This week we have an article from Kassie about meeting Chaske (Sam Uley) and Gil Birmingham (Billy Black)!  You can also hear a chat with Gil on our podcast this week!

Gil Birmingham:

This was so great because we had no idea we were going to be able to talk to Gil. He actually is the one who approached us. He inched his way over to us and his first words were who are you guys”? It was great. The audio comes in right after we told him who we were and we just asked how it was on set and what it was like. Then shortly after, he was called to practice! Gil had just came in that day for shooting and was leaving the next day….that is crazy….the life of an actor! He was so friendly and what a great surprise to get to speak with him for a bit!

Chaske Spencer:

This interview was so exciting because none of us had ever met Chaske! Chaske Spencer plays Sam Uley in New Moon. I have to admit before I saw or spoke with him I was still on the sad side from loosing Soloman Trimble to this role….but now I am totally excited to see what Chaske will bring to New Moon! I really think he is going to be a great Sam!

So, when Chaske walked up he seemed a little timid, but warmed up to us after the first question or so. He was only wearing shorts in the shot they were filming so when he came over he did have a coat on…it was pretty chilly out there! Here is the Q&A that we got from Chaske. The transcript below is taken from our (His Golden Eyes, Twilighters Anonymous, Twilight Moms, Twilight Series Theories, Twilight Source and Twilight Lexicon) collective notes since we were unable to record him. Whenever something is a direct quote and not a paraphrase quotes have been used:

Q: Why are you working out so much between takes? Is the workout regimen that strenuous?

A: It’s cold outside it’s survival.

Q: What was your casting process like.

A:It was a long casting process with Rene Haynes. It lasted several months, but when they decided on me it was just two weeks before the first scene I was in was shot.

Q: Have you read any of the Twilight books?

A: I have read up to Eclipse and New Moon is my favorite. I read the book first and then the script.

Q: So what was it like working with Chris Weitz?

A: He’s a “laid back director” and one “cool dude!” He’s a “guy’s guy” and is a lot of fun to hang out with.

Q: What’s your favorite scene so far?

A: The scene where Bella confronts the wolf-pack. “It was pretty epic”.

Q: How did the wolf pack bond together?

A: We were all rooming in the same hotel, so we always saw each other. We trained together and hung out together playing basketball. We knew we “needed to be a band of brothers” on screen, so we tried to bond on and off screen. We made sure that we would go to meals together and sit as a family.

Q: What do you do when you’re not shooting?

A: I train a lot and explore Vancouver.

Q: How has the role changed you?

A: So far, it hasn’t really.

Q: What was it like dealing with the press and the new found fame?

A: I didn’t really know what to expect, but “it’s been surreal”. When there are too many press around, “I just put on my sunglasses and hoodie, and I get my Jason Bourne on. I sneak off into the sunset.”

Q: Did you do any research on the Quileute people? Can you tell us about the pack tattoo?

A: I didn’t have as much time to research as I would have liked because everything happened so fast. I only had two weeks from when I was cast until I had to be on set. But I did a little bit. The tattoo is a circle with two wolves based on a Quileute legends.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Love Love,

Kassie