"Twilight" mastermind Stephenie Meyer describes Rosalie Hale as the most beautiful woman in the world — a tall, statuesque vampire with long, wavy, blond hair and eyes resembling violets. Onscreen, 21-year-old beauty Nikki Reed has lived up to that impossible description, endearing herself to fans even as she further antagonizes their beloved Bella Swan.
Rounding out a week of Cullen family interviews that has included Jackson Rathbone, Elizabeth Reaser and Kellan Lutz, we caught up with the refreshingly frank actress to talk about the joys of a half-naked Taylor Lautner, rainbow analysis and why she'll never, ever own a Rob Pattinson doll.
MTV: What's the biggest difference, in your personal opinion, between the three "Twilight" books currently being filmed as the "Saga"?
Nikki Reed: The biggest difference? Well, I know the similarities — it's an ongoing love story. I guess the action increases and the excitement and visual stimulation. But I think "New Moon" really revolves around this intense love triangle, and with "Eclipse," it's more heightened.
MTV: What's your favorite scene in "New Moon"?
Reed: Anything that Taylor Lautner is in. Seriously, the kid is — he's not a kid, he's a young man — but he's incredible. And I'm not saying that because he takes his shirt off in every scene. [Laughs.] Seriously, you forget that he's half-naked in every scene, because he is so incredible. He makes this film amazing.
MTV: Tell us about your favorite new character to join the franchise, who wasn't in the original film.
Reed: All of the wolves. They bring a very obvious warmth. To see people actually interacting and wrestling and touching each other and rolling around in the mud and being a bunch of boys? That was a nice addition. Because the vampires are all very ... cold. It sounds super cliché, but there was a lot of interaction, a lot of human interaction [in "New Moon"]. It was nice.
MTV: You guys have known each other for so long. What do you discuss between takes?
Reed: Um, I suppose all kinds of things. We usually talk about rainbows. [Laughs.] That and how tired we are. That seems to be a very common topic: how exhausted we are.
MTV: As the "Saga" has continued filming, do you find yourself becoming more or less like Rosalie?
Reed: I guess the older I get, the more understanding and forgiving I've become. I'm learning how to see people as people and forgive them for their mistakes — and I guess that is unfolding in Rosalie's life as well.
MTV: What do you think is the secret to the enormous success of the "Twilight" series?
Reed: It's a universal love story. The obvious answer is the books, if you're asking why the films are successful. But if you're asking what people are drawn to, I think it's ideas, situations [and] circumstances that are just out of reach, just out of the realm of possibility. I mean, it's not realistic, but it's this whole idea about living forever. People are fascinated by vampires, because it's the one thing we can't [attain]; it's unachievable. Also, the love these two characters have for each other is relatively unhealthy and unrealistic as well. People are fascinated with situations like that.
MTV: There is so much "Twilight" swag out there now. Do you own any?
Reed: "Twilight" memorabilia? No. [Laughs.] I don't have an Edward doll.
For more from the "New Moon" cast and to see an exclusive clip from the film, check out MTV's "Ulalume: Howling at New Moon" tonight at 9 p.m. ET — and check MTV.com at 10 p.m. to see the clip exclusively online!
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