Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
I haven't taken full inventory of every actor I've ever interviewed in the 11 years I've been with AICN, but I feel confident in saying that Kellan Lutz--currently getting ridiculously famous playing Emmett Cullen in the TWILIGHT movies including the soon-to-be-released NEW MOON and the recently wrapped ECLIPSE--is the most handsome man I've every met in my life. I'm talking so good looking that it might make you angry. The fact that he's a solid actor (granted, he hasn't been tested that much by the TWILIGHT films, but he's done more than just those in his career) and a genuinely nice guy just makes it all the more unfair how good this guy has it.
I first noticed him in the exceptional HBO mini-series "Generation Kill," but even before that he has a recurring role on the Lisa Kudrow HBO series "The Comeback" and did several episodes of the revamped "90210." As far as films, he's had roles in STICK IT (with Jeff Bridges), the very funny ACCEPTED (with Johan Hill and Justin Long), PROM NIGHT; earlier this year, he shot his co-starring role in the relaunch of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET.
But it's his role as one of the Cullen family vampires that has garnered him the most attention. For the unindoctrinated, he's the one with super strong powers who seems to have been paired with Nikki Reed's Rosalie (once again, I'll remind you what lucky bastard this guy is). There's not much more to say other than Lutz strikes me a guy who knows just how fortunate he is to be a part of these movies and is eager to take full advantage of the opportunities this high-profile role has given him. He also has aspirations of being the next big action star. Can't argue with that. One more preface note, this interview took place in Chicago after a massive fan event at a suburban mall the evening before, which he attended with co-star Ashley Greene. I only mention that because it comes up in our talk.
AICN's TWILIGHT coverage has sort of fallen on me primarily because I was at the now-legendary/notorious 2008 Comic-Con event when all hell broke loose at the first sight of the collected cast. I got to interview Kristen Stewart and director Catherine Hardwicke after the panel, and covered the three leads at a pre-NEW MOON panel press event at the 2009 Comic-Con. But the fact is, I don't mind. I've talked to a lot of the fans of the books and movies, and I've found them to be some of the nicest fans of any phenomenon that I've ever met. Plus, this universe is deeply ingrained in our pop culture, like it or not, and I'm kind of fascinated by such movements, whether I buy into them or not. I was not a fan of the first film, but I'll admit the trailers I've seen for NEW MOON have me more curious and hopeful than I was for the initial movie. And I do enjoy talking to people involved with the making of these movies because they all have different reactions to he fame being in the TWILIGHT films has brought them.
I'm seeing NEW MOON on Wednesday and will try to have the review ready Thursday. In the mean time, enjoy Kellan Lutz…
Capone: In the interest of full disclosure, I haven’t read these books, but I was there at the first Comic-Con event last year, which I guess is accepted as ground zero for the frenzy kick off surrounding TWILIGHT
Kellan Lutz: Yes.
Capone: Somebody had mentioned to me that your character, in particular, was the only one of the Cullens in the books who didn’t have a really fleshed out backstory. But in just doing my research for this interview, I found that little page or so that Stephanie [Meyer] had put on her website.
KL: "Emmett and the Bear"?
Capone: Yeah, that. I found that and I said, “No, you are wrong, but you have to really look for it.”
KL: Yeah, you do.
Capone: When you are first reading the books, you might not know that that exists, so did you wonder before that?
KL: You know, it’s great being a part of something that has CliffsNotes in a way. You have a writer that is always on set. She is always there, and you could call her up. I could call Stephenie up right now and be like “Hey, I have a question. Fans ask me this all of the time…" And it’s great having that piece of knowledge, and then you have these books you can read, and then Wikipedia is amazing, so it’s great to actually learn as much information as you can, and it is kind of a bummer that you never really get to see that passage. It’s not in any of the books, so you don’t really see the backstory of Emmett whereas in ECLIPSE Rosalie’s backstory gets filmed and Jasper’s is shown.
Capone: So they do actually get into some of that in ECLIPSE?
KL: They do, because it’s in the books and we actually filmed those scenes, which they look amazing. But of course, I wish we could have shown more of Emmett anywhere.
Capone: Right, and I wonder in these films that focus on these three characters, do the rest of the cast feel like you are fighting for a little more screen time? How does that work? Or is it really just everyone working toward the common goal of making a great movie?
