invested early in Wal-Mart, Apple. Earned doctor's salary for 340 years without paying for groceries, health care expenses. Avoids sunshine and public displays of wealth, but owns several valuable properties, including yacht, private island, collection of Renaissance art. New member.

Cute story, huh?
That's not all.
Forbes went onto make a newsy outline of how Cullen amassed his riches, a snippet of which goes like so:

Sources who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation say that an unruly troop of London vampires converted Cullen into a vampire in 1663 (the alleged vampires did not return repeated calls for comment). Repulsed by his new form, Cullen feasted solely on animal blood and coined himself a "vegetarian." It was during an ensuing stint in Italy that Cullen initially hooked up with the deep-pocketed Volturi coven. The closest thing to vampire royalty, Aro, Marcus and Caius Volturi showered their new friend with valuable gifts and Baroque paintings in an effort to persuade Cullen to drink from humans.

Even cuter still, Forbes made a video report of the selection.

I think Forbes takes the win for most unique, fun, and thorough story.

Apparently Peter Facinelli (who portrays the character in the Twilight film series) agrees. This morning he played along and tweeted the following about the story: "Thanks Fictional Forbes... Now I've got to go into fictional hiding from the Volturi."

Twilight' hate getting boring?

'Twilight' by Stephenie Meyer - Hatchette Books

As we've discussed at length before, there is a big difference between legitimate and unnecessary criticism when it comes to Twilight.
It's one thing to voice an opinion the merits of the text or films and quite another to hop on the bandwagon of Twilight fan-bashing without experience or real information to back up the decision.
In recent months, particularly those following the vociferous roar that Twilight fans made in the box office with The Twilight Saga: New Moon, media treatment of Twilight fans has (for the most part) been rather deferential . . . a "well, if you like it, that's your opinion" attitude has seemingly ingrained itself into the general media consensus on the subject of Twilight.
This, to say the least, has been great.
However, as with a great many things popular, there are still those that simply hate the series for one reason or another.
A writer with io9 issued an article yesterday that I was pretty impressed with. Annalee Newitz outlined her own experience of being around Twilight haters and came to the conclusion that the premise of intense and loudly voiced Twilight dislike for newcomers to the sentiment is that it is popular to dislike the series. What's more, Newitz found, is that a lot of the characteristics disfavored by non-fans can be found in those series that the very same people like: "I'm just sick of hearing everybody trash Twilight for the very things they love in other stories: Impossible romance, epic battles that transcend generations, silly costumes, and growing up superpowered."
In essence, it's an article by a non-fan that suggests brazened, raucous behavior toward the Twilight series is "just so tired."
One of the particular reasons given by Newitz for her opinion was especially interesting: that the series is very female oriented. While there are probably a surprising number of males in the Twilight series' fandom, it is generally understood that the demographic is mostly female.
"Among commentators who are far too mature to break into enthusiastic boos when they watch a movie, there is a general consensus that these movies are 'just for girls/women/mothers/daughters/sisters,'" Newitz reports. "[I]f you scratch the surface of comments like that, what you find underneath is a room full of men screaming 'booo' because they hate pop culture aimed at women. Or because they are scared of it." Do you agree? Is it possible that the prevalance of female culture in Hollywood (vis a vis the Twilight series and other books/films) is threatening a long-seated balance of power and that this is a source of some of the unresearched hatred?
A lot of commenters on Newitz's post disagreed with her, saying that their reasons for not liking the Twilight series are different than just the fact it's easy or popular to do so (and adding substantiation to their claims as well) or that they disliked Twilight before doing so was cool. To those, I say a vehement "that's fine."
Most Twilight fans aren't bothered by the idea of someone not liking the same books or movies that they do. You find anti-feminist undertones in the Saga and want to talk about that? Fine. Not a fan of the actors' facial expressions? Okay, no problem. The thing that gets most Twilight fans is the idea that some people out there are being spiteful just to be spiteful, not really knowing or caring what or who they're talking about. The "oh the vampires are sparkly so you all must be unfamiliar with real vampires" diatribe is trite and so is the stereotype that Twilight fans are all young, immature, and illiterate.
We don't ask you why you like the color green or why Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club is your favorite book. We certainly don't judge those who have Spock dolls or know Klingon by heart. So, don't worry about why Twilight fans like the series. And don't hop on the bandwagon. As Annalee Newitz said, it's "boring."

