Charlie Bewley Interview with Twilighters Anonymous from JACOB BLACK on Vimeo.
(6.36)TA: You filmed scenes with several of the actors in New Moon. What was it like working with such a big cast and did everyone hit it off right away?
Charlie: I guess when you have a series of films like this; people who come in the second installment are obviously going to be like add-ons to the whole thing if you like. I mean in any kind of social contact you can’t just walk into a bunch of people and you know, just instantly be friends with them it just doesn’t work like that. Especially on a film set with a lot of, a lot of trust a lot of friendships get built over a period of time as opposed to like straight off the bat. Remember we’re actors; we’re very, you know insecure and untrustworthy. I mean I felt very accommodated on set, I mean first point of entry is hair and makeup and they’re the most wonderful people. And you make very good friends with them, and they’re just so interested in who you are, and it’s like five in the morning but no one cares and everyone looks like shit but they try and keep you upbeat. And then when you walk on set it’s very sort of professional off the bat. Like first time I kind of saw Rob and Kristen doing a scene it was a very surreal experience the first time you meet someone who you only know through films and through magazines and stuff. The first time you actually meet them you’re actually alongside them in a character context in a film and off the bat we were going like a house on fire.
(12.57)TA: In terms of fans, paparazzi and overall filming, what were the biggest differences in going from Vancouver to Italy?
Charlie: Going from Vancouver where when you’re working you’re actually on set. You’re on set it’s enclosed, you know, no access. It’s locked down. The only time I really encountered any fans, and I really didn’t because I’d only just been introduced and people don’t really know what I look like. Because I really don’t think I look in person, what I look like in my photos. I just don’t think I do, it’s just an energy or something. In Vancouver, I just walked around anonymous, like I’m doing in London, its fine. Plus I haven’t been disseminated that bad, so there was no problems in Vancouver whatsoever. I just did the work and walked home. When we went out to dinner sometimes with Rob and Kristen, that’s when you had paparazzi just swarming the place, like rats on a ship, it was weird. And Poor Rob, you know, he sits down in a corner and is like “This is ridiculous, I can’t believe this is happening. Just leave me alone.” Which is sad, because he can’t leave his house. When you go to a place like Italy; I don’t know why Summit really told everyone they were going to film in Montepulciano a good two months ahead of time. I don’t know why. But when we got there it was just, it’s impossible to keep five thousand girls out of a place as small as Montepulciano. You’d need a thousand extras on set every day. They were just allowed, you know, to ride, go wherever you want. So there was no cordoned- off areas really, as such, apart from the hotels and stuff. So you were always, wherever you went, followed by a hundred to a thousand girls….and boys. They were the Italians. And it was a wonderful experience, a very surreal experience, because you take Montepulciano which is this beautiful, secluded, hilltop Tuscan countryside which is rolling with grapevines and wonderful hay fields and trees and beautiful sunshine. And on top of this mountain is this beautiful, rustic, nine hundred year old village which is untouched by commerciality. There’s just not one trace of a commercial footstep on it at all. Then you have that beauty and a film set, the buzz of a huge Hollywood film set to it, then you have five thousand screaming fans wherever you go. You’re treated like royalty wherever you go, with security guards and everything. It’s just the most surreal experience I think I can ever expect to go through again, really, honestly. The whole everything together was just. I mean I’ve written an article about it and I’m going to put it out there at some point just to try to capture, because my writing is much better than when I talk. I don’t know if you’ve noticed that. It was another world, it really was.
(15.39)TA: Did you have any idea how big the Twilight hype was when you joined the cast?
Charlie: Yeah, I knew what it was going to be like. I didn’t expect the whole Italian thing to be as ridiculous as it was. Not to say I’m not grateful for it at all because I love the Italians. They are wicked, wicked people. Not to mention they make up probably like 87% of my fan base right now. Did I know what was going to happen, the whole hype thing? Yeah, I mean it’s fairly obvious. In Canada, where I was living, Rob was on the cover of every single magazine going. I knew that as soon as our faces were thrown out there and disseminated things were going to get a little crazy. But you know, it’s been okay so far. Being a totally unknown actor, there was a lot more intrigue into me as to other people, I’m pretty sure of that. But it’s you know, going to be fairly steady until the film comes out and then I expect another sort of wave of commitments and paparazzi. I don’t know, I mean I don’t think about it too much to be honest because I just, whatever happens happens. There’s nothing you can do about it. And you can just enjoy it when it comes. It’s a wonderful thing to happen to someone in their life, to be subject to such interest. People can be actually intrigued, have an intrigue into what you’ve done in your life. Especially when you’ve got a back-story like I have, it’s something that’s very exciting.
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