Twilight star Stewart not hiding her light

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Kristen Stewart, right, with Robert Pattinson.

LOS ANGELES -- Kristen Stewart's growing up as she matures into the role of Bella in New Moon. But she confesses it took a while for her to stop stumbling figuratively, and mumbling literally, while trying to explain herself during her first go-round with Twilight last year.

More confident during a recent interview for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the 19-year-old has apparently put her awkwardly hesitant self behind her.

It also helps her poise that she's proud of New Moon, which opens to great anticipation Nov. 20, the second film version from the wildly popular Stephenie Meyer series of four novels.

In the Chris Weitz-directed New Moon, Stewart's Bella tries to cope with her split from vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson). That's just as she becomes more involved with childhood friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who's dealing with his own werewolf-related transition.

Certainly, there's been emotional turmoil on and off camera for the L.A. actress who started working in TV commercials as a child. After a few more TV parts and movie roles, Stewart had her breakthrough playing Jodie Foster's diabetic daughter in Panic Room.

She also earned decent notices in the fantasy adventure Zathura and the thriller The Messenger, among many of her co-starring parts.

But it was her brief appearance opposite Emile Hirsch in Sean Penn's Into The Wild that convinced Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke she would be the perfect embodiment of a shy but resilient Bella.

That just might have been an appropriate description of Stewart months ago. Still, the once bashful actress seems willing and able to discuss all things put to her.

For instance, what about a tabloid story claiming she was pregnant, and multiple reports suggesting she's dating co-star Pattinson? "The whole rumour, tabloid stuff is so obviously false to me. It's like a ridiculous show... with false realism like a soap opera that seems real."

"ö On new director Chris Weitz: "He wasn't just jumping on the next big thing, so it wasn't about breaking him in at all. He only helped make everything better. He's incredible."

"ö On Lautner fighting to keep his Jacob role: "That controversy has probably been, like, made bigger than it was. We needed to be sure that whoever played Jacob was going to be Jacob from New Moon. He becomes a man, and it's not just a physical transformation."

"ö On appreciating the Twilight phenomenon: "Sometimes, I have to say, 'OK, Kristen, be here. Experience it. Make sure that this isn't another fleeting situation that you're going to barely remember.' You have to force yourself to be present."

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 12, 2009 F8