Oklahoma-born actor Chaske Spencer becomes leader of the pack in “Twilight: New Moon”
From left, Alex Meraz plays Paul, Kiowa Gordon plays Embry and Chaske Spencer plays Sam in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
“Twilight” saga new phase for actor
State native Chaske Spencer plays Quileute Indian, werewolf in latest chapter of paranormal saga
LOS ANGELES — For Chaske Spencer, playing a werewolf in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” was more than a chance to appear in one of the biggest movies of the year.
The film offered the opportunity to embody American Indians in a positive, modern-day fashion.
“We try to represent well, because “We’re very fortunate to be here and to represent our people in a contemporary way, and a lot of responsibility does come with that,” Spencer said in a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel ballroom, where he was surrounded by fellow Native American actors Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon and Bronson Pelletier.
“We’re getting offers as well for roles that are non-specific for Natives — some guy that doesn’t have to be Native. We’re very fortunate and blessed for that.”
For Spencer, 34, his first major role as an actor was playing the title character in an off-Broadway production of “Dracula.” The Oklahoma-born thespian finds himself at the other end of the supernatural spectrum in “New Moon” as Sam Uley, a Quileute Indian who becomes first of his generation to tap his people’s genetic ability to transform into werewolves. Their job is to protect the tribe from vampires, and Sam becomes leader of the pack.
“No one wants this. It just happens, this is what we’re dealt. When the Cullens came around, that’s when we started phasing. My character, he was the first one to phase, so my relationship to these guys, I’m sort of the big brother, the mentor, the father figure to help them,” Spencer said. “We are like a band of brothers, like a rock band, and suddenly Jacob starts to phase, and …he has some choices to make and he has to join us. we surround him and tell him it’s not that bad.”
In “New Moon,” the second film based on Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling book series, human heroine Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is devastated when her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) leaves over concerns for her safety. Bella takes comfort in her friendship with her Quileute pal Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), but her life again gets supernaturally strange when Jacob turns into a werewolf.
The sequel took in a monstrous $140.7 million when it debuted last weekend, giving it the third-biggest opening weekend on the all-time domestic box-office list.
The movie is the most high-profile project yet for Spencer, whose previous credits include the drama “Skins,” the TV movie “DreamKeeper” and Steve Spielberg’s television epic “Into the West.”
Born in Tahlequah, the Lakota Sioux actor grew up on reservations in Montana and Idaho. As a child he dreamed of becoming a photographer but eventually moved to New York City to pursue acting. After doing some theater work, he was discovered by TV and film casting director Rene Haynes, who cast American Indian actors to play the “New Moon” werewolves.
Pelletier, who plays Jared, is Cree-Metis; Gordon, who plays Embry Call, is Hualapai; and Meraz, who plays Paul, is Purepecha. In a 2008 interview, Lautner said his heritage is French, German and Dutch, with some Potawatomi and Ottawa ancestry on his mother’s side.
Spencer relished seeing so many American Indian actors gathered for a contemporary film, rather than the usual “leather and feather” period epics. Although they turn into werewolves, the Quileutes aren’t demonized in the Meyer’s “Twilight” universe.
“We come from a different angle, being Native. We have a different outlook on life,” he said. “We like Stephenie’s writing and she’s represented pretty well.”
Along with watching the first “Twilight” film, he and his fellow werewolf actors researched the Quileute culture. It doesn’t include lycanthropy myths, but according to legend, the tribe is descended from wolves who changed into men.
The actors also went through a wolf boot camp of rigorous workouts and strict dieting. Spencer emerged as the true alpha of the group, even if he helped them break their protein-heavy diet with desserts. As they endured several shirtless scenes in 30-degree weather and icy rain, the wolf pack bonded like a true band of brothers. They’re even considering matching tattoos.
“I think the chemistry, you’ll see it on the screen,” Spencer said. “We all get along, and that’s really cool.”
-BAM
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embry call aka Kiowa Gordon is so hot i wish i could date him