With the release of Breaking Dawn Part 2, I had the chance to interview two Volturi guards; the powerful tracker Demetri and super strong Felix, played by Charlie Bewley and Daniel Cudmore respectively.
While their characters, who have been present in the Twilight saga since New Moon, are intimidating, scary and at most times cruel, Charlie and Daniel are of course the complete opposite. Actually, they were quite hilarious and the smiles and constant laughter present during our interview were so unexpected from the usually grim and sly faces that are seen in the films.
“Oh it was terrible!” were the first words to come out of Daniel’s mouth after I asked the two 31-year-olds to describe their experience with the Twilight franchise. Of course, following that response was laughter.
My favourite moment of the interview?
When I began a question stating, “so Twlight has made vampires into desirable love interests instead of the scary creatures they’re supposed to be…” Only to be cut off by Daniel yelling a big “THANK YOU!”
That made my day. ahaha.
Full, unedited Q&A after the picture!
Describe your experience working with one of the largest film franchises of the decade.
Daniel Cudmore: It was a blast, it was fun, I think for me it was one of those things I think is gunna be a clear picture of that adventure, a little year away from it. Right now I think I’m still in the midst of everything that’s going on with this last film, there’s definitely little points where I was like “oh that was awesome”, “that was fun” “that was really cool” and “that was a neat experience.” I think that there’s definitely not any massive, negative things that come to me on my mind.
You said that there was those moments that really stood out to you, is there one in particular to you can describe off the top of your head?
DC: I think what we both talk about most of the time is when we were auditioning—boom—we got the role. We both pretty much got it within the same couple of days. We didn’t know each other, but within I don’t know long—it was like there, you’re filming. We thought it was kind of like, okay that was it for filming, and then it was this phone call saying, alright pack your bags you’re going to Italy. Then you’re going “holy shit” It’s insane, you really feel part of something large when all of a sudden you’re whisked off to this beautiful town in Italy to film something, and I think that’s where we got a grand understanding of the scope of how strong the fandom was. When you’re in this tiny little town on the other side of the world and there’s people from everywhere and ages 15, 16 years old who were by themselves from say Brazil or somewhere like that, and I don’t know how they got out there and how they convinced their parents to let them get out there. I think that was kind of like a big whoa moment like this is something.
So what was your reaction when you first landed your roles, knowing that it was such a big franchise?
DC: I didn’t think anything of it, I was just excited to get another job.
Charlie Bewley: I think it’s just because of the magazine covers that started filling up with these same four, five faces and I was involved in the community in Vancouver and my coach kept talking about this movie and then all the girls on facebook, suddenly you realize it’s a big deal and then you get in your inbox an audition for Twlight and suddenly it’s a big deal. So you start watching the movies and things have really changed.
DC: I think mine was different though, my audition process was different. I had lost out on a role and I was pretty down about it, I really felt like that role that I lost out on was this sort of avenue for me to really move forward in a way that I really wanted to. And then my audition was like a one day play. It was not for the character, it was for a guy who just came in on New Moon who would literally film for one night and that would be it, and so I didnt put more importance on it than anything else. So I went and did it and I didn’t think anything of it, so I just had fun with it and thought” ah nothing’s gunna happen and then got a call saying hey come in and do the call back but it was actually for Felix not the other character and I still went in thinking it was for the other character, so I had five minutes with the material, so I just put it on tape and then filmed it then next day, because I felt like I did a terrible job. I don’t know what tape got there, so I don’t think I had any idea. It just happened so fast and I was like now your working, but I don’t understand the scope of it.
How did you prepare to get into character?
CB: I think that the misconception is that you have to practice being a vampire, but there’s not much vulnerability in vampires. All fears is a fear of death and really when you’re a vampire you don’t fear death, so it’s like there’s no fear. Imagine walking around without any fear, you would just not give a monkeys about anything. So there is the degree of that, obviously we’re part of an establishment and it’s very proper. We got jobs, but there was no real sort of preparation in the real sense, the real work came when you got onto set and you get the head or you get fitted and suddenly you put these contact lenses in and bang—you’re a vampire, there was nothing to take from the books to necessarily warrant any big choices or anything. Or there was not enough meat on the bone in the book for me to think that I’m constricted in any way. Let’s just play an awesome version of myself, how would I be, if I was fearless.
DC: what points can I take from this character that I kinda relate to that’s really what it was. When you’re around other actors, and you’re on the set, you suddenly pick up these sycroncies that definitely stuck.
Twilight has turned vampires from the scary creatures that they used to be into these desirable love interests.
DC: Thank you!
But you guys as the Volturi, keep that scary front.
C: Yeah in this movie you definitely feel that sense when the Volturi are introduced, Tania comes to us and reveals the nature of the immortal child and suddenly Aro has heard all that he needs to hear and he’s looking for any excuse to go after specifically Alice really and then he gets it. But there’s something about the contact lenses, I think they’re oversized for Jamie, Chris and Michael, so it actually makes them look really really strange. Jamie’s really weird looking anyways.
And I felt it, in the cinema you feel like stuff is going to go bad and damn right is should. It’s such a shame at the end of it all that the people who caused all the trouble are the people who went at it.
Did you guys have a particular film that was your favourite?
DC: New Moon because we had a trip to Italy. And it was the beginning of this whole sort of party.
What can fans expect from the final film?
CB: First of all you’ve got all the issues that were brought to attention in part one; with the pregnancy for example and the issue with the love triangle finally becomes resolved.
DC: Like is she or is she not going to be a vampire?
CB: Then you have Bella, it starts of with Bella becoming awesome. Just awesome! And the growth of Renesmee.
DC: And the ever present threat of the Volturi throughout the whole thing. All these new Vampires from these new worlds, there’s just so many different characters and stories that are opened up. Just a great way to end of the series.