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Interview: Ashley Greene

"Exuberant" doesn't even begin to describe Ashley Greene. She's got a radiant personality that permeates everything she does. As Alice Cullen in Twilight, she displays a magnetic charisma that stays true to the character's essence. Traditionally, Ashley's done TV roles, but she knocks this role out of the park, truly hitting a home run with her portrayal of Alice. In this exclusive interview, Ashley talked to ARTISTdirect about learning how to fast pitch, seeing the future, and much more.

Was there anything about Alice Cullen's character that really spoke to you personally?

I'm so excited that I got to play Alice. I think she's one of the coolest characters in there. Everybody wants a super power. Robert [Pattinson] got to read people's minds, and I got to see the future. That was very cool. I loved the character. She's dainty, cute, and loveable. My biggest connection with her is my family is my heart, and she's kind of the same way. She's dedicated to helping and being optimistic, so there was nothing bad about the character, I thought.

She's probably one of the most interesting vampires, because she's so happy. There's a light about her.

Yeah, she's so different. The whole family obviously is different, because we don't eat people and we're all for the greater good. Carlisle is another vampire on Alice's level. Alice comes from a dark background, and then she comes into this accepting family. So I think that's part of the reason that she looks at the world with this glass-is-half-full type of attitude. That was cool to play. I didn't have to get all depressed or anything to play her. [Laughs]

In some ways, she's like the glue holding the family together. She can see the future, and she's very instrumental to the plot. She's really integral to the whole series.

Yeah! My mom, of course, has read all of the books, and she's like, "Your part gets bigger in the second one!" I got a good response from many of the fans. A lot of people just love Alice. They do! She's a loveable character. Every one of us brings a different element to the table, but it is very nice and very helpful that Alice can see the future. Also, it's great that she does accept Bella and she loves her brother and supports him.

She's a good foil to Bella as well. It seems like you really understood the character, and you injected a vibrancy into her.

Good! I haven't seen it yet! [Laughs] I love being away on shoots because you're away from everything you know, and most of the time, everyone you do know. It gives you a great opportunity to really get into this character. Someone said my voice was different in the film, and it sounded like Alice. That was something that I didn't even really realize that I was doing, but it was just something that came to me.

The character has a graceful Shakespearian quality. Did you ever do any theater when you were younger?

I didn't do theater. Her movement and such stands out. I was in dance for awhile, which I think helped a lot. We had a dance class where they did this cat thing that I thought was really bizarre, but I'm glad that they did it because it got us into this movement and helped actually with my character. Theater is something that I actually want to do, but I think in like 10 years because it scares me. I think it's really intense. I'll do this first. I threw myself into the whole acting thing once I got here.

Traditionally, you've done a lot of TV work. How different was working on a film?

It's so amazing! I love film, and I prefer it. With film, you have the opportunity and the time to explore all of these different elements. Especially when you're on location, you can be in all these places. I give props to the people that do T.V., though. It's tough. Sometimes you get two takes, and that's it. It's nice to do film just because we're with everybody, and you form these bonds and have these awesome experiences. I think it definitely does help with the creative process.

Film is much more literary and methodical than T.V. is.

Definitely, to get you into your character, yes!

Is this a character you look forward to living with over the next couple films?

I'm desperately hoping that they do the second, third, and fourth films. If I had my way, they would. I think all of us are excited to jump into the next movies, and we're definitely willing. She's an awesome character. She's definitely one of the best characters in the book. She gets to do everything. She's this graceful little character that's always happy and can see the future, which is amazing. I got to do a fight scene. I get to explore every element with her.

The baseball scene looked like a blast, too.

I did get to see that in ADR with the effects and stuff. It looks cool! I'm proud of that scene because I worked for two weeks with this personal coach teaching me how to fast pitch. In the audition, they were like, "Do you know how to play baseball?" I responded, "Yeah, just give me the part! I'll cut my hair off. I'll play baseball!" [Laughs] What girl plays baseball? I didn't even play softball. I was like, "I'll learn. I promise." They had someone down there, and it was literally two grueling weeks of, "Okay, hair and makeup, test, Ashley, go pitch!"

You must have an arm now.

Yeah, I had to ice my shoulder. I'm so glad now because it was the form that I had to perfect. They said, "You throw like a girl!" I was like, "Well, I am a girl." So, I'm proud of that one. By the time it was show time, I actually pitched well. I only hit the cameraman twice, and it turned out really well.

It seems like the one person Alice can't predict is Jasper though. He's more removed.

Yeah, that's what I loved about our dynamic because he and I get along quite well. We discussed our characters. I think our relationship is very mental. It's like he can tell my mood because he can change moods and alter the general feeling of a room. Then I can see the future, so we always knew what was going on with each other and had that connection. It's neat that I can foresee what everyone's going to do, except for Jacob.

Would you ever want that power in real life?

I think that would drive me insane, just because it's subjective with her. It's not like as the course changes she's sees it. I think I'd go kind of crazy.

You'd need that vampiric immortality to go along with it. Of all the Cullens, Alice has the most restraint. Alice is in her own mental realm dealing with the visions so she has less time to be preoccupied with the hunger.

I never looked at it that way, but I guess so. I don't even have to think about not eating people. Alice never has. She's never eaten a person ever. She's one of the vampires that's never hunted a person. She's good to the core.

—Rick Florino
11.19.08