Friday November 20, 2009
Thousands cheer
By MIKE CIDONI
TWELVE months ago, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were surprised to be greeted by throngs of eager fans of the novel Twilight at the premiere of the big-screen adaptation. What a difference a year makes.
The actors unveiled the sequel – The Twilight Saga: New Moon – at the same location Monday night in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. But this time they knew what was coming.
“I’m not as scared as I was last year,” said Stewart, despite a brief touch-and-go moment as she signed autographs. “At some point, the security guy said, ‘This is very unsafe.’ And I was like, ‘Uh.’ Other than that, everything was cool.”
Robert Pattinson meeting fans at the New Moon premiere in Westwood, California recently. Pattinson, who plays vampire Edward Cullen in this latest adaptation of author Stephenie Meyer’s popular series, said this year’s crowd of thousands of screaming fans was larger than the 2008 turnout.
“And it seems different to me because we have done this world tour in the last week and it has just been unbelievable in every single city,” he said. “It is about 10 times bigger than any other city in the world.”
Some “twi-hards” – as they call themselves – arrived as early as Thursday afternoon to secure a place in line for tickets allowing them to watch the stars’ arrivals on the red carpet. The 800 available tickets were all distributed by Monday morning, but the line still stretched for blocks well after lunchtime.
Scores of other fans – mostly young women – crowded onto street corners near the Mann Village and Bruin theatres, site of the premiere. They sat on beach chairs, displayed homemade signs and wore T-shirts proclaiming their allegiance to either the handsome vampire played by Pattinson or his werewolf rival, Taylor Lautner.
Lautner, who rises to headliner status in New Moon, said he was also amazed by Monday’s fan response. “It’s the amount of passion,” he said. “It’s not normal.” – AP
Hot for vampires
DO vampires make you swoon? There’s lots to tune in to on TV this weekend to whet your appetite for some blood ... er, we mean romance.
If you haven’t yet seen the first movie, you’re in luck. Star Movies (Astro Channel 413) will screen Twilight on Sunday at 10pm (there will be a repeat on Dec 5).
Meanwhile, there’s more to savour on E! (Astro 712) tomorrow:
> Live from the Red Carpet: New Moon at 8.40pm (Hosted by Giuliana Rancic and Ashlan Gorse)
> Fashion Police: New Moon – at 9.05pm (E! recaps fashion do’s & don’ts at the red carpet premiere of New Moon)
> Secrets of Twilight at 9.30pm (intimate interviews, backstage gossip and some startling clips from the New Moon)
> 10 Vampires We Love at 9.55pm (The vampires who’ve ruled movies, television shows and books).
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