KL: It’s an ensemble cast, which is amazing. Yeah, you have the three front-runners who are the face of all of the movies and stuff, but it’d be a blessing just to have one line or even a glimpse of me in these movies, because how much you get out of it is such a blessing and it’s amazing. Of course, we follow so tightly and closely to the books that I was fighting to have Rosalie and Emmett have like a honeymoon scene in Italy for NEW MOON, because a lot of us cast members weren’t in the book or going to Italy, just Alice. It would have been fun to travel all the way over there, but that didn’t really float.
Capone: So you didn’t get to do that? [Laughs]
KL: Yeah…
Capone: Is it kind of bizarre that most of the world--those of us who are judging these as purely a cinematic experience--are only one movie into this story and all of you are three into it already. Is that bizarre that you are talking about this movie, but you have already done that next one?
KL: It is pretty bizarre. It’s really strange choosing film over TV, because films take so long for them to come out versus TV where you shoot a couple of episodes and then they air right away. In movies, it takes a year, so it’s really hard to put a grasp on how long we have been doing TWILIGHT, because we shot the first one then we did press, then we shot the second one, and then we shot the third one, and now we are doing press for the second one. It’s like the second one hasn’t even come out. So, it’s like we are living in the TWILIGHT Zone in a way [laughs]. But it’s definitely not getting to be too much. It’s always so unique with every city we go to and with every fan we meet, it’s special.
Capone: I know you have done TV. In fact, I watched "Generation Kill" pretty religiously.
KL: Thank you.
Capone: It was a terrific show to watch, and it’s weird, because any time I hear about an actor who was in that, with the exception of Alexander Skarsgard…
KL: Yeah, Alex of "True Blood."
Capone: It’s so hard to remember faces from that show, because everyone looked the same--same haircut, clothes, helmet. But when I read that you were in it, I’m thought “I don’t remember him, but if he was in it, then he was probably good in it, because everybody was good in that.”
KL: That’s one of the reasons I did it. I usually don’t pick projects to become famous out of them or to go that route or to be in tabloids. It’s a blessing what TWILIGHT has done for all of us. I didn’t know it was a book series with such a strong fan base, I just loved the script and I loved my character. Being a part of "Generation Kill" was more about being a part of something that was just amazing, to depict what these Marines went through in 2003 and how they invaded Iraq and no one died. The story, the book is so amazing, and [Rolling Stone reporter] Evan Wright did a great job being a part of that recon division and going with them and telling the story of really what happens. My brother has been in the Marine Corp for 10 years, so it’s really cool to connect on that level as well and to really show the world what goes on over there without sugarcoating it for an audience. That’s why I love HBO and Showtime. It’s fun acting in, and I got to be a little kid--shoot guns and blow things up without any danger.
Capone: With the TWILIGHT films each having a different director, would you rather of had a single vision for all four films, or do you like having a new person at the helm each time?
KL: I definitely enjoy having new people. That’s the thing with these books; they are so different from book to book. They don’t stick to the same guidelines and they aren’t all about the same subject in a way, so it’s really nice. I don’t think there’s one director who has every talent needed to share the story of this franchise. I really enjoyed Catherine [Hardwicke]’s energy for the first one. It was more of an independent, artsy movie. I don’t think anyone knew it would be a studio hit, and then of course we didn’t have all of that money to make it like a huge studio movie with CGI and special effects. So she did an amazing job showing off that movie. It was beautiful. Then you have the second one, which is more of a love story, and there’s a lot of action needed and CGI with the wolves, and Chris Weitz has a great background with that, and he’s just so cool and collected on set that it really made it an easy-going experience to shoot that with him. Then David Slade, I mean, the third one is out there--It's edgy and dark.
Capone: He’s done those kinds of films before.
KL: He has, like HARD CANDY and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, and so he was a great choice for that. I think each director had a preference in moving towards their own special talents in a way, but I don’t think I could have seen David doing the first one as well as he did the third one or Chris Weitz doing the third one as awesome as he did the second one, so that’s been interesting.
Capone: So what have you heard, if anything, about what’s going on with BREAKING DAWN, in terms of when production is getting started, if there’s a director? What have you heard?
KL: Usually it’s pretty funny, because a lot of times us actors find out that we are green lit for the next movie, and we kind of have to keep it hush-hush, so we play it like “Oh no, we don’t know.” Honestly, I can say truthfully, scouts' honor we have no idea. They have not come to us. They haven’t said anything. I think it’s really just up to the fans, and if they support NEW MOON and ECLIPSE as well as they did TWILIGHT, then I think we have a really great shot, and I think all of us actors would love to finish off this amazing experience with doing BREAKING DAWN.
