By Katie Leslie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Twi-hards” around the world are gearing up for the Friday release of “New Moon,” the sequel to the blockbuster hit “Twilight.” The films, based on a series of books by Stephanie Meyer, depict the tumultuous romance between a brooding teenage vampire and his true love and the other-worldly obstacles threatening to keep them apart.

We spoke with two stars of “New Moon” who were recently in Atlanta: Edi Gathegi, who plays the dreadlocked nomadic vampire Laurent; and Jamie Campbell Bower, who debuts in “New Moon” as Caius. Caius is one of the leaders of the Volturi clan, the ruling vampire government introduced in this second film.

Q: What attracted you to the role?

EG: When I saw the role I didn’t think it was anything. I wasn’t convinced that it was something I wanted to do. I only did it because I knew the casting director and I just wanted to be in another movie. It wasn’t until I read the books that I fell in love with the story and realized how big it could be because of the sheer number of book sales. It wasn’t until Comic-Con (a comic book and pop culture convention) that any of us knew how massive it could be. We found out later that’s the loudest the festival has ever been... I’m not a rockstar, but I certainly felt like one that day.

JCB: I read the script for the first time and fell in love with the film and wanted to play Edward. Fortunately or unfortunately it was at a time in my life that I wasn’t able to meet with the producers or read for the part...Then the opportunity came along to be part of the second one, to meet with Chris and audition. I jumped at the chance.

Q: What were the challenges of filming this movie and maybe the role itself?

JCB: It’s very scary starting a job, any job, when the first one had such success. It’s a terrifying prospect, but everyone was really lovely so that was a weight off my shoulders. Also, the contacts (Volturi vampires wear red contacts), for the first two days — I couldn’t see [anything].

EG: The weather. In “New Moon” I’m wearing shoes. In “Twilight” I wasn’t, and that was very uncomfortable. I’m shirtless in the Pacific Northwest. I can’t believe Taylor [Lautner] is shirtless the whole movie.

Q: Does the alleged romance between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart make the filming experience more exciting or is it exhausting?

JCB: It doesn't make the filming process any more difficult or interesting. In a morbid kind of way it does kind of increase the awareness of the movie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a bad thing because people's emotions are at stake here, their well-being, and that's never good. But it had absolutely no effect on the cast I would say. At the end of the day it's none of our business.

EG: I don't even think about it. I guess I'll think about it if I'm at the airport and I walk by a news stand and see a magazine that says they're on again off again. It's more like listening to a story from a friend who likes to gossip but you're not a gossipy person.

Q: Are either of you in relationships?

JCB: [With] England. I don't have a girlfriend. It's complicated, to use the Facebook term.

EG: Yeah, very much so. It's complicated.

Q: For many movies, people likely haven’t read the book. But it seems like your fans get their hands on everything Twilight-related. Who is the Twilight fan?

EG: I guess like with everything there are varying degrees of the fandom. For this fandom I think there’s a large percentage who are super fans, Twi-hards. Those are the ones that purchase everything, all Twilight things.

JCB: Fanpires.

EG: I think the reason for that is their reading experience of the books was all encompassing...They finally found something that captured their attention and they flew through the books and maybe when they read the last book they became depressed because they were so invested in this world. And the reason they were so invested in this world is because Stephanie Meyer made a creative, believable world and she made it exciting... For people who haven’t read the books, maybe they’re just attracted to the people in the movies. They’re excited to see Taylor with his shirt off and Rob [Pattinson] smolder.

Q: Do you think seeing this intense love story is misleading a generation of teenagers who think maybe this is what love is supposed to be?

JCB: That’s what love is though, is it not? I don’t know, I think what Stephanie has done is latch onto those feelings of first love that you will never feel again, that feeling of such intense emotion... When that first love comes along you know it and feel it, and its completely exciting.

EG: If anything, it’s not going to screw up a generation but inform women of what they deserve. And what they deserve is to be in a relationship where they are treated with respect and really cared about. That’s what the women love about Edward. He’s the consummate gentleman. He puts her first. That’s what they all want. And if they can read a book like that where they see someone providing that then maybe they won’t put up with the boyfriend who doesn’t respect them.