The It's My Life Blog - Real Stuff for Tweens

Celeb Scoop: Taylor Lautner

2009-11-14T19:51:08Z

You can't help but love Taylor Lautner, the 17-year-old co-star of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." Taylor spent months beefing up for his role as the werewolf Jacob, eating meat patties all day long and working out five days a week. He gained 30 pounds for the part! In an interview with IML, Jacob talks about his transformation, his adjustment to becoming a teen idol, and the challenges of staying true to himself through it all.

IML: Do you think you were ever in danger of not getting the role of Jacob in this movie?

Taylor: Honestly, I knew where my character went in "New Moon" and that's all I tried to stay focused on. I couldn't control things outside. I couldn't control the media. But I could control what I was doing. So that's what I stayed focused on the whole entire time.

IML: Did that start with going to the gym and gaining 30 pounds to make the physical transformation necessary to play Jacob?

Taylor: Yeah. Jacob transforms a lot in "New Moon." Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. So it was a matter of getting to the gym, eating the right foods and a lot of it. But also reading and studying the book and my character over and over and over again so I could have this character down as well. Because he changes in many, many ways.

IML: Can you talk about those changes?

Taylor: Well, when he transforms basically my job was to continue what I started in "Twilight," which was this extremely happy, friendly, outgoing guy, best friends with Bella. And I had to continue that for the first half of the film. But as soon as I transformed, I snapped and I became a completely different person. I'm dealing with my issues and it's just really hard for me.

IML: You certainly have a lot of opportunities to show off your body. Our favorite was when you take off your shirt to dab blood off Bella's head.

Taylor: I start laughing so hard every time I see that scene. Oh, look, you're bleeding? Let me fix that. [He mimes removing his shirt.] How embarrassing. Here's the thing: there's a reason he's not wearing clothes all the time. One, when he transforms, all his clothes get shredded. He can't help it. And when he goes into the woods to get something to put on so he's not naked, it's just a ripped pair of jean shorts. He's also hot. His body temperature is 108 degrees. So that's another reason. And the thing is, I love this character and I love this story and putting on the weight and not wearing much clothing was required by the role. A year from now, if I love a story and I love a character that requires me to lose 40 pounds I'm ready to do it.

IML: Could you be more specific about your regimen? What did you eat? How much did you exercise?

Taylor: I was in the gym about five days a week because it's important to get your recovery time. Not over working yourself. I was trying to put on weight. And if I were in the gym too much I'd be burning the calories I was trying to take in. The most important thing was the eating side. Everybody thought it was actually getting in the gym. That was easy. I was motivated. The eating was pretty hard. We found that I had to consume at least 3200 calories a day just to maintain. I'm not trying to maintain, I'm trying to gain. I had to eat more than that and putting something in your mouth every two hours. And I'm busy. I'm going from meeting to meeting so there's not time for me to be eating. So I would literally have to carry a little baggy full of beef patties, raw almonds, and sweet potatoes. So it's not like every two hours I was eating ice cream. It was difficult.

IML: Can you talk about the stunt work and wire work you had to do?

Taylor: The physical side was really fun. Some of it was challenging. I'd never ridden a dirt bike before. And yes, I rode the dirt bike for a total of five seconds in the film, but for those five seconds I had to look at cool as possible. So it did require a lot of practice for safety purposes so they would let me do it. And the wire work when I run up the side of Bella's house and that whole thing? The wires were there just so if I slipped and fell, I didn't face plant into the ground. But it was definitely challenging. That stunt was really complicated. You need to be on. I'm using a little plug in the side of the wall just to take off from and jump. So it's really complicated. And it required a lot of practice. Every single weekend, I would practice that stunt for three hours a day. It was the last thing we filmed.

IML: We were wondering about wearing the wig, and then removing it for the second half of the film. Was that freeing?

Taylor: It was not only uncomfortable. I'd look at myself in the mirror and I wouldn't be able to recognize myself! It was very itchy and hot. Annoying. Also it slowed down the filming process, whenever it got caught in my eye or whatever, we'd have to cut and start over. It would get caught in my mouth and I'm spitting hair. I'm coming this close to kissing Bella and I've got to stop and spit my hair out! My last day filming with the wig, we ripped it off, held it up in the air and said "That's a picture wrap on Taylor's wig." And the whole crew gave it a standing ovation. It was amazing.

IML: Can you talk about the bonding with the other werewolves?

Taylor: Bonding with the werewolves was very fun. Those guys are characters! They're fun guys and what's so great is they each fit their characters so perfectly. They made the set so exciting.

IML: They were talking about possibly getting a wolf pack tattoo. Are you in?

Taylor: I don't know. I'll have to think about that. I'll have to discuss it with my pack.

IML: The media definitely seems to love you. What's the funniest or strangest thing that's ever been written about you?

Taylor: I try and stay away from what's been written about me because if you let that stuff get to you and it's not true, it can drive you crazy. One thing that I have heard recently which is not true - I didn't say it - was that I was quoted saying I will never take my shirt off for a movie again. I didn't say that. If the character requires it, I will. That was interesting to see.

IML: How do you balance letting the public and fans know who you really are but also trying to keep your private life private?

Taylor: It's definitely important to stay true to yourself, to stay close to those people you were close to before, your family, your friends. And just not let that outside stuff get to you.

IML: This movie is going to make you a bigger star. Already there are young girls who idolize you. How did you prepare yourself for that?

Taylor: I don't think there's any way to prepare you for this phenomenon. None of us expect it. When we were filming "Twilight," we didn't expect anything. We were just filming a movie that we wanted the fans to enjoy and then it just blew into this whole other world. But you could definitely say I felt a little pressure trying to bring Jacob the character and Jacob and Bella's relationship alive for the fans. "New Moon" definitely develops their relationship. And it sets up the love triangle. So it's a very important story.

IML: What's it like for you to have your face on the billboards and on the sides of buses. Is that weird for you?

Taylor: Yeah! Of course. I don't think there's a way to ever get used to it. It's not normal to drive down the street and see your face up there. But it's "Twilight." It comes with the job.

IML: There's practically an international countdown for your 18th birthday. Have you even thought about making any plans for that day?

Taylor: I haven't even begun. We are so busy. We take one day at a time. I don't even know what room in this hotel I'm going to after this!

