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Interview With A Werewolf
Filmink chatted with the lead werewolf from the Twilight films, Chaske Spencer
A question which has burrowed its way into popular culture: Team Vampire vs. Team Werewolf? Fans in the latter camp are in for a treat when Chaske Spencer, who plays lead werewolf Sam in the Twilight franchise, visits Australia as part of the Supernova Pop Culture Expo late June. Filmink recently caught up with the actor and chatted about Twilight craziness and what we can expect from the highly anticipated Eclipse due out in Australia July 1.
Spencer was a college freshman, midway through his first semester, when he bought a one-way plane ticket to New York City to pursue his acting career. In hindsight, he admits it was an impulsive decision. "I wasn't doing too well in my home town, just bumming around, flunking out of college and hanging out with the wrong crowd. I thought I better make a move and do something with my life." Spencer pauses for a moment before adding with a laugh, "I guess desperation was a key factor."
When he arrived in the Big City, he dabbled in theatre and picked up a couple of roles as an extra in movies. "I was a bartender and waiter. I did the whole struggling actor thing," Spencer says.
He soon picked up a role in Skins, an inspirational flick which centred on two Indian brothers, before taking on a main role in the television miniseries, Dreamkeepers. Following that he scored a role in Steven Spielberg's 2005 miniseries Into The West, quipping "Spielberg sounds good on your resume, it opens doors for you."
Indeed a door was opened when Spencer auditioned for the role of lead wolf, Sam Uley, in the second instalment of the Twilight phenomenon, New Moon. Spencer admits that he wasn't familiar with the franchise beforehand. "I knew it was around but I didn't know what the big thing was, it's not exactly my demographic," he smiles.
However the actor soon got up to speed with the books, which he used as a reference to find a way into his character. "I liked the fact that Sam was a leader, an alpha male. It was a challenging role and I had to find something to relate to the character. I read New Moon, I read Eclipse and that was the one that really helped me discover Sam Uley. It was nice to have that there, so that if I was getting a little lost with the character, I could go back to the books."
Another way Spencer got into character was via the intense workouts he had to undergo to get in shape for his role. "I packed on 20 to 25 pounds of muscle and I have to keep getting bigger. The workouts were pretty tough, but our trainer pushed us and he tried to help us bond when we were doing the workouts. We didn't know each other and by the end of the week, we were bros; it was a great bonding experience."
Indeed for Spencer, and the other actors who buffed up for their roles as werewolves, Eclipse signalled a shift in terms of celebrity. "We were still under the radar and the paparazzi wasn't that bad with us but when we went back to film Eclipse, it was a different ball game altogether. We were part of the Twilight phenomenon and it did take a while to adjust to." The 35 year old actor though doesn't seem overly phased, reflecting, "I don't get too overwhelmed by it, I don't take it too seriously."
Helping Spencer adjust to the spotlight was watching how his co-stars dealt with whirlwind fame. "Most of my scenes are with Kristen and Taylor and I have nothing but high praise for them. They're really great people to work with, professional and humble. I'm really impressed with how they've handled the whole phenomenon. They've got good heads on their shoulders and know they have a gift here working on this series."
So what can we expect from the highly anticipated third film? Spencer remains tight-lipped but reveals, "It's going to be darker and have a lot more action. But what I love about each of these films is that the characters are brought into this pop culture rock star status. It's sexy. That will be the same," he smiles.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon is on DVD and Blu-ray from April 15, 2010. Chaske Spencer will be appearing at the Supernova Pop Culture Expo in Sydney, June 18-20 and Perth, June 25-27. For more information, visit the website. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is in cinemas July 1, 2010. For more on Chaske Spencer, head to his official website.
Picture caption: Spencer at the New Moon premiere in Los Angeles, courtesy of Getty Images