Twilight High: An Interview with 'New Moon' actors Justin Chon and Michael Welch

To help celebrate the release of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" on DVD and Blu-ray, actors Justin Chon (Eric), Christian Serratos (Angela) and Michael Welch (Mike) were in Salt Lake City and I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to talk to them about their experiences. I should say, as I told them, I am not a fan of the series, but unlike other critics this isn't something I'm proud of. I sincerely wish that I were a part of the phenomenon rather than sitting on the outside.

Welch is the first to wander down into the hotel lobby where I am waiting with a pair of publicists along with the woman who has just finished Serratos' hair and makeup in preparation for the night's events.

I figure that waiting for the others to appear could prove problematic, so I pull Welch aside. To begin the interview I ask him if he had any idea of what he was signing up for when he was asked to join the "Twilight" cast.

"I certainly didn't expect this. I think we all knew that it had the potential to be a successful franchise. But no, I've never been apart of anything like this," he says.

Welch, who appeared in "Star Trek: Insurrection" and a fan-favorite episode of "Stargate SG-1," explains that this isn't the first time he's seen dedicated fans.

"I've always been in awe of sci-fi fans because their passion is remarkable. And the thing that is great about sci-fi fans is that if they enjoy what you do in the sci-fi world they'll follow you outside of that world as well. It has been a great pleasure to get to know the "Stargate" fans over the years, but this brings it to a new level. People were screaming for us before the first film even came out and I made the joke at one point saying, 'We may suck and ruin your story so I wouldn't be screaming at us quite yet,'" he says with a laugh.

I ask if he was worried about how the public, both fans and critics, would react to the film.

"The priority for me was to first and foremost please the fanbase. How do you do that? You capture what Stephenie created to the best of your ability. So having Stephenie on set was an enormous help. Her approval meant more to me than anything. If she likes what you are doing with the character she created, you are on the right track. I respect film critics in what they do, but with what that said, and particularly in this case, I think that this franchise is accomplishing what it set out to do, which is to please the fans, " Welch says.

When I interviewed Anna Kendrick (who plays Jessica in the films) prior to the release of "New Moon," she admitted that whenever she met anyone who wasn't familiar with the books or the films, they would always want to know if she was a vampire or a werewolf and that they were always disappointed that she was just a ordinary high school student. I ask Welch if he has had similar experiences. He has but that hasn't diminished his love for his role.

"I think the high school kids are a necessary part of the story. We are there so that girls can look at Bella in a normal high school situation and empathize and connect with her. We're also there to add some levity, some humor and lightness to what is otherwise a pretty dark and intense story," he says.

Kendrick had told me the fun of playing Jessica was that she was nothing like her character. I ask Welch if the same is true with him or if he too spent his high school days chasing a girl who wasn't interested in him.

"Unfortunately, it was quite easy for me to connect with Mike and his journey," he says as Justin Chon enters the room followed by a man with a professional video camera. I wave him over. He and Welch happily greet each other like childhood friends. I bring Chon up to speed on our current train of thought and ask him, seeing that he is older than his "Twilight" high school cohorts, what it was like for him to essentially go back to school for his role.

"It's funny because I just had my 10-year reunion this December and all of my classmates asked me what it is like to still be playing those kinds of roles. I don't know. It's a part of my life that mentally I've grown way past, but professionally, because I look so young, I tend to play young characters. It's kind of cool because I can relive [high school] but play it the way I choose to play it," Chon says.

Welch adds, "How many people throughout their lives want to go back to their teenage experiences with the mindset and perspective that they have now? We get to do that. It's a gift and kind of special to relive these experiences our way."

I comment that everyone I've met from the films (the majority of my interviews have been with a pair of actors at a time rather than one on one) seems to have a wonderful relationship with each other even if they didn't appear in any scenes together in the film.

Chon suggests, "It's like a small cohesive family. If you see a person enough, you bond. We're all young, not set in our ways and none of us have egos so we just have fun."

Welch agrees saying, "I think part of the camaraderie also comes from an understanding of what we are all a part of. We all understand that this is an once-in-a-lifetime crazy thing."

Chon adds, "When we were shooting 'New Moon' they had these black tarps that covered the sets so you couldn't see in, and one day there was a helicopter flying above the set. Was this really happening? Did someone really rent a helicopter so they could get a shot of someone picking their nose? It's absolutely wild to be a part of this."

I ask if they are worried that they will always be associated with the "Twilight" films rather than the roles they'll have in the future.

Welch says, "I've always looked at acting as a marathon, not a sprint. It is what I love and plan on doing for the rest of my life. I've been very blessed that I've been able to build my reputation as an actor a brick at a time. This part of my career is another brick, a great stepping stone. Everything I get to do from here on out, I get to do, at least in a small part, because of ['Twilight']. So, yes, those thoughts to cross the back of your mind but at a certain point you have to have confidence and faith that things are going to turn out they way they are supposed to as long as you put in the work."

Chon nods, " I've thought about it. Is this the role I'm going to be best known for? Will I always be Justin Chon from 'Twilight'? It is a portion of my life but it doesn't define me. What I view as important is ultimately going to define who I am to myself. At the end of the day I just want to be doing something I love. If they just know me from 'Twilight' that's fine."

We take a moment to step back and laugh that we're having this conversation because ultimately every actor, professional or otherwise, wants to have success, notoriety and to be part of a phenomenon like "Twilight." No one wants to be pigeonholed for the rest of their careers, but if it is going to happen this is the way to do it.

Chon reminds us that we're talking about a film that none of the major studios were interested in and that, prior to its release, they were all "little actors trying to get roles in a indie film." Chon also says he's thankful that they'd take the risk of casting an Asian actor when, as he sees it, he wasn't the obvious choice.

Welch, who admits that he hadn't really thought about that aspect of casting, adds, "With a lot of projects, in the casting process, they are very specific about what ethnicity they want for a role. If I'm not mistaken, with this film, it was really about getting the most talented people who fit the roles best."

With that, I'm told to wrap up the conversation. As I stand to leave, I'm asked by Chon's stalkers, the camera crew, if I wouldn't mind giving them a brief interview. I suggest that I should have had someone do my makeup, but I'm not exactly about to refuse, although I'd hate to think that for the rest of my career I'll be typecast as a journalist.

Serratos glides in for a brief "hello" before the actors return to their rooms for a brief respite before they venture out into the arms of a thousand screaming fans.