IML: What is a touching and really sweet fan encounter you can tell us about?

Taylor: We have fans all the time that just burst into tears. It's just moving. It must mean so much for them to meet us. It's an amazing feeling that we can touch somebody in that way. You don't know what to do. It's hard. You feel bad for them, but you're also happy at the same time.

IML: When would it help in your real life to turn into a werewolf?

Taylor: When you're in school getting picked on by some bullies. When you're in a fight with your little sister? That's a good question. It would get really, really ugly!

IML: Can you talk about working and living in Canada?

Taylor: Canada's great. I spent a while there. Six months this year. The first time it was really rainy and dark and cloudy and snowing. And that was difficult weather. But this last time it was beautiful, filming "Eclipse." So I'm really going to miss it a lot.

IML: Can you tell us more about "Eclipse?"

Taylor: "Eclipse" was my favorite book so I was really excited to start filming this one. I just love that it's the height of the love triangle. "Twilight" develops Edward and Bella's relationship. "New Moon" develops Jacob and Bella's relationship. And in "Eclipse," the three of them are physically together. It has one of my favorite scenes ever in that movie. The tent scene. Edward is forced to let me sleep in the same sleeping bag with Bella just so she doesn't die because she's shivering to death. And I'm warm. And I'm the only thing at that moment that can keep her alive. It's a funny scene. There's a lot of ribbing that goes on between Jacob and Edward and it's going to be a really good movie. And visually stunning. David Slade is incredible visually.

IML: In this movie when you have to show up naked in the rainy forest. How challenging was it to resist shivering?

Taylor: The challenging thing was Jacob was supposed to be extremely hot. He's not supposed to feel cold at all. And the worst scene for that was the rain scene, the breakup scene where Bella first sees Jacob after his transformation. We're standing on that little hill right behind Jacob's house. It's 35 degrees and pouring rain on top of us. And we filmed that same scene all day long. It was really, really rough. As soon as we'd call cut we'd run over to a heater and wrap ourselves in blankets. So the weather was definitely extremely challenging. I just had to take myself to another world so during the scene I wasn't sitting there shivering. It was hard.

IML: What did you think of your computer generated wolf the first time you saw him?

Taylor: I was blown away. I was really excited. Because when I'm filming I'm attached to wires and I'm running and I just let the wires pull me up in the air and jerk me to a stop and I just have to freeze there and let them convert my body into a computer generated wolf. And the whole time I'm like, "I wonder if I look cool." After I saw the final version last week, it was amazing. I thought they were extremely powerful.

IML: As your teenage years are coming to a close, how do you relish this time in your life?

Taylor: I'm having the time of my life. It couldn't be a better end to my teenage years. I'm doing what I love. And I'm spending time with the people I love. It's great. I'm definitely never ever going to forget this.

Check out our interviews with Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson!

Celeb Scoop: Robert Pattinson

2009-11-14T19:19:31Z

Robert Pattinson...insert dreamy sigh here. Just a few years ago, Rob (as his friends call him) was an unknown actor struggling to find movie roles. Then he was cast in the film "Twilight" as Edward, the gorgeous and romantic vampire in love with a regular teenage girl. Now he's so famous he can't even ride an elevator without a bodyguard! IML caught up with Rob recently and talked with him about his feelings about being a heartthrob to millions, the personality traits he shares with Edward, and the most romantic thing he's ever done.

IML: What's this last year been like for you? The "Twilight" thing exploded into this phenomenon. How are you dealing with it? Are you more comfortable with it now?

Robert: I guess it's inevitable that you become more comfortable. You still fight against some things. The film series itself, there's nothing really scary about it. I like the people I work with. I generally have very few disagreements about the script, especially on "New Moon." It just seemed so relaxed and easy. I've been on three different sets since January 14. I got like three days off. And I'm going to be on set all next year and I don't know what that really is like. I still feel like I'm pretty much exactly the same. Which I guess maybe isn't a good thing!

IML: Can you talk about the big scene where you break up with Bella?

Robert: What really helped was people's anticipation of the movie. Fans of the series have an idea of Bella and Edward's relationship and what it represents. Some kind of an ideal of a relationship. So when playing the scene where you're breaking up the ideal relationship, I felt a lot of the weight behind that. And it took away my fear of melodrama as well because it felt kind of seismic. It was very much like stepping out into the sunlight at the end. You could really feel the audience watching as you're doing it. So yeah, it was a strange one to do.

IML: What personality traits do you share with Edward?

Robert: Stubbornness in some ways. He's pretty self-righteous. I guess I can be quite obsessive about things, and possessive as well.

IML: Like what? Your privacy?

Robert: In some ways. I have very, very specific ideas about how I want to do my work. And how I want to be perceived. And to the point of ridiculousness sometimes. I don't listen to anyone else. That's why I don't have a publicist or anything. I can't stand it when someone's trying to tell me to do something. Which is maybe a mistake sometimes. I like being meticulous. And it's quite difficult as an actor to have that much control.

IML: Do you appreciate Edward more with each movie? What are your favorite parts about him?

Robert: When I read "New Moon" it was the book that I connected to the most and the one that humanizes Edward for me the most as well. In the first one, he does remain from beginning to end an idealistic character. But in the second one he makes a mistake that is acknowledged by everybody, including himself. Also he's totally undermined by more powerful creatures. And he's undermined emotionally by people as well. And I think that's what humanized it. Since I read that book, I've always kind of liked him as a character. And I've tried to play that same feeling throughout the first one and the third one as well. Trying to get some kind of elements as an all-powerful person, the kind of hero of the story who just refuses to accept he's the hero. I think that's somewhat admirable.

IML: What's going through your head when you're filming romantic scenes?

Robert: You always hear all this stuff pumping up the action of a film so the guys will see it. That's ridiculous. That's like saying guys can't appreciate anything romantic. I watched "Titanic" and I didn't think, "Oh this is a girl's film." Especially in the whole series, I've never played it thinking, "Oh, I'm in a series of girls' films" or doing something just for girls. I don't feel like I'm doing a kind of animated Tiger Beat! I felt like a lot of the story line in "New Moon" is very heartbreaking and true. I didn't think I was doing something just for the sake of romance.

IML: Are you a romantic person? What's the most romantic thing you've done in your life?

