Marisa Gina counts herself among the ranks of an elite group of adult “Twilight” superfans. The 47-year-old mother of two from Island Park, L.I., already has plans for opening night of “Eclipse” — the third installment of Stephenie Meyer‘s wildly popular “Twilight” saga — on Wednesday.
First, the TwiMom — that’s what adult women “Twilight” fans call themselves — will go to the midnight show with her daughter, boss and a friend. Then, on just a few hours of sleep, she’ll drive with another hard-core “Twilight” lover to Providence, R.I., to meet another group of fans and see “Eclipse” in IMAX. Finally, they’ll drive back to the city together to make one final stop: Madame Tussauds in Times Square, to see “Eclipse” star Robert Pattinson‘s wax figure.
“I just loved the wonderful way ‘Twilight’ has of making you feel like you felt at 19,” says Gina, who works at the front desk at a sports club and has been married for 29 years. She says of ‘Twilight’ tweens have got nothing on these grown-up fang fanaticsEdward, the dashing vampire hero of the novels: “He’s a standup guy. He’s polite, he’s educated. That has a lot to do with the appeal.”
She loves the character so much that she has an Edward doll she likes to take photos of at Times Square or at the beach (like a traveling garden gnome), and cuddles at night in a “Twilight” pillow and blanket.
Banker Alicia Zen, who lives in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, found herself similarly enthralled with the books — and has surprised herself by the depth of her devotion. “I went online and found out that Rob was in New York City filming ‘Remember Me.’ He was just a few blocks from where I lived. After the bank closed I decided to visit the set,” she recalls.
For superfans, living in New York has the added benefit of allowing up-close looks at the objects of their obsession thanks to frequent signings, in-store appearances, on-location filming (like “Remember Me”) and the morning talk-show circuit.
Zen was there — along with hordes of other fans, who ranged from ‘tweens to senior citizens. Some had even taken their vacation time to fly to New York to visit the set, in hopes of seeing Pattinson walk from his trailer.
Around 1:30 a.m., after standing around in 3-inch heels and a little red dress for more than seven hours, Zen had her big moment: Pattinson came over to sign autographs. She got hers. She also slept overnight on the street in hopes of getting a ticket to see Taylor Lautner on “Saturday Night Live,” but didn’t get in.
Maria Cortez, a 32-year-old from the Bronx, has waited in line at 5 a.m. to see Pattinson on the “Today” show. “I can no longer have a conversation without it turning into a ‘Twilight’-related conversation. I have actually started a conversation with someone if I see them reading one of the ‘Twilight’ books,” admits Cortez, who is working on a master’s degree in human resources management.
“When I first saw him through the window, my knees buckled and I could not breathe,” she says. “When he came out in the plaza, he walked over to our side and I asked him to please sign a picture for me. He handed the magazine back to me, and that was my chance to say something to him as he smiled at me. But what do I say at that exact moment? … ‘Rob you’re the bomb.’ ” Cortez cringes at the memory. “He sort of giggled and said thanks. I totally froze up and felt like the biggest dork in the world.”
Some fans have made their all-consuming hobby into something of a vocation. Hoboken resident Kara Anne O’Grady, 36, is deeply involved in TwilightMOMS, a “Twilight” site for adults. She visited the Vancouver set of “New Moon,” the second film in the series, reported from the red carpet at a premiere for TwilightMOMS, appeared on “Today” representing adult fans of the series, and has even had dinner with actor Peter Facinelli, who plays Dr. Carlisle Cullen, patriarch of the Cullen clan.
O’Grady won’t let her obsession take over her home’s decor, though. “I have friends who have ‘Twilight’ shrines in their houses. One has a guest room that is ‘Twilight’-themed red, black and white. My wall of ‘Twilight’ is more subtle, and can be hidden in a few minutes if we have nontolerant guests over!”
Of all the fans in the New York metro area, Laura Byren-Cristiano may be one of the most devoted — and luckiest. Says the 44-year-old from northern New Jersey, “I’m sorting out questions for Rob, Kristen Stewart and Taylor.” She was calling from an “Eclipse” convention in Los Angeles, where she’s representing the Twilight Lexicon, one of the largest “Twilight” fan sites, which she co-owns with Lori Joffs. “There are several marriage
proposals,” she laughs.
Of course, not everyone is so taken with grownups obsessed with vampires and werewolves. “My work friends and husband make fun of me,” says O’Grady. “My hubby is the world’s most tolerant man, and he knows that through this fandom I’ve been able to do things most people just dream about. But the times I wait in line for hours at a time just for Stephenie’s autograph or for the ‘Twilight’ premiere, he doesn’t understand.”
But in the end, these fans all emphasize that as silly as their devotion to “Twilight” might seem, it’s about more than autographs from heartthrob actors or sleeping in a “Twilight” sheet set.
“Five of us are spending the weekend at King of Prussia, Pa., over Fourth of July weekend to go shopping and see ‘Eclipse’ together,” says Zen. “But it’s also an opportunity to go shopping and catch up on our lives.”
Fans have forged real connections using the books as an initial shared interest. “I am an only child and never had many close female friends, and I work in a very male-dominated industry,” says O’Grady, who works in lighting. “But thanks to TwilightMOMS, I feel like I have really found a sisterhood.”
Gina talks about the friends she has made via the “Twilight” series in Cyprus, Germany, Australia and all over the U.S., and how their relationships go much deeper than fandom of vampire novels.
“We all love Edward,” she says. “But we talk about our lives, children, marriages.”
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