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' re-shoots?

'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' - Summit Ent.

If nothing else, the story of filming for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse has sure been interesting.
The latest is a report by Vancouver's resident Lainey Gossip who states that re-shoots for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse  are to begin in British Columbia very shortly.
She states that the scenes in question are the meadow sequences and a few fight moments. The hold-up on determining when/how to re-shoot, the report continues, was with Robert Pattinson's schedule (because as you know he's been filming Bel Ami in Europe over the past few weeks, etc.) but that they've worked that portion of the issue out.
Lainey goes on to state that there are more than scheduling conflicts at play in this arrangement and that whether director David Slade should helm the re-shoots was and is up in the air. Alternates considered, she suggests, were and are Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke and The Twilight Saga: New Moon director Chris Weitz.
You can read more at her site.
As Twilight Lexicon points out, re-shoots are something fans of this franchise should be well familiar with as a couple of scenes in Twilight were re-done after the fact.
As for any of the other points made here, it's hard to speak to their truth. There's always some sort of dramatic tension on film sets, even the most friendly of them all. Whether disagreements or split opinions have led to a consideration of director change for post-production re-shoots . . . I don't know. Maybe.
We'll have to wait for an official statement on the issue from Summit or David Slade to know the truth. For now, don't panic. If I hear anything more on this, I'll update the post.
UPDATE: See this article for further, new information on this issue.

`Twilight' series on list of challenged books

 

Stephenie Meyer, the hottest author for young people since J.K. Rowling, has a new link to the creator of "Harry Potter": a place high on the list of books most complained about by parents and educators.

Meyer's multimillion-selling "Twilight" series was ranked No. 5 on the annual report of "challenged books" released Wednesday by the American Library Association. Meyer's stories of vampires and teen romance have been criticized for sexual content; a library association official also thinks that the "Twilight" series reflects general unease about supernatural stories.
"Vampire novels have been a target for years and the `Twilight' books are so immensely popular that a lot of the concerns people have had about vampires are focused on her books," says Barbara Jones, director of the association's Office for Intellectual Freedom.
Christian groups for years have protested the themes of wizardry in Rowling's books, which don't appear on the current top 10.
Topping the 2009 chart was Lauren Myracle's "IM" series, novels told through instant messages that have been criticized for nudity, language and drug references. Last year's No. 1 book, "And Tango Makes Three," by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, is now No. 2, cited again for its story about two male penguins adopting a baby. Third was Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," for which the many reasons include drugs, suicide, homosexuality and being antifamily.
Also cited were such perennials as J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" (sexual content, language), Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" (language, racism), Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" (sexual content, language) and Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War" (nudity, language, sexual content).
The ALA recorded 460 challenges in 2009, a drop from 513 the year before, and 81 books actually being removed. The ALA defines a challenge as a "formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness."
For every challenge tallied, about four or five end up unreported, according to the ALA.

Peter Facinelli, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and USA Today’s AmericaWants Twitter Campaign

Yesterday Peter Facinelli sent out the above tweet.  Now an article in USA Today fully explains.

“Yesterday, we announced “#AmericaWants” Twitter campaign for charity, and already, your tweets are rolling in by the thousands. Even celebrities like Khloe Kardashian, Peter Facinelli, Alyssa Milano, Eva Longoria, and NKOTB’s Jonathan Knight have jumped on the bandwagon.

What’s at stake? The top tweet-getting charity will receive one full-page, full-color ad in USA TODAY — valued at $189,400!

Don’t forget: In order for your tweets and retweets to count, you must include ALL of these words: “#AmericaWants (insert full name of charity) to get a full-page ad in USA TODAY.”

Go here to get the contest’s full details, and don’t forget that every tweet counts! Good luck!”

So if you have a Twitter Here’s what you do. Send out the following Tweet  #AmericaWants Alex’s Lemonade Stand. You can’t just retweet Peter. According to the rules you have to tweet “#AmericaWants Alex’s Lemonade Stand” or it doesn’t count.