Robert: I put a flower in a girl's locker when I was 14 years old. She actually thought it was somebody else. And the other guy claimed it as well!

IML: What were your thoughts filming the scene in Italy where you reveal yourself in the sunlight?

Robert: I came to a realization about that scene today. It was one of the closest moments I've really felt to people's emotional attachment to the character. There were so many extras there that were "Twilight" fans that had come in to be in the town square. And taking the one step into the light. It's been the one moment since the first Comicon where I've felt the whole weight of anticipation and I guess the responsibility as well. It was very nerve-wracking. I felt the most in character I've probably felt in the whole series in that moment.

IML: Appearing only through part of this movie in various visions, did you wish you were in it more?

Robert: Those things are the hardest. When I saw the first cut of the movie, we changed them a bit in the edit. It's not Edward. It's kind of a manifestation of Bella's loneliness and desperation. It was difficult. I was trying to ask Kristen, how would you play it? Because it's her opinion. The actor being alone - I think I've always felt a little bit aloof as the character throughout the whole series. I think that's how he kind of is.

IML: No holds barred fight between Edward and Jacob, who wins? And the same with you and Taylor.

Robert: I'd heard that Taylor had agreed to an interview where the interviewer was going to fight him. I don't think I would ever agree to that. And looking at Taylor's martial arts videos when he was like 9, I mean I wouldn't really want to - maybe if I had some kind of weapon! Edward and Jacob. I don't know. I think it's actually fact that Edward would win, if I read the book correctly.

IML: You said you haven't noticed how things have changed because you've been so busy. But one thing that it's done has made you a bankable leading man. How has that change career-wise been for you and where do you want to be five years from now?

Robert: I've only done one movie outside the series, called "Remember Me." But even that I did with the same studio. I'm still a little bit blind of what my actual economic viability is outside the series. It's definitely different. You get offered stuff you never dreamed of getting offered before. But that's scary as well. You really have to question yourself a lot more. Before "Twilight," I did any movie that I got and tried to make the make the best of it afterwards. But now, you're expected to come into the movie and provide not only economic viability but a performance as well because people are like, "You can't just mess around. We're employing you to be a star and an actor." It's difficult and scary.

IML: Isn't that what you dream about when you start in the business?

Robert: You do. When you haven't got a big movie behind you and you're not bankable, then everyone says you're not bankable enough. Then you can't get the roles. And then when you do, you have to - especially with a movie like this, where there's a perceived specific audience, which I think people are quite confused about - people start thinking "You need to get in this audience. You need to do this and that. You need to look a certain way. And blah blah blah." And so there are some limitations to it as well. Whereas when no one's watching your movies and you get a part, you do whatever the heck you want. That's just the way it is.

IML: Love plays such a major role in these films and so many fans want what happens on the screen to happen in real life. How do you separate falling in love in real life with the actresses you're cast against?

Robert: You've always got to remember that you're being paid. There are a lot of connotations that come with that. I think that's one of the major separations.

IML: How do you keep your life from becoming one big blur?

Robert: There are little random moments that stand out. Generally, this year, I've been working so much that I'm kind of living in an almost alternate reality. You're like working doctor hours. And every doctor I've ever spoken to has said the same thing. You have no idea what's going on other than working. And it's especially hard being away from family and friends.

IML: Has there been something that has made you laugh at all?

Robert: Recently I've had less direct interaction with people because there's more security on sets. There was a woman who came up to me the other day who must have been in her 90's. It was very unusual. And she said exactly the same things as 12-year-old girls do. That was kind of bizarre!

IML: What's the weirdest or funniest thing you're read about yourself?

Robert: Recently some magazine had on the cover that I was pregnant. Without a hint of irony! I don't really know what to make of that.

We have Twilight fever over here; don't miss our interviews with Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner!

Celeb Scoop: Kristen Stewart (OMG!)

2009-11-13T23:07:56Z

You all know her: Kristen Stewart, the 19-year-old star of the phenomenally successful "Twilight" movie series. In the upcoming film "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," she plays a heartbroken Bella, torn between her love for vampire Edward and werewolf Jacob. For the last few weeks, Kristen's been simultaneously filming the third film of the series "Eclipse" and skipping around the world promoting "New Moon." She took time recently to talk to IML about her experiences as Bella and the other ups and downs of being a superstar.

IML: How have you changed in the last year since "Twilight" came out? It seems like it's a non-stop thing with something every week on "New Moon" and on you and Rob. What's it been like from your side?

Kristen: I think I've gotten a lot more comfortable with talking about myself and knowing that what you say, people are really going to take into consideration. And that always intimidated me so much that I couldn't finish a sentence because I was so concerned with how it would sound. I didn't want to come across as insincere about something I really loved to do. And so I realized instead of refraining from saying, 'I put my heart and soul into this thing and I love it.' That's what I should have said instead of the really logical, over-analytical reason why I love it. So I've gotten more comfortable with it.

And the whole rumor, tabloid stuff, it's so obviously false to me, even before I became a part of it. It's like a show. A ridiculous show. Like false realism. Like a soap opera that seems real but you're not quite sure? It doesn't bother me. I don't take it personally. Luckily, because I've had so much experience, it's gotten easier to talk about the work.

IML: So tell us about the work, on "New Moon."

Kristen: I had a really good time on this movie. It was really intense. Just because of the nature of the story. It goes in a completely different direction. We undermine the first. We establish a very ideological idea of love [in "Twilight"] and basically, [in "New Moon"] we tell our main protagonist she was wrong. And where is our story going to be left if Edward's not there? What I really love about the movie is you see this girl really build herself back up and by the time she makes this sort of rash decision to spend eternity with a vampire, she's in a position that you actually believe.

IML: How did you work with Chris Weitz, the movie's director?

Kristen: Chris has everything. I think to be the director you have to be a good person and you have to care about people. And I don't know a more compassionate human being. I couldn't have done this unless I had a believable environment and a comfortable safe environment to be so vulnerable in. And he provided that ten fold. He's one of the smartest, funniest guys I know. And he really loves the project as well. He only helped make everything better. He's incredible. I love him!

IML: We heard that he came in and gave the cast "guidebooks." What were they and how did that help you?

