'Twilight' star Jackson Rathbone, exclusive: 'New Moon' movie, 100 Monkeys, his career, Part 2

April 6, 11:54 PMTwilight ExaminerAmanda Bell

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... Continued from Part 1

... Jackson said, “we all just love playing music . . . the fame and notoriety helps us afford this endorphin addiction. We all are just plain excited people actually love our music . . . ‘cause we love playing it.” Despite his busy New Moon filming schedule, the band plays on, it seems.

About the film, I asked Jackson Rathbone, “In New Moon, your character is supposed to take a bigger bite (pun intended) into the series, with Jasper showing his more thirsty side. How are you preparing yourself for these scenes?” Jackson replied, “for that pun, you should be ‘pun’ished . . . I haven’t had a drink in 35 days.” Clever fellow, he is.

With his wit in mind, I decided to ask Jackson about a concern that some fans, myself included, had about the potential for inconsistencies between his character in Twilight and New Moon. I asked, “In Twilight, Jasper was dancing around the fire while Bella bled out from her James-inflicted wounds, and in New Moon, a little papercut is supposed to send Jasper over the edge. Some fans worry that this inconsistency will de-legitimize some of the scenes in New Moon. How are you and the crew planning to handle this?” Jackson says,

It’s all in the old saying, ‘Location, location, location . . .’ Once you realize the immense animalistic impulses a vampire has, you realize . . . every little thing is more intense. The smell from a vampire-burning bonfire, the adrenaline from the kill, and the exhaustion from the chase . . . basically, in terms of scent, the difference is between a dance studio filled with smells [of] burning and violence, as opposed to the Cullen Family living room, which is filled with the smell of birthday cake. There is no inconsistency, don’t worry.

Guess that's one New Moon scene we avidly expected (see here) that we won't have to worry about anymore!

Despite his accelerating stardom and ever-growing fanbase, Jackson has remained a complete gentleman to his fans as well as the media, so I asked him “how do you keep such a warm smile on your face amidst all the Twilight chaos?” Put simply, Jackson replied that “in the monkey kingdom, baring one’s teeth has a different connotation. Beware.”

Jackson, whose smile may or may not have a double-meaning, will be featured in this summer's TwiCon festival in Dallas, Texas. I asked him if he was looking forward to it, and he said that he’s “only been waiting since last summer!”

After New Moon wraps up, Jackson Rathbone will be taking on a new and different role as Sokka in M. Night Shyamalan’s up-coming film The Last Airbender, a film based on the award-winning Nickelodeon Asian-inspired cartoon series that mixed martial arts with elemental manipulation. Sokka, Jackson’s part, was a 15-year-old warrior from the “Southern Water Tribe,” who goes on a mission to defeat the Fire Lord. Sokka, quite appropriately, was a character known for his sense of humor, and described himself to be “meat-loving.” Sokka is also known to wield a boomerang and a sword and was frequently the butt of his companion’s jokes.

I asked Jackson about his upcoming role in The Last Airbender, and how he was preparing himself both mentally and physically for the role. Continuing his knack for repartee, Jackson says, “I’ve been training in various styles of Kung Fu since December, and I love it! It connects the body and mind in a way a textbook could never achieve . . . I can kill from 10 feet away with a spear . . . Purty sweeeeeetttt . . .” Best to stay back, then, fans – not only does his smile deceive, but he also has been brushing up on his martial arts and spearing capacities (that goes for you, especially, paparazzi).

On a more serious note, I asked him if he had any advice for up-and-coming actors who might want to be as diversified and calm as he is. He said, “Appreciate that everything in the world has lined up perfectly in order for you to exist . . . Take five minutes to yourself, and count everything little thing you have to be thankful for . . . it’s good for the soul. And, anytime you feel despondent, fake a smile for exactly one minute, and then you’ll laugh at how ridiculous it all is.”

Jackson added to his fans, “I wanna thank each and every one of you for existing! Without you, I’d be acting in an empty theatre . . . again. Much love, and respect.”

Isn’t he something else? Comment below with your thoughts on Jackson’s words!

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