LOS ANGELES - Kristen Stewart continues to be in denial about her relationship.
If you're wondering with whom, you're probably a cave-dwelling hermit, and don't know what everybody else knows whether they want to or not - Robert Pattinson.
We also understand that Stewart plays Bella Swan, who is a devoted teen to Pattinson's vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight movie series based on the wildly popular Stephenie Meyer books.
The first two movie versions of the novels - Twilight and New Moon - didn't do so badly either, raking in a sensational $1.1 billion US at the box office worldwide.
The third film in the series, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, which opens June 30, is poised to set new records, too.
That's even as the final chapter, Breaking Dawn, begins production in October for a six-month shoot of two separate movies of the one book. Breaking Dawn Part I has already been set to open in theatres Nov. 18, 2011.
So inquiring minds will have more time to speculate about whether the off-screen chemistry between Stewart and Pattinson falls into the lovey-dovey realm or the just-good-friends category.
The gossip guessing might continue as the Twilight craziness ramps up again, but some day, when all is said and rumoured, the truth will come out.
"Probably," teases a smirking Stewart during a recent interview for the latest Twilight major motion picture filmed in Vancouver last year.
Now back to the David Slade-directed Eclipse. In this one, the Bella-Edward love connection is challenged by the wolf pack's Jacob (Taylor Lautner).
As the threesome squabble, the avenging vampire Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard, replacing Montreal's Rachelle Lefevre) returns with a vicious band of "new blood" vampires obsessed with terminating Bella. This leads to a violent confrontation between them and the Cullen coven of vampires who unite with their wolf pack enemies - while the treacherous ruling vampire clan Volturi look on.
It's not all extreme blood-letting and close-up emoting, though. There is some humour to lighten the tension and a showcased brief interlude between Bella and Jacob.
"Bella's definitely in conflict in that she's pushed to the point where the decision needs to be made," says Stewart. "She does that in each movie."
Of course, the Twilight fanatics will be waiting for the Jacob kiss in Eclipse. And Stewart says they won't be disappointed.
"It is the most unique moment," agrees the 20-year-old. "It's also a mistake by Bella, but I think it's cool to see her a little bit ashamed, and at the same time scared. I always say that Bella makes a lot of mistakes but she's willing to own them."
For a change, however, Bella is more of an observer than a participant in the Eclipse running, jumping and falling down.
"The action is absolutely everybody else's responsibility," she admits. "I just stand behind the people who are stronger than me. I didn't get to run around as much as I did in the second movie."
No matter, her Bella portrayal is just as vital to her in Eclipse as it was in Twilight and New Moon. "This was a part that I really wanted to play," she says, "and luckily for me I got to do it for a really long time."
Of course, Breaking Dawn will offer new, perhaps more controversial, challenges as a pregnant Bella makes the transition with Edward to vampire.
"I can't wait to see how Bella transforms," confesses Stewart, "and I can't wait for her to get married and have a kid. It's all of that."
And what kind of vampire will Bella turn out to be on screen?
"I've been on the outskirts of what it would feel like to play one of them," she says. "I've thought about it a lot and I can't wait to actually be it. It's going to be a trip ... and I think she's going to be the coolest vampire out of all of them."
Another Breaking Dawn bonus for the actress is that the book's multiple storylines won't be streamlined or edited like the Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse books-to-movies.
"That's why I'm glad that Breaking Dawn is going to be two movies," she says. "So there's going to be less of that - less of having to lose stuff."
Meanwhile, Stewart continues to to take a break from her Twilight world with roles in independent pictures. Earlier this year, she played Joan Jett in the rock 'n roll biopic of The Runaways.
And, she's just as enthusiastic about her new movie role this summer. She's signed on to play Marylou in the film version of Jack Kerouac's acclaimed 1957 novel, On The Road. Walter Salles, of Motorcycle Diaries fame, is directing.
"It was my first, favourite book," she says of the primer for the 1950s beat generation. "I'm doing that (On The Road) right after this press is over for Eclipse. In July, we start a four-week beatnik boot camp."
That part is in keeping with her quest to mix it up.
"For work stuff, I do what I feel and I don't really worry about what it's going to do afterwards," Stewart admits.
"Obviously, the Bella role put me in this sort of epic position, but it's just another movie and I think it doesn't matter if you're doing a studio movie or you're doing an independent movie, it's always going to be the same job."
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, opens wide June 30.
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