Kristen: Chris did a very different thing that I've never had a director do. He put together like a syllabus almost of what we were supposed to achieve and how he was going to make it easier for everyone. Sort of like an introduction of how he likes to work. It didn't only introduce the idea of collaboration. It was inviting everyone onto this project and saying "Please, everyone love it." And "Please everyone be invested. Work hard." It also had technical aspects of how he was so sorry that so much of the movie was going to be [computer generated] stuff that we have to react to. That he was always going to make us aware of what we were acting with and he was never going to leave us high and dry. A lot of effects movies are hard to do because you don't know what you're reacting to. So it was like a full run-down of how he planned on making the movie.

IML: Can you talk about working with Taylor Lautner? There was some controversy going into the movie about who was going to play Jacob.

Kristen: I think that controversy has probably been made bigger than it was. We needed to be sure that whoever played Jacob was going to be Jacob in "New Moon." He's such a different person. He becomes a man. It's not just a physical transformation. He becomes an adult. And I always knew that Taylor could do that. We just needed to be sure because it was so important. Once he actually proved himself, which wasn't hard to do, even seeing him walk around on set was like a different experience. He literally becomes a different person. He's grown up. He's so confident and like the nicest guy I've ever met. And I know I'm using this grammatically incorrectly, but he's also the funnest guy I've ever been with. I'm so proud of him!

IML: The filming of these movies has gone so fast. Can you talk about the intensity of that? Do you think you're going to remember any of it in five years?

Kristen: There's already a lot of stuff where I have to say, "Okay, just be here." Like, make sure this isn't just another like fleeting situation. You have to force yourself to be present. I feel like I have the opportunity to pick and choose moments that I want to remember and I have to focus on remembering cool moments. That only tells you that I literally have an influx of them. So I've had the coolest year.

IML: What has it been like to work in Vancouver? Is it like home? Do you have favorite hangouts?

Kristen: I love Vancouver. When we're doing the Twilight series there, I don't get to go out as much as I'd like to. I'm also sort of a boring person. I don't go out to bars and stuff a lot unless it's like an event. It's a beautiful place to be. I just like being outside there.

IML: Did you actually get to ride the motorcycle in the film? If so, were you into it?

Kristen: I'm definitely never going to be a biker. The idea of riding. I mean, I'm scared of cars! The idea of riding motorcycles is just never going to be something that I'm into. I was towed ridiculously. I was like on the back of this truck. I probably looked funny doing it. Taylor rode motorcycles really well. This one part that is sort of undeniably him, he sort of rides up and skids. I wasn't about to do that. I don't think they would let me necessarily. They have more faith in Taylor to do that kind of stuff.

IML: Would you ride on the back hanging on to a guy though?

Kristen: Yeah, I did that, I did that. And I didn't like it! It's like so precarious. I don't know if you've been on one. It literally feels like you're going to fly off of it. I'm not into that.

IML: How did the filming in Italy add to the romance of your character?

Kristen: The fact that we didn't have to be on a set and we were really in Italy made it so much easier. It was so cool that we got to go to Italy and we didn't have to fake it. I think it really did add, like - I'm totally stealing Chris' words - "a scope" to the film that wouldn't otherwise be there. To go from Forks to Italy is such a stark contrast and romantic just in the idea and so then to actually be there of course it only helps to have it.

IML: Can you talk about the breakup scene with Edward and how emotional it was to do that?

Kristen: That was the scariest thing. I was almost as worried about messing it up than I was about what I actually showed her thinking about, which was the issue that Bella's dealing with. Reading that moment in the book, there's nothing like it in reality. It's not even like a normal break up scene because I know what it's like to get broken up with. But I don't know what it's like to get broken up with by a vampire I've now been physically and chemically altered by. It's like suddenly you take an addict and take whatever they're addicted to away from them. There's this withdrawal. That was the most intimidating scene in the entire movie. I was so alone. I had no other actors to play off. The breakup scene that I did with Rob, that's not what I was intimidated by. That was still like she doesn't even believe it yet. It's when he goes. It was the absence of him that I was scared of. How am I - by myself in the woods with a 100 guys standing around filming me - going to die, or literally have the equivalent of like a death scene but stay alive and get up and keep walking. It was hard. It was really intimidating. I still don't know - I mean, I've seen the movie. I really like the movie. But I don't know if anybody really would be able to bring that to life the way Stephenie Meyer writes it.

IML: Other than that, were there any other challenging scenes or moments for you?

Kristen: Yeah. Bella's so sure all the time, but this is the one movie where she actually is baffled and totally like "I don't know." It's weird to play Bella like that because she's so not like that. It was really hard to go back and forth because you don't shoot a movie in sequence, obviously. I had to do some with Jacob where I was alive and happy and out of this depression thing. And after lunch go back and scream in my bed for six hours. That was difficult!

IML: Being a celebrity today is so much crazier than it was even five or ten years ago. You guys have such an avid fan base. How do you draw the line between what the fans want to know and your private life?

Kristen: I don't know. As soon as I stopped trying to control everything that came out of my mouth and every picture that came out, that's when I became so much happier, so much easier to deal with. It wasn't like a turning point. I've just grown into not being able to care as much and not try to think that I'm going to be able to plan out the way everybody perceives me. There are no false impressions. Everybody's impression of you is always going to be what it is in that isolated moment. It's people not considering where you are in that moment when you give that impression [that is frustrating]. I'm going to own what I'm going to own. I'm always going to keep what's important to me, mine.

IML: What's been the craziest moment with fans so far?

Kristen: I've had a lot of really varying experiences. Some absolutely touching and like overwhelming and daunting. And some just like crazy. And then sometimes they're really funny. Once, I was in Brazil. Taylor and I went this time and Rob was in Japan and that's just how it goes. We get sent all over. It means nothing who we're with. And this guy was chasing after us. There was this huge crowd anyway. But this one very persistent fellow was like, "Where is Hobart? Where is Hobart?" And I couldn't stop laughing. And I felt bad because he was like distraught and emotional. And I was like, "It's 'Robert'!" It was really funny. But sometimes you get letters and they're sort of reassuring you know, when everybody's saying one thing about you. It's funny when you can actually relate to the fans on a human level. It happens all the time. People assume that that's like impossible.

IML: How do you take the fact that people take you and Robert to be together in real life?

