Every “Twilight” film has found a different director at the helm, but one constant in the creative process has been screenwriter Melissa Roseneberg. The former “Dexter” executive producer and writer has adapted every one of Stephenie Meyer’s novels to the big screen and has been seen by fans as a guardian of the original source material. Having spoken to the always friendly Rosenberg a number of times, I figured it would be fun to mix things up and ask 10 questions that show a different side of the scribe.
1. What is the strangest ‘Twilight’ related fan moment you’ve had to date?
I actually don’t get so many of the kind of fan interactions that Rob, Kristen and Taylor do for which I’m quite thankful. (Laughs.)
2. Which character do you secretly wish you could have explored more with in the series?
I would have to say Alice and Jasper. I think they have a really interesting individual back stories and their journey together and there was only so much screen time.
3. Favorite scene in any of the films so far.
My current favorite is the wedding toasts in ‘Breaking Dawn.’ Love those.
4. What’s your have a favorite movie franchise outside “Twilight?
“Harry Potter.” (Note, it appears “X-Men” was a close second).
5. If you were to do a theoretical TV series based on the “Twilight” mythology, which would be the better choice: a series about the Volturi or a series on the wolf pack?
Good question. I think a series about the Volturi. They are just so deliciously evil and just funny and dark. And there is just more story to grab from that. They have been alive for thousands of years so you have just a number of stories to tell to take you through a series.
6. Outside of the big three (and Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick), which “Twilight” series regular do you think will surprise the industry the most over the next 10 years?
Well, Billy Burke for sure. He’s obviously been around for awhile and he’s well established, but I think his career will continue to grow.
7. Did you ever had writer’s block while adapting any of the novels?
Always. (Laughs.). Always. It was a terror.
8. Moment you first realized this wasn’t your typical writing assignment?
That would be after I had written “Twilight” and was in the middle of writing “New Moon” and “Eclipse” and “Twilight went to Comic-Con for the first time. We were in Hall H for the first time the cast was presented and I was in the audience with the producers and the cast walked out and there was just this screaming. This wave of intense energy and we all kind of looked around and went, ‘Holy crap. This is a lot bigger than I had imagined.” The terror also completely set in there because I realized I’d changed some things int the book and they are going to come after me with pitchforks. But then they showed the clip and the audience went crazy and I relaxed. But you could see that almost passion reverberate off the actors. It was amazing and terrifying all at once.
9. Favorite line from any point in the series?
I love in “Eclipse” when Jacob says to Edward in the tent scene, “Lets fact it, I’m hotter than you.” But, I also, in this movie, there is Anna Kendrick and then one of the last lines of the movie where Michael Sheen, one of the Volturi, says “That’s Carlisle with an ‘s.’ First the spelling, then the grammar.” (Laughs.) And I did the “Carlisle with an ‘s'” and Michael must have said “First it’s the spelling then it’s the grammar” or maybe it was [director Bill Condon]. I wasn’t on set when they shot that. Whoever came up with the second half of that was genius.
10. In your opinion, do think this is the last we’ll see of Bella, Edward and Jacob on the big screen?
I think Bella and Edward’s story is complete to me. I think there are many more stories to be told with Jacob and Renesmee and the wolf pack and everyone else.
Bonus:
11. Do you miss working on “Dexter”?
Very, very much. “Dexter” was one of the best TV experiences of my career. I’ve been doing this awhile so that’s saying a lot. I really miss the writers who I was working with. One of the most talented group of writers I’ve ever worked with. Writing for Michael C. Hall? It really doesn’t get much better than that. Michael Sheen and the “Twilight” cast is a close second.
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Pt. 1” opens nationwide on Friday.
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