Peter Facinelli on the Jury

Don’t worry, we are not outing Peter’s anonimity as he does his civic duty. The Tribeca Film Festival just revealed the members of the awards jury of their prestigious annual festival.
According to the festival’s website:

“Short Film Competition Categories:

The 2010 Narrative Short Film jurors are: Justin Bartha, Katherine Dieckmann, Jack Dorsey, Peter Facinelli, Brooke Shields.”

The Tribeca Film Festival is an annual event founded by none other than native New Yorker Robert DeNiro and some of his friends in Spring 2002 to bring hope back to the city in the wake of 9/11. Their mission is to to enable the international film community and the general public to experience the power of film by redefining the film festival experience.”

Eclipse Reshoots?

Rumor surfaced today on the Lainey Gossip site also on Mandy’s blog that there would be partial reshoots of Eclipse happening in the Vancouver area shortly. Lainey Gossip is based out of Vancouver and has multiple industry connections there for mostly accurate information on Twilight filming (keep in mind that this site does contain strong language and what is at times considered not work safe items). Edited to include missing link
For those of you that know Twilight shooting history, you know that this is not the first time in the Twilight Saga franchise that reshoots have taken place. Catherine Hardwicke had to reshoot several key scenes months after filming in Portland had wrapped. Specifically Catherine shot the infamous meadow scene on a golf course in the LA area and the 1930’s flashback to Forks scene (Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Nikki Reed in period clothes) months after filming had wrapped. In fact at the time, many questioned why the scenes with Kellan, Nikki, and Peter could have just been reshot in LA rather than dragging everyone back to Portland.
We have asked Summit for a statement, when we get one we will amend this entry.
So, what do you think movie business as usual, or a matter of concern?
Gossip Cop who has completely busted the story.
An ”exclusive” earlier today made big waves by claiming that “key scenes” in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse need to be reshot in Vancouver, and speculated that the development indicated production on the June release was troubled.
Gossip Cop looked into it, and we have answers.
First, regarding the implication that these reshoots were unexpected, an authorized rep for the studio tells Gossip Cop, “The reshoot was planned for months, like it is with the majority of films.”
Let Gossip Cop settle some other false rumors.
Contrary to the report, “creative differences” have not led Summit to consider bringing in another director for the reshoots.
David Slade is directing them, as he has the entire movie, and the studio is “very happy” with his direction of a film internally believed to be the best of the series.  As for the timing, speculation that there will be three rushed days of 18-hour shoots is incorrect. A Summit rep tells Gossip Cop that it’s a two-and-a-half to three-day shoot, and that “very little” has to be reshot.  But the biggest misconception concerned the specific scenes alleged to be those in need of a reshoot. The Summit rep confirms to Gossip Cop, “None of the meadow or action scenes are being reshot.”
Asked to comment on today’s alarmist rumors, an authorized rep for the studio tells Gossip Cop, “Reports much like this one are ploys to drive traffic without any merit and without any support from the studio on what is actually going on or true.”

Carlisle Cullen Makes Forbes List

We have to say that we never thought that we would be writing an entry like this, but Carlilse Cullen has made it onto Forbes Magazine Wealthiest list(AKA the fictional 15). It’s all in good fun, they haven’t completely lost their minds down at Forbes. it’s all to do with fictional characters. According to the Forbes website:

“Global markets are rapidly recovering from the 2008 financial crisis, and so are the fortunes of the fictitious. There are six new characters on the 2010 edition of Fictional 15, our annual ranking of fiction’s richest, with an average net worth of $7.3 billion. In aggregate, the nine returning members are worth $79.8 billion, up 9% since we last checked in on them.

Topping the list this year is newcomer Carlisle Cullen, patriarch of the Cullen coven of vampires in the Twilight series of novels. Cullen, age 370, has accumulated a fortune of $34.1 billion–much of it from long-term investments made with the aid of his adopted daughter Alice, who picks stocks based on her ability to see into the future. Low-key and undead, Cullen has spent recent years posing as a mortal doctor in a small town in Washington State.”

Other oldie but goodie list makers include Jed Clampett of The Beverly Hillbillies, Rich Rich, and the from over in the UK Sir Topham Hatt of Thomas the Tank Engine fame.
http://twilightnewssite.com for the  heads up