Kristen: I totally understand why people have a hard time separating us from our characters. Also it's just where the world is going. People are obsessed. There's an incredibly large group of people who spend most of their time considering other people's lives. It's strange to me. I can't have anything to do with it or else I step in and mess it up for myself. And I can't even do it in a way that is complete. So I just let it fall by the wayside. It doesn't really affect me.

IML: How attached have you become to Bella in filming all these movies?

Kristen: I'm very protective of her. I feel a shared ownership. It's weird. If you were to talk about the character in a way that was at all not thought out or flippant, I would be right there to say you don't know what you're talking about. I'm very defensive of her!

IML: Do you see her as a good example for young women?

Kristen: I think that Bella's such a good character for girls to look up to. Not to look up to. You're not looking up. The fact that she's normal. And - I think the most typically relatable thing is that she's awesome and she doesn't know it. And she's very confident but also not arrogant. It's a weird thing to be. I think that it's awesome that so many girls can look up to her because she's fickle and unabashedly so. It's like I'm allowed to make mistakes. And I'm going to do it. And I'm going to do it right now! Yes, I think she is a good example for a young girl.

IML: But she seems to be willing to sacrifice everything for Edward and when she goes into a post-breakup depression, she becomes this adrenaline junkie who's trying to kill herself. Are you worried about younger teens who are watching?

Kristen: It's a very extreme story. I think the people who take to this story need to be a little bit more mature than that. And I think the only reason they take to it is because they are. The only way I can justify that - and maybe I'm an immature girl as well - I really feel like if you feel like you need to do it, you need to do it. 'It' being anything. And then after you're told that you've made a mistake and you're wrong, if you're willing to say 'I was wrong' and 'I'm going to try the next thing,' there's nothing to be ashamed of there at all. Be extreme. Go for it. I think that's the point. I know this is a movie about immortality and mortality but you live once. I'm not preaching to anybody, I'm just trying to justify the story.

IML: Can you tell us any moments that really stand out about making the next movie, "Eclipse"?

Kristen: Just like "New Moon" sort of starts and becomes a completely different movie, so does "Eclipse." Just as soon as you think you're going to get the same story it all of a sudden completely changes. Bella is back to herself. She's content now. She's again comfortable and self-assured in a way that she wasn't in "New Moon." What was interesting for me to explore in "Eclipse" was different levels of love. And acknowledging that the ideals you maybe had a little while ago aren't true. Bella's innately honest. And in "Eclipse" she lies to herself and she lies to everyone around her about the fact that she's in love with Jacob, just not as much as she is with Edward. Just not that extra thing that you can't really describe. I loved playing with the three characters together. There's literally a scene where Jacob and Edward who are mortal enemies are in a tent with a sleeping Bella between them. It's a ridiculous circumstance. We had so much to work with. There's a big battle that happens. It was cool. I've always gotten to do things for really short periods of time. To follow a character this long - it surprises me every time. And also we have such an established dynamic. The way I know Bella feels with Edward. You sort of can't mess with that.

IML: What do you find the most rewarding part of being part of something so phenomenally popular? What is challenging about it?

Kristen: I think my favorite thing about this is that I can keep it personal. If the saga didn't become a franchise and it was literally just a series of movies that I had done, they would mean just as much to me. The fact that this is so important to so many people makes me so happy.

Stay tuned for our interview with Robert Pattinson, and then our chat with Taylor Lautner! OMG two times over!

"My Type 2" on PBS

2009-11-12T20:29:11Z

You've probably heard of diabetes, but do you really know what it is? Maybe you or someone close to you is living with it so you're like, "Duh!" Or maybe you know it has something to do with insulin and giving yourself shots but because it doesn't affect you, that's as far as your awareness goes.

This Saturday, November 14 is World Diabetes Day, which is a great opportunity to educate yourself or those around you about the disease. You maybe be thinking, "Do we need a whole DAY devoted to diabetes?" Well...yes. Yes we do. Diabetes is difficult. It imposes lifelong demands on the 285 million people worldwide now living with diabetes, as well as their families. People with diabetes have to provide 95% of their own care so they really need to know what's going on. In addition, the International Diabetes Foundation estimates that over 344 million people worldwide are at risk for type 2 diabetes, which can be prevented in many cases with the help of lifestyle changes such as exercise and maintaining a healthy weight. The people behind World Diabetes Day want everyone to:

Know the diabetes risks and warning signs
Know how to respond to diabetes and who to turn to
Know how to manage diabetes and take control

That's why we urge you to check out a new PBS special called "My Type2" which airs this Saturday and tells the stories of several teens aged 13 to 19 who are among the 160 million (and growing) people on the planet living with type 2 diabetes. Watch their video diaries, learn about the disease, and take part in an online community for teens who may wonder, "How do I live with it? How can I handle it? Will it change my life?"

At IML we'll also be addressing this issue with our upcoming "Living with Special Needs" topic. Stay tuned!

In Honor of Veterans' Day

2009-11-09T19:07:34Z

Hey, here's something we didn't know: Veterans' Day, which is observed every year in the U.S. on November 11, was originally called Armistice Day in honor of the armistice that ended World War I in 1918. In 1954, it was renamed and given the added significance of honoring veterans of the armed services. We like how this holiday, coming up on Wednesday, is not so much about war or peace but rather, simply about people...People who have risked everything and made incredible sacrifices to answer the call of duty. Even if you don't fully understand or agree with why U.S. military troops are present somewhere, you can still support the troops themselves. And, of course, their families.

We asked IML'ers to share their thoughts and experiences about having family in the Armed Forces; your stories get us a little choked up!

This Wednesday, November 11, you can also catch a really cool film on PBS' POV series called "The Way We Get By," which tells the story of three senior citizens in Bangor, Maine who volunteer to greet troops as they come home from overseas. It's the kind of show you can watch together with your family, and might lead to some juicy conversations about a range of subjects.

We also encourage you to get involved as a troop greeter yourself! Not everyone's able to head to an airport and greet troops in person (but if you can, how awesome would that be?; check out websites like www.WelcomeTroops.com). You (and friends, or family, or your youth group) can become a "virtual" troop greeter by participating in "The Way We Get By"'s Troop Greeting Poster Activity where you can create your own sign, color one, or order a pre-made banner.

And to those of you who have someone close to you who's a veteran or current member of the Armed Forces, especially those on active duty right now: at IML our hearts are with you, and we thank you!

Book Review: "Ottoline Goes to School"

2009-11-04T17:00:00Z

When we're little, books are mostly about the pictures. Then when we're a little bigger, the words get more important, but we still like those pictures a lot. Then at some point we might feel like we're not supposed to care about the pictures anymore because we're, like, too old for that stuff. But fortunately, stories can be told in so many ways these days, and many of them involve words and images working together, complementing each other, in graphic novels, comics, and other books that are still very much about the pictures.

Ottoline Goes to School, written and illustrated by Chris Riddell (HarperCollins) is like that. Funny, offbeat, and wonderfully weird, it's the story of Ottoline, who's cared for by servants and her strange but loyal friend Mr. Munroe while her parents travel the world as "Collectors." (This is the second book in the Ottoline series; the first is titled Ottoline and the Yellow Cat.) Ottoline meets a charismatic new friend named Cecily, who entices her to enroll in the Alice B. Smith School for the Differently Gifted. The adventures that follow involve a campus mystery, Ottoline's search for her "gift," and some lessons about friendship. But it's the illustrations that really make this book special; they'll make you giggle and take a closer look, really bringing you into Ottoline's world. It's a strange one for sure, but much of it will seem oddly familiar too...

IML's Rating: B+

The Animal C.A.R.E. Club

2009-11-03T00:30:54Z

One of the things we love about having the IML blog is that we can write about something simply because we think it's cool. Like, a bunch of high school students starting a club devoted to helping animals. (We're big animal lovers ourselves; the IML office is home to not one, not two, but THREE very spoiled cats.)

The Animal C.A.R.E. Club at Sweetwater Union High School in National City, California was recently selected as the 2009 Humane Society Youth Club award winner by the The Humane Society of the United States. The award honors a K-12 youth club that has made a significant contribution to animal protection.

The club has a growing membership of about 100 students and works to educate their classmates and community about animal cruelty. For instance, recently they aired a PSA on dogfighting from The Humane Society of the United States for the entire school. The message was a powerful one for young people who live in a community where fighting and chaining dogs is considered acceptable by many residents. Here are some other amazing things they've done:

Hosting SNAP (Spay Neuter Action Project) on campus. Approximately 200 dogs were spayed and neutered for free or at low cost.
Organizing and promoting a free veterinary clinic where dogs and cats are seen by a vet, vaccinated and licensed for free.
Protesting a mall pet shop on Saturdays to educate the public about puppy mills.
Letter-writing campaigns, including recent letters to Gov. Schwarzenegger to sign bills to ban cow tail docking and to support puppy mill legislation.
Fundraising for favorite causes such as the Baja Animal Sanctuary in Rosarito, Mexico.
Advocating for the harbor seal colony living in La Jolla, CA.

Says the Animal C.A.R.E. Club founder and advisor Kristina Campbell: "One of the great things about the club is that all it takes is a desire and commitment to making a difference for animals. Students don't have to be academically brilliant or an athlete. In essence, anyone can participate."

Props to you, members of the Sweetwater Union High Animal C.A.R.E. Club! Just think about all the animals and people this small group of teens has impacted (and the great friendships that were probably forged in the process). And to all of our IML'ers: is there anything like this at your school? If not, could somebody start one? Even if you can't start a whole club, there's lots that one or a few individuals can do to make a difference for animals; read all about it in our Pets section.

You can learn more about the Animal C.A.R.E. Club and other youth groups at www.HumaneTeen.org.

DVD Review: "Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure"

2009-10-29T22:00:14Z

What? Are you surprised we're reviewing "Tinker Bell"? Is it too babyish?

We thought it might be, at first, but then we thought again. IML'ers talk a lot about this on the You Said It pages and have even sent in questions to our Advice section. When you're a tween, you're kind of stuck in the middle of different kinds of entertainment. Much that's aimed at "kids" is still fun for you to watch, and even if you don't plan on watching, you may have to if you've got younger siblings. You might also feel pressure to focus on TV, movies, and music that's aimed at older tweens and teens even though you still like the "little kid" stuff (but are embarrassed to admit it). It's interesting to think about why certain things, especially characters, are seen as too immature. Can you still enjoy something even though the company that produced it has decided to market it most heavily to viewers who are younger than you?

That's why we say, go ahead and enjoy the new "Tinker Bell" movies! Last year, the first film served up a fun and fanciful version of Tink's origin story, introduced us to the fantasy world of Pixie Hollow (clearly the coolest neighborhood in Neverland), and offered a colorful cast of all new fairies. And actress Mae Whitman did a wonderful job with a tough assignment: voicing a character that people have loved for more than 50 years. Maybe you outgrew the princesses long ago (or were never into them in the first place), but these fairies are strong female characters who care about much more than when their prince will come.

Now Tink and her fairy friends are back in a new installment on DVD and Blu-ray, "Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure." In the story, our favorite tinker gets an assignment befitting her talents: she's asked to construct the Autumn Scepter to hold the priceless Moonstone, a magical gem that is essential to producing the rare blue fairy dust, which nourishes the all-important Pixie Dust Tree. Got that? No? Well, don't worry, because this is all just an excuse for Tinker Bell to go off on a perilous and exciting adventure, meet some new friends (including a cute firefly named Blaze), and, hopefully, save the day just in the nick of time.

But even the adventure is secondary to the real heart of the movie: Tinker Bell's friendship with Terence, a handsome pixie dust fairy who's clearly crushing on her. This movie is, at its core, the story of two friends who love being together, often get on each other's nerves, occasionally fight, and sometimes need to break up for a while...Just like friends in the real world do. Friendship isn't an easy path to travel, as Tink learns. There are ups and downs, and stops and starts, but in the end true friends always get back together, because they remember the things that brought them together in the first place. Sound familiar?

The DVDs and Blu-ray discs feature some funny extras, including "bloopers" and a music video of Demi Lovato performing the movie's theme song, "Gift of a Friend." Check it out!

We hope you'll tune out the voices that tell you you're "too old for this stuff"...and even if you are, really truly, too old for this stuff, this is a great movie to watch with younger sibs or if you're babysitting.

IML's Rating: A

Get Your Halloween On!

2009-10-23T20:30:09Z

Boo! Are you ready for Halloween? Judging by the amazing costume ideas you've posted on our "My 2009 Halloween Costume" You Said It page, it's going to be a funny, spooky, crazy one. Look out for legions of tweens dressed as "Twilight," "Harry Potter," "The Wizard of Oz," and other film and TV characters. We see lots of vampires of all kinds ready for action, and many of you are paying homage to the late great Michael Jackson (along with a WIDE variety of celebs both living and dead). If you're still stuck for a costume idea, here are a few of our faves:

Combo costumes. Like "half devil, half angel." Or "zombie cheerleaders" and "dead prom queens." It's fun and easy to take something familiar and kind of boring, then give it a Halloween twist. Make something unique with an existing costume (a great use for hand-me-downs or borrowed ones) accented with lots of scary, gory stuff like fake blood, fangs, pale makeup, etc. For instance, you could buy a simple fairy costume and be an "Evil Fairy" with just a few extra touches!

Time machine costumes. Every era has a look, it seems. 20's Flappers, 60's Hippies, 70's Disco Queens, and 80's New Wave/Punkers. These are fun costumes to put together because you can raid a relative's closet or thrift store for all the makings.

Pun costumes. Play with words and have fun watching people guess what you are! We love the "Cereal Killer" idea one IML'er posted (a cereal box with knives sticking out of it). What can you do with things like "Pig Latin," "Anchorwoman," "Black-Eyed Pea," and "Butterfingers"?

Black to basics costumes. Dress all in black and you'll be surprised by how you can turn yourself into a background for something simple yet hilarious. One IML'er posted about how she's using an all-black outfit and glow sticks to become a Human Stick Figure. Cover yourself in dryer lint and you're Static Cling. Wrap a fake cobweb around yourself, along with some plastic bugs, and you're a Spider Web. Tape socks all over your body and carry a laundry basket, and you're The Missing Sock Vortex. You get the gist!

To get more ideas or to share your own idea, visit My 2009 Halloween Costume.

For many people, coming up with a costume is too much pressure. Can you still have fun on Halloween if you don't dress up or feel like your costume is kinda lame? Well, that all depends on what this "holiday" means to you. It's something you can decide for yourself. If you see it as a chance to get dressed up, "be" someone (or something) else, and exercise your creative muscles, then that's great. If it's just about having fun with your friends and scoring loads of candy, that's great too. Maybe it's more appealing to you to stay home and hand out candy to younger kids. And in the end...it IS just a holiday that will be over before you know it.

Halloween can also be about helping children in other countries who don't have stuff like clean water, nutrition, health care, and education. Chances are, in the past you've done some collecting at Halloween for UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. Now, UNICEF (and spokesperson Selena Gomez) has more options for young people to give as well as get, like creating your own "Trick-Or-Treat Online" page to collect donations from friends and family over the Internet, or ideas for hosting a Halloween party fundraiser. For more information, check out Trick-Or-Treat for UNICEF.

Music Review: "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" Soundtrack

2009-10-19T21:11:25Z

Yes, we are counting the days until November 20 just like many of you. November 20, when we can finally see Bella and Edward and Jacob (and Jacob's wolf incarnation) again on the big screen in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon"! Luckily, we can get a little taste for now with the movie's soundtrack, which has just been released by Chop Shop Records/Atlantic.

The CD has some moving, broody, romantic songs, especially "Meet Me On The Equinox" by Death Cab For Cutie and "Satellite Heart" by Anya Marina. (Actually, "Satellite Heart" is the only song that to us has a truly Bella feel to it, and not just because it's sung by a woman.) Our favorite is Ok Go's "Shooting The Moon," which is more upbeat on the surface but has a sweet, sad undertone to it. What's interesting about this collection of songs is knowing that Stephenie Meyer listens to music while she writes and creates her own "playlists" for the novels, and she lists these on her website. The only band that makes it onto both the soundtrack and Stephenie's "New Moon" playlist is Muse, who she's already talked about as artists who inspire her (and whose awesome "Supermassive Black Hole" provides the backdrop for the "Twilight" movie's baseball scene).

So why, you may ask, are these not the same lists? Well, keep in mind that when a movie soundtrack is put together, a lot of people get their 2 cents. The director, for sure. The producers, probably. Stephenie Meyer, hopefully. And then there's a music coordinator who finds the songs and get the rights to use them. Usually, this person has relationships with other music industry professionals who know that getting on the soundtrack of what's going to be a gigantically huge movie is a major score. So it's pretty political, with lots of trading favors and promises.

The experience of reading a book, or seeing a movie, is specific to each and every person. It's going to be a little different for you than for your best friend, even if you both loved it. For us, none of the songs on this soundtrack really captured how we saw the big moments in "New Moon." But you may feel otherwise. At the very least, you might enjoy this soundtrack for the songs on their own and because it will remind you of the movie once you see it. It might be even more fun to create your own soundtrack with choices that reflect your personal take on the "Twilight" stories.

And if you like to write, too...do you write to music? What artists and songs inspire you the most?

IML's Rating: B+

Book Review: "The Unfinished Angel"

2009-10-15T21:58:07Z

Do you believe in "angels"? Maybe your idea of angels is tied to your established faith or spirituality. Maybe you just imagine cherubs with wings or women in long gowns, like you've seen in paintings. Or perhaps to you, an angel is just some unseen force that watches over us and comes to help when it's needed most. The idea of angels has been around since the beginning of civilization, and represents that part of us that's just good, plain and simple.

In "The Unfinished Angel" (HarperCollins Children's Books), author Sharon Creech lets a real "live" angel do the talking. And what talking he/she does! The first thing you'll notice (and love) about the book is the funny, not-quite-grammatical voice of this unnamed being, who's lived for centuries in an ancient stone tower in a tiny Alpine village. Our angel feels untrained and without a mission, doing what he/she can to help the locals but generally fed up with people, until a young American girl named Zola moves to town with her father. Zola is unique in many ways, including her ability to see and hear the angel...and in the end, inspire the angel to make some extraordinary things happen.

"The Unfinished Angel" will make you giggle and wonder if maybe there's an angel in your neighborhood, "flishing" into the heads of people as they sleep and making things generally okay. We love that this angel has insecurities and pet peeves just like everyone else. Zola's character is so interesting and entertaining, we wish we understood a little more about her and where she's coming from. It actually feels like this book could be longer and the story more involved, especially with such wonderful personalities populating it. But if you're feeling unlucky or just kind of annoyed by life, this is one quick read that will lift your spirits and help you discover the magic in seemingly small acts of kindness.

IML's Rating: B+

Share Your Adoption Story With IML

2009-10-12T19:16:29Z

When we asked for ideas on which new topics to cover on IML, we got some great suggestions. Many of you told us that you'd love to see us talk about Adoption...so that's what we're going to do! Right now we're researching lots of information for tweens on this subject. Stay tuned for its unveiling soon!

In the meantime, we're hoping to find a couple of real kids willing to share their stories with IML. Are you adopted? Or do you have an adopted sibling? We would love to talk to you about your experiences and feature them on our website. You can see some other IML'ers' stories here:

Stepfamilies: Stefanie's Story

When Your Family Moves: Katie's Story

Dealing With Death: Marissa's Story

If you'd like to be one of our next "true tales," drop us a line at itsmylife@pbs.org and tell us a little about your experiences with adoption. Please don't forget to get a parent's or guardian's permission first!

National Wildlife Federation's "Be Out There" Campaign

2009-10-08T21:19:27Z

Here's a kinda-sad, kinda-scary factoid: today's kids spend twice as much time indoors as their parents did. Considering your mom and dad didn't have computers, video games, or a thousand TV channels at their disposal, that sounds about right. These things are cool and often valuable additions to our lives, so does it matter if we're not outdoors as much as we could be? According to the National Wildlife Federation, that means we're losing a connection to the natural world that can benefit our minds and bodies as well as school performance and family togetherness.

The NWF wants you to get out of the darn house, so they've teamed with the upcoming feature film "Where the Wild Things Are" to launch Be Out There^™, a national campaign to get families and kids to spend daily time outdoors for their health, happiness and well-being. Directed by Spike Jonze and based on Maurice Sendak's classic book, "Where the Wild Things Are" is the story of a young boy who feels misunderstood at home and escapes to the island of the Wild Things. Be Out There^™ aims to show kids how they can connect with nature in their neighborhoods, schools, and communities, and view the outdoors as a play space where it's ok to just be - free to imagine, discover, and daydream.

You can visit www.BeOutThere.org to get ideas for outdoor fun, download a National Wildlife Federation "Where The Wild Things Are" poster, and find out how to be part of National Wild Rumpus Day.

Do you think you spend enough time playing outside? What's your favorite outdoor game or activity (that's not a sport)? Tell us, and maybe it'll inspire other IML'ers to create a wild rumpus!

DVD Review: "Wizards On Deck With Hannah Montana"

2009-10-05T22:15:39Z

Disney Channel = The Tween Channel

Do you agree?

Sometime in the last decade, the folks at Disney Channel figured out the power of pre-teens. They realized that if they pt a few great shows on the air with really appealing young celebs, most people aged 7 to 12 will watch. And watch, and watch. And then buy, buy, buy! Over the years, they've done a great job of creating programs and characters that really resonate with their target audience, providing positive role models and messages about life. Such a great job, in fact, that doesn't it sometimes feel like Disney Channel is its own universe?

That universe comes together in three "crossover" episodes of "Wizards of Waverly Place," "The Suite Life On Deck," and "Hannah Montana" that are now available on one DVD titled "Wizards On Deck With Hannah Montana." In case you missed it, these episodes show us what kind of chaos takes place when the Russo kids take a teen cruise on the S.S. Tipton...which Miley Stewart also happens to board on her way to a concert in Hawaii. It's really fun to see characters from the different shows interacting with one another. Actually, when you look at them as one group, you can kind of recognize the "roles" that kids often play in real life. You've got The Flirt, The Class Clown, The Princess, The Annoying Little Brother, The Cool Big Brother, The Loyal BFF. Then you've got characters like Alex, Bailey, and Miley, who are the ones we're supposed to identify with most. When you see them all in the same "universe," who do you connect to?

The DVD has only a few bonus features, the best of which is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of these episodes and how the Disney Channel stars relate to one another as friends (now that's a group date we'd like to see!).

If you're really into the Disney Channel shows, this DVD might be a good one for your collection. We're not sure how often viewers will really watch it, especially since it doesn't offer much beyond what you saw on the TV broadcast. To see more of your favorite characters hanging out and getting into trouble together, you might want to check out some of the fan fiction websites online ("Fan Fiction" is when you write a story using the characters and world of an existing TV show; super fun!).

IML's Rating: B

Add Your Drop To The Bucket

2009-10-02T20:03:45Z

Wow. When it rains, it pours. Or in the case of people living in the Philippines...it devastates. Typhoon Ketsana has affected hundreds of thousands of Filipino families, leaving countless children without shelter, food, clean water, and in many cases, their parents.

Then a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia, and the death toll keeps going up. And a major tsunami in Samoa too? Flattening villages and killing probably hundreds? That's just way too much bad stuff happening at the same time.

When headlines like this pop into our lives, it's easy to say, "Oh, that's awful," and then go back to IM'ing our friend about how our crush smiled at us today. After all, these countries are half a world away, and the numbers of dead, injured, and homeless...well, they can just seem like numbers. With tragedies so huge, it's also normal to feel that there's no way you, as one single person, can help.

But what if you could help? What if it were easy? What if it weren't easy but still totally worth it? Here are some ways to reach out across cultures and all those gajillions of miles and actually do something:

Stay current on news about the recent natural disasters on websites like www.unicef.org. Share your knowledge with friends and family. The very least we can all do is be aware of what's happening.

Donate your own money. Look at what you have saved up. Can you spare $10? Then encourage family members to follow your example and collect "pledges" to create a lump donation to relief efforts (even if it's a small one, more like a glob). Websites like www.unicef.org, www.redcross.org, and www.greatergood.org all collect donations for disaster relief efforts.

Do something fun with friends that will raise a little money. A lemonade stand, a garage sale, things like that. Make a Saturday out of it and you'll be surprised at what a good time you'll have. Read more of IML's tips for fundraising.

Find out if your church, temple, or community center is organizing relief efforts and ask how you can help. Someone might be collecting money, clothes, supplies, etc. to send overseas.