Capone: I read somewhere that Robert Pattinson let it slip at some point that he thought production would start up again next fall, but I don’t know if he was just guessing.
KL: I would say the same thing. I don’t think they can wait too long, because we are vampires who can’t age, so I would say around September also and maybe even in Portland again or Vancouver, because you need the weather also. We can only shoot when the weather is cloudy. You can’t really shoot in the summertime when it’s nice and the sun’s out and we can’t shoot when it’s December, when it’s freezing and snowing and raining everyday, so it’s a good guestimation that we would shoot around the same time that we just did ECLIPSE. I think we all just want to do it.
Capone: Obviously there are a lot of new characters introduced in NEW MOON. Do you have any favorites among the newer characters that you can’t wait to see how people respond to them?
KL: I love the Volturi. I didn’t ever get a chance to meet them until shooting ECLIPSE, because a lot of times actors work and their scenes aren’t on the same day or they aren’t in those scenes, so a lot of times you make a movie without even meeting some of the actors, and that’s what happened for me in NEW MOON. So it was great to actually meet them and work with them. Dakota [Fanning] brings this life to Jane that’s incredible and all of the other Volturi guys. They are really cool to work with.
Capone: Michael Sheen is always so great.
KL: He’s amazing.
Capone: He’s a nice guy and a great actor, so when I heard he got involved in this, expectations were raised.
KL: And that’s what’s amazing, too, to have huge A-list actors who I definitely look up to wanting to be a part of something that I’m a part of, and so it really makes you feel like you are a part of something special and Michael Sheen just captures a room like no other.
Capone: It’s interesting and of course any time I have a detail-oriented question about this series I have certain people I can go to, but all the people I know who are fanatics about these books are all women. You obviously read the books when you got the job, I assume. What did you get out of it? What do men get out of these stories?
KL: Yeah, I did read them. I think just the understanding of why they are just such a huge hit, and also I think they get a little insight into women. It’s like reading Cosmo magazine and you learn what girls want and what drives them crazy-- you wear pale makeup and shimmer in the sun. I don’t know, it’s one of those things where a lot of times you just don’t understand girls; I don’t think we ever will as men. But you see how fascinating this series is and for my sister and my step-mom to connect on that level and to really unite, because they are great books. They really teach good lessons and it’s just a really cool thing that Stephanie created.
Capone: There are definitely some things from what I have heard in the fourth book that are going to be really tough to shoot in a PG-13 environment. Has anyone even broached that subject at this point, or is that still being worked out?
KL: Again, there’s nothing going on with BREAKING DAWN yet.
Capone: I mean more among the cast or [screenwriter] Melissa Rosenberg.
KL: We have talked about it, and I think we talked to Stephanie and Melissa also… it will definitely be PG-13 and I think we will lose a huge amount of the crowd if you make it anything beyond PG-13. But there’s definitely ways of telling it or vocalizing it versus showing it, like the pregnancy scene and stuff like that.
Capone: That's what I'm referring to.
KL: There are definitely ways to cut around or to visually create something not as horrific or extreme [as the book] and keep it on the PG 13 level.
Capone: You had this big event last night, and it sounds like you had a great turnout. In all honesty, what do you think about the interaction that you get to have with the fans, does it feel like pressure? Does it feel like work? Or is it fun?
KL: I love it. I love doing the conventions, and I love doing these mall tours, because it’s fun to travel--I love to travel--but it’s even more fun to meet such loving fans all around the world and they differ in many ways, but they all have the same passion and it’s for these books, it’s for these characters, it’s for what us actors are doing with them, so any time to meet them it's worth it. They are the ones keeping us employed in a way. They are the ones allowing us to continue on with this amazing saga, and it’s an amazing experience as an actor. It’s a dream come true to be a part of something so successful and so amazing. And I love my character. I love the scripts, I love the books, and I really hope that we get to finish it off. It’s one of those things where we really don’t see what we are a part of yet. We are kind of in a bubble, because it’s just TWILIGHT nonstop, and it’s so much fun, but I think years down the road I’m going to look back on all of those scrapbooks fans have made or drawings or dolls and really just be wowed by it all.
Capone: What do you admire about Emmett as a person?
KL: I love Emmett. I view a lot of myself in him, because I view life as… Life is supposed to be happy and stress free. You are supposed to live it to it’s fullest and do things and take risks. That’s what life’s about, living an adventurous life, and if something holds you down, it’s just not worth it, don’t let it. Always smile, it can brighten up someone’s day. I think Emmett views it the same way. With his powers, he’s pretty indestructible, and so when you go around knowing that you can never die really, because you are a vampire and you are super strong, so it’s not like somebody will be able to rip you apart, you kind of have a new outlook on life and just smile. If there’s really anything threatening, it’s more fun than being fearful of it.
Capone: I’m guessing that being in these movies has opened doors for your career, and you're getting to the point where you are probably getting inundated with scripts and offers, and you'd done a couple of horror films earlier… PROM NIGHT, right?
KL: Mostly thrillers, which I love.
Capone: You are also in A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, right?
KL: Yeah.
Capone: Who do you play in that, because I was on that set for a day here in Chicago, and obviously you weren’t there. There were only a couple of the actors there. You did that here, right?
KL: Yeah, I did that here which is amazing. Working with Andrew [Form] and Brad [Fuller] from Platinum Dunes, they are amazing producers who I love. Michael Bay’s company is just awesome. He is great and I’m a huge fan of his. Sam Bayer is an awesome director. You know it was just awesome around the clock and working with those actors who I have been friends with for a while… Thomas Dekker is great and always hyped up on Red Bull. Rooney Mara is awesome, Kyle Gallner is great…
Capone: Those are the two that I saw scenes with and Jackie [Earl Haley].
KL: Jackie is just wow!
Capone: He’s the perfect choice.
KL: Perfect choice, and seeing him in the makeup is terrifying.
Capone: That’s how we saw him. We were in his trailer, and he had the makeup on and he was trying to conduct an interview. It was really weird to do that. [Laughs] So who do you play in that?
KL: I play Dean. He’s pretty much going through the tribulations of seeing these nightmares, so it’s a really trialed period for himself, because he’s losing sleep, and he’s really close with Katie Cassidy’s character and she’s there to help him out and he’s been up…throughout the movie I think he ends up being up for three or four days, and you just see the depression on him, and he’s just loosing it and he’s on medication and then off medication. You just really feel for him, because you want him to be better. He’s a genuinely nice guy, and, uh, it’s kind of tragic what happens.
Capone: I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that maybe you don’t make it to the end.
KL: Yeah, I don’t know, we are doing some reshoots, so…
Capone: Considering how many people I saw die in the time I was there. Do you have a dream gig that you are working toward?
KL: I do. Like you said earlier, it’s amazing to be a part of something where it opens up the doors and allows us as actors to have scripts thrown our way versus us auditioning and reading for them. We still audition all of the time, but I think it’s on a newer level where people will give us scripts and be like “If you like this, can we attach your name and then shop it around?” It’s really cool. I’ve never read so many scripts in my life, but I have such a great team, and we are really picky now and I really want to focus on doing action movies. I really want to be that new American action hero. I just love action. I love stunts. I’ve been a big fan of Sylvester Stallone and Matt Damon, especially. I think he’s just had such a great career where he’s done everything, romantic comedy, comedies, action, and he excels at everything, but I see him as such a realistic action hero, like the CIA operative who is not the buff guy, but he uses his brains and he gets shot at in BOURNE, and I would really love to be a part of that franchise. Hopefully it goes a couple more rounds and becomes BOURNE ULTIMATUM AGAIN.
[Both Laugh]
Capone: Have you seen the trailer for GREEN ZONE, his new film? It’s an action film, and kind of looks like a BOURNE movie a little bit, but he actually know who he is this time around. You should look it up. It looks awesome and it’s directed by the guy who did the most recent two BOURNE movies, Paul Greengrass, so check it out.
KL: Yeah, so it’s definitely nice to put away and say no to a lot of the TV stuff and a lot of the other types of movies and really focus on the action ones and there are some great scripts out there.
Capone: Before they kick me out of here, it’s funny that perhaps the most divisive scene in the first film was that baseball scene, and some people were asking “Why are vampires playing baseball?” But a lot of people who read the books love it. I think that’s their favorite scene from the first book. Were you aware of that after the fact, like “Why are people talking about and focusing on that scene so much?” Part of it had to do with Robert’s athleticism I guess.
KL: You know what? I love that scene. You have all of the Cullens together doing something as a family, and the soundtrack was amazing for it. You get to see the vampires in action doing vampiric things as opposed to just going to school and acting like humans. We get to knock these balls out of the park like realistically and use our vampiric speed and run through the woods and catch the ball and throw it back in lightning time. It’s just a fun scene.
Capone: Thanks a lot for hanging out. It was great to meet you.
KL: I appreciate it!
-- Capone
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