MORE.COM INTERVIEW WITH CATHERINE
The Teen Whisperer: Catherine Hardwicke “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke talks to MORE about understanding the teenage mind.
MORE: What was it like writing Thirteen with your teenage friend Nikki Reed?Catherine Hardwicke: Nikki was a family friend, and she was going through a tough period. Her parents were like, “Well, she seems to relate to you, even though she hates everybody else in the world.” Sometimes anybody is better than your own mother or father. Nikki wanted to be an actor, so I said, “Let’s write something for you, and let’s make it real. Let’s make it about what a lot of kids are going through: image issues, drugs. I’m going to direct it and you’re going to star.” We wrote it in six days, and then she went back to eighth grade. We never thought it would actually get made. [The movie, starring Reed, Evan Rachel Wood, and Holly Hunter, was an indie hit in 2003.]
MORE: I’ve heard that the audition for the leads, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, took place in your house, on your bed.
CH: I know — how did that get out? [laughs] Obviously, nobody got undressed. Rob’s an adult, and Kristen was 17 and had done more overtly sexual roles before. They’re very serious actors, and we had to find out how we could play this scene. Then we could actually film it and convey those emotions, that tension and desire. It’s a very chaste book, in a way, and the movie’s completely PG-13.
It’s very difficult for young actors — or actors of any age — to do a romantic scene. It’s very embarrassing. You know, do I look good? Do I look stupid? Do I look sexy? So you have to find ways to make people feel as comfortable as possible. That’s one reason why I’ve done a lot of auditions, and a lot of rehearsals, in my house. Because my house is just funky — it’s a mess. Nobody’s around, you’ll be embarrassed only in front of me. And I’ll do way stupider things than you.
(thanks ruwani)
Catherine does appear to have been the perfect choice to make Twilight a movie for teens, but I think she appeals to the older fans too.
She appeals to me as a director. In your opinion does Catherine appeal to teenage fans more than the older ones? If so why or why not?
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I love her. She’s a very cool director, very smart. I wish I had her energy.
I would love to just sit down and talk with Catherine. She seems like a friend I haven’t seen in awhile and we need to play catch up. I love how she really got Twilight from reading the book and the movie